SUPPLY CHAIN
Sustainability
Straight to the Sourcing WITH ITS L ATEST CERTIFICATION PROGR AM, WHOLE FOODS MARKE T IS MAKING IT E ASIER FOR SHOPPERS TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHAT THE Y BUY. By Jenny McTaggart t seems that living through a global pandemic has made the world a smaller place — and in the supermarket industry, this perspective is playing out with a renewed focus on more sustainable supply chains. Retailers and manufacturers alike seem more eager than ever to do business in a way that considers the long-term well-being of all sectors of the supply chain, and at the same time sends a positive message to consumers (and investors), assuring them that everything from sourcing to packaging has been carefully considered. In one of the latest examples of sustainable sourcing, Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Market recently unveiled a Sourced for Good seal to help customers identify products that support workers, communities and the environment by providing things like improved wages, health care, student scholarships, and planting trees to prevent erosion. The new program replaces the natural and organic food retailer’s Whole Trade Guarantee, which it launched back in 2007. According to Whole Foods, the upgraded program has raised millions of dollars annually for hundreds of communities across 12 countries, including the United States. Sourced for Good is an exclusive third-party certification program that encompasses more than 100 products throughout Whole Foods stores, including mainly produce items, but also seafood and florals. The products are certified by groups such as Fair Trade USA, Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade America, Fair Food Program and Equitable Food Initiative. “At Whole Foods Market, our Sourced for Good products not only are good, they do good,” noted Karen Christensen, the chain’s SVP of merchandising for perishables, when the program launched on April 7. “Our
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commitment to equitable trade has funded numerous community projects – from dental clinics to housing facilities to student scholarships to bird sanctuaries. By purchasing select products, customers help us in our goal to make a difference, and now with Sourced for Good, we’re offering shoppers an easier way to find these special products in our stores.”
What’s in a Label?
Indeed, perhaps the most important aspect of this program is the Sourced for Good label itself, which calls attention to products that otherwise may not be so easily noticed by shoppers. According to a study conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Whole Foods, 75% of Americans said that when they’re grocery