Transcript Organic ingredients, Wind Turbines and Biodiesel: Clif Bar

Clif Bar & Company: A Transformative Approach
To Improving Food System Sustainability
Elysa Hammond
Director of Environmental Stewardship
September 16, 2010
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A natural food company since 1992
Organic since 2003
Family and
employee-owned
Emeryville, California
250 employees
>$200 million in sales/year
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•Organic ingredients in
all products
•6 of 7 brands are
certified organic
•40 million lbs
organic/year (70%)
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Conversation matters. Organic was the catalyst.
1978 Conversations start about
sustainable food and organic farming
1992 Gary Erickson starts CLIF BAR
2000 CLIF BAR stays private
2001 Sustainability program begins*
2003 First certified organic product
*Clif Bar didn’t start out as green company.
If we can do this, anyone can.
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Systems thinking: Energy Matters
U.S. Food System Energy Use
•20% on farm energy use
•40% packaging and processing
•40% transport , storage, preparation
Carbon is a leading sustainability metric in our program
17% of energy use in U.S. economy is related to the food system
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You can’t see what you can’t imagine
Our environmental sustainability vision
Our products will be:
Made with sustainable, organic ingredients;
Baked with clean, renewable energy;
Packaged in environmentally friendly packaging;
Delivered by transportation that doesn't pollute.
Our company will:
Help create a more healthy, just and sustainable
food system;
Support a vibrant, healthy, green workplace;
Generate profits that help people and the planet;
Learn from and share with others
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Our Sustainability Model: Five Aspirations
Our Five Aspirations reflect the report’s 4 sustainability goals
This sustainability model has transformed the company. We
are making progress toward all goals.
Economic growth, brand integrity, creating new green jobs, driving
demand for organic farming and giving back to communities.
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Examples of progress in brand, people and
community aspirations
Brand
Pure Prevention Campaign with the Breast Cancer Fund
LunaFest women’s film festival
Sponsorship of events, athletes, eco-programs
People
Nationally acclaimed workplace
Cool Commute & Cool Home,
on-site gym & classes, childcare,
ESOP, dogs in the office
Community
Clif Bar Family Foundation –$2MM /year
Community service on company time
Planet
New LEED certified office, solar roof with organic restaurant;
climate neutral with offsets; biodiesel fleet; recycled packaging
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Environmental Stewardship- 4 areas of focus
Organic, sustainable
food and farming
value-based
supply chain;
traceability & farmer connections;
Organic seed
Zero Waste
recycl
Climate action
reduced carbon footprint
efficient shipping
renewable energy
In
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Conserve and restore
natural resources
including biodiversity
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Organic farming generates multiple benefits:
healthier food, cleaner water, safer farming, carbon storage
2002 - 2 million lbs organic
2010 - 40 million lbs (70%)
Organic farming helps
deliver on all of our
environmental goals
Supporting organic,
regenerative
agriculture is the
cornerstone of our
sustainability efforts
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Keeping up the momentum
We’re increasing support of organic farming by
• steadily increasing purchases;
• procurement goals and guidelines;
•nonprofit partnerships, in-house education and
connecting with growers, and support for the Seed
Matters initiative
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What’s working? What’s driving transformation?
1. Consumer-driven demand for organic and natural
products*. ( The USDA organic standards are working..)
“Our company has experienced explosive growth over the past few years,
significantly outpacing both the food industry and the categories in which we
compete…. The vast majority of our retailers are looking for healthier
alternatives to display across their stores. This is a direct response to
consumers demand. “ Rick Collins, VP of Sales, CLIF
2. Business interest in Sustainability is further driving
demand for sustainable products.
3. Partnerships and educational efforts that inform,
inspire and facilitate progress.
*New report on the 50 Fastest Growing Grocery Chains in the U.S. – 3 of
top 10 are organic/ natural. Others attribute growth to demand for
organic and natural.
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What are the barriers?
1. Lack of protection from GMO contamination.
2. Lack of supply of organic raw and processed
ingredients.
300 ingredients; 60 different crops
3. Lack of information and transparency about price,
and availability of organic ingredients.
How can we purchase transitional?
4. Lack of information for consumers about how their
food is grown.
5. Lack of public seed breeding programs for organic
systems, and participatory seed research that
includes farmers in seed stewardship.
6. Lack of organic food systems research.
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Food companies form the bridge
Food businesses connect farmers with consumers, and
people’s health with the planet’s health.
v
Transformational food businesses (there are many) can
help drive significant progress toward sustainable
agricultural systems in the 21st century.
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