WATSONVILLE, CA - Earth Day is approaching, and now is the perfect time to reflect on all of the amazing things this beautiful planet grants us. What better way to celebrate Mother Earth than serving as a driving force for sustainability in our industry? That is just what California Giant Berry Farms is doing, as the berry purveyor is leading the way in the produce industry with its sustainability efforts around Sustainably Grown, Bee Better, and TRUE Zero Waste certifications.
“We have always been focused on having a sustainable business that cares for the environment and for the hardworking people that make it possible. We support our grower-partners in their efforts to farm for the future and set that path with the company’s three-pillar approach to sustainability: People, Planet, and Profit,” shared Eric Valenzuela, Director of Food Safety and Sustainability.
California Giant prioritizes growing its delicious berries sustainably and keeping the Earth’s future in mind, a press release noted, with standards that center around environmental, social, economic, and business transparency.
“As stewards of the land, we are extremely proud of the hard work our growers have put into their sustainable efforts. In fact, our strategic grower-partner, Satsuma Farms, who grows on California Giant-owned land, became the first Sustainably Grown Certified strawberry operation in the world last year, and now we have two additional farms well on their way to achieving this same certification by the Fall,” Valenzuela continued.
In addition to its sustainable strawberry operation, many of the grower’s blueberry fields are Bee Better Certified, which demonstrates the company’s commitment to keeping pollinator habitats safe and encouraging healthy populations.
“One way that we could exemplify our dedication to sustainability to our growers was to walk the walk and set a goal for our company headquarters to become zero waste certified,” shared Valenzuela. “Doing so meant that the building had to achieve a minimum 90 percent diversion rate for solid, non-hazardous waste away from landfill. Our TRUE Gold for Zero Waste certificate validates our efforts and will keep us all accountable as we set our sights on Platinum.”
California Giant also goes beyond these earth-friendly certifications, as the supplier has found other opportunities to be sustainable, such as changes to its packaging, resulting in the overall material and weight reduction of corrugated and resin, as well as the conversion of its labels from paper to BOPP for improved recyclability.
“Our goal is to benefit not only the environment, but the supply chain and handling of the berries as well,” said Thomas Taggart, VP of Operations. “It’s been crucial that any material edits made do not compromise the performance of the growers nor the quality of their fruit.”
To learn more about California Giant’s many sustainability efforts, click here.
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