Organic Companies Form Sustainability Association

Several prominent organic companies in the Natural Products industry formed the nonprofit The Food Trade Sustainability Leadership Association (FTSLA), Eugene, Ore., (www.ftsla.org), to provide a hub for businesses to network, share best practices and work toward solutions to shared challenges. The initial action step was a “Declaration of Sustainability” Sign-on Campaign, an 11-point action plan (organics, climate change, energy, distribution, labor, packaging, water, waste, animal care, governance, and consumer education) to promote education and action toward sustainable business practices in the natural food trade. Companies who sign this pledge commit to continual improvement and transparency around their practices in key areas; in return they receive the education and tools needed to support their efforts.  The FTSLA is looking to recruit 50 new companies to sign-on over the next year. “The unprecedented scale and speed of global climate change combined with rising energy inputs puts into stark view the vulnerabilities of the food system,” says Natalie Reitman-White, executive director of the FTSLA. “Our vision is for the organic sector to lead the way in the transition toward a sustainable food system, by demonstrating successful sustainable business models that will, in time, become the beacon for the entire food industry.”