With a continued focus on climate-smart agriculture, North Bay Produce is working on a comprehensive strategy to reduce its ecological footprint while driving long-term economic growth and supporting its network of growers.
While recognizing that sustainability includes a variety of topics, the leading principles are nothing new to the company. "Sustainability is a core business philosophy and practice that has always existed within North Bay and its family of growers. Some of the core principles encompassed in sustainability have been practiced by our grower owners for generations of farming," says Nick Osmulski, president.
The company is working on a strategy to reduce its ecological footprint while driving long-term economic growth.
One area where the company has recently made strides is in packaging. This includes utilizing reduced plastic packaging; and recyclable labels; trialing different materials; and working with retail customers to reduce plastic use by 94 percent in certain post-consumer goods.
The cooperative structure of the company encourages the sharing of voices. North Bay needs to tell its sustainability stories. The company plans a series of features where its farmers will explain what they are doing in the area of environmental stewardship and climate-smart practices on the farm. More about these stories will be heard beginning this summer.
Jennifer Pulcipher, director of food safety & compliance, will lead the company's sustainability strategy. Having over a decade of experience working in compliance, collaboration, and support, that same approach will be taken with sustainability. "It is imperative for us to support our growers and engage with them as our sustainability strategy evolves. Our mission is to ensure that no one is left behind and that we all continually improve."
L-R: Nick Osmulski, Jennifer Pulcipher.
Pulcipher has participated in recent industry events such as the Consumer Goods Forum Global Food Safety Initiative conference in Singapore followed by the International Sustainability Summit hosted by CPMA in partnership with the International Federation for Produce Standards and the Global Coalition of Fresh Produce. She also helps lead a sustainability-focused task force within the International Fresh Produce Association stemming from her leadership as chair of the Food Safety Council.
North Bay Produce recognizes that addressing complex sustainability challenges requires collaboration and partnership. The company is actively engaging with industry stakeholders, government agencies, and non-profit organizations to drive collective action and make progress toward achieving thoughtful sustainability milestones in the specialty crops sector.
The next step in sustainability for North Bay will be building out a sustainability team within the company. "Their mission will be to work closely with growers and retail partners on pushing the limits of what can be achieved in sustainability in all aspects of our business," says Osmulski. "This includes growing to packing to shipping the fruits and vegetables we produce around the world."
For more information:
Brian Klumpp
North Bay Produce
Tel: +1 (800) 678-1941
bmklumpp@northbayproduce.com
www.northbayproduce.com