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GOURMET NEWS DECEMBER 2017 www.gourmetnews.com YEAR IN REVIEW 1 8 BY LORRIE BAUMANN Natural food producers are mobilizing to take the lead in the fight to reverse climate change caused by human activity. It's just good business to reduce the potential risks of global catastrophe, they say. "Growing food is dependent on a climate that's con- ducive to growing food," said Sheila Ongie, Sustainability Specialist for the National Co-Op Grocers Association. "Our entire in- dustry in food is dependent on a stable and predictable climate." "It's important that we bring our philo- sophical understanding into the heart of commerce," added Gary Hirshberg, Chair- man and former CEO of organic dairy pro- ducer Stonyfield Farm. "Until November 8, we thought we were winning. This shows us how fragile it is." March 8 marked the official launch of a new Climate Collaborative, an association of natural food manufacturers, retailers, distributors and suppliers from the natural foods industry who have banded together to take action on a problem that's already having negative impacts on their particular businesses as well as on the planet in gen- eral. "You know that things are happening, and climate is changing," said Katherine DeMatteo, the Executive Director of the Sustainable Food Trade Association and a leader in the Climate Collaborative, which announced its initiative in Anaheim, Cali- fornia, during a conference day leading off the annual Natural Products Expo West. "There's opportunities in there for us to take the initiative.... Our idea is to inspire and ignite." The Climate Collaborative is drawing its leadership from a range of natural products manufacturers, business and policy con- sultants and non-profit organizations al- ready working on issues related to food sustainability and climate change. They found a ready audience among the Natural Products Expo West attendees, which in- clude many companies that had already set themselves goals for energy conservation and reduction of their carbon footprints and who were eager to make their commit- ments with respect to climate change pub- lic in this forum. "We clearly have a consensus for action – maybe not a unani- mous agreement," said Tobias Schultz, the Manager of Corporate Sustainability Serv- ices for SCS Global Services, which pro- vides third-party certification and auditing for companies pursuing sustainability ob- jectives. "If you think of tackling the cli- mate change puzzle that has to be solved, we have begun to put to- gether some of the pieces." S c h u l t z noted that s c i e n t i s t s across the globe agree that the Earth has been warming since the Industrial Revolution began around 1750, and that warming accelerated around the time of World War II, leaving us today with average temperatures shattering all records. They also have a strong consensus on what we can expect the Earth's climate to do over the next few decades, he said. "We proba- bly have five or 10 years at the most" to control greenhouse gas emissions before desperate measures would be required to stop the Earth from becoming unlivable, he suggested. The Climate Collaborative is urging companies to take action on climate change in nine areas: agriculture, energy efficiency, food waste, forestry practices and defor- estation, packaging, engagement in climate policy, renewable energy, emissions of cli- mate pollutants and transportation. Each of those areas has been identified as an area in which natural products business leaders can make decisions and take actions that have an impact on the future of climate change, according to the Collaborative. Schultz noted that globally, agriculture is responsible for about 35 percent of green- house gas emissions, freight transport ac- counts for about 6 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and food waste is estimated to create about 2 to 3 percent of greenhouse gases, mainly as methane resulting from food decomposition. SCS Global Services recommends a five- step process relative to climate change, starting with measuring a company's car- bon footprint, Schultz said. Once a com- pany has collected data and calculated the magnitude of its carbon footprint, it's in a position to set targets for reduction and to set policies to reduce emissions. SCS Global Services generally recommends that companies consider using carbon offsets to achieve carbon neutrality and then to verify neutrality and report that to the public as part of a corporate transparency initiative that can drive business value. "You have to be able to connect it to business values," Shultz said. "There's no reason you can't do that." Companies have three avenues for en- hancing their business value with public commitments to action on climate change, according to Schultz. They can use climate-friendly marketing to boost sales, they can use climate-friendly mes- sages to enhance brand recognition, and they can anticipate and mitigate supply chain disruptions that result from climate change. Examples of companies using their greenhouse gas emission planning to enhance their brand include Delta Air- lines and Biogen, a pharmaceuticals man- ufacturer, while Guayaki, a producer of yerba mate, is gaining recognition for its commitment to restore 200,000 acres of rainforest by 2020, which will produce 1,000 new jobs in the areas of South America in which its yerba mate is grown. Tar- get issued responsible sourcing goals just last November that include a climate change plank, and the mass market re- tailer is currently devel- oping plans to align its global supply chain with that program, said Jen- nifer Silberman, Target's Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility. Stony- field Farm, Inc. has measured more than $40 million in savings due to investments in climate change, Hirshberg said. Those investments include redesigning product packaging to reduce weight and measures to improve supply chain security, he said. "It isn't just supply availability – it's price," he said. The savings also come from improved employee retention and recruitment, Hir- shberg said, adding that data suggest that 70 percent to 80 percent of Millennials make their purchasing decisions based partly on issues like climate change. Those values are also reflected in their decisions about where they'll make a living, he said. "They want to work for companies that are part of the solution," Hirshberg said. "This is a very powerful retention tool." GN Natural Foods Companies Band Together to Combat Global Warming 2017 a last look back at BY LORRIE BAUMANN As Gourmet News looks back at a tumultuous 2017, we hear both warning sirens and the bells of celebration, and we bring both those sounds back to mind as we remind you of some of the stories from this year that we're proud to have brought you in the pages of our magazine. You will probably notice here, as I do, that there are some themes that emerged from this year. Among them, we had four major natural disasters that affected our national food supply: Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, and the Cal- ifornia wildfires. Out of those horrors, we found some heroes in the grocery retailers who managed to keep the supply lines open in the face of nightmarish obstacles, in the food professionals who have donated time and their talents to devastated communities, and in the food producers who have generously contributed to recovery efforts. Throughout the past year, we've also found food producers working hard to create a food system that's worthy of the trust that consumers place in them as well as serving the world with compassion for a wide array of other human needs. Many are also reaching out their hands to help others find their way into the food industry or to stay in it despite the challenges of a difficult market. We're humbled by the work that our readers put every day into providing us with food that nourishes us, respects the Earth and the other animals who share it with us and honors the traditions handed down to us by ancestors from around the world. We're so proud of you all, and we're delighted to share these stories with you once again. "If you think of tackling the climate change puzzle that has to be solved, we have begun to put together some of the pieces." —TOBIAS SCHULTZ

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