Gaia Herbs Sustainability Report 2020 - Report - Page 19
OUR PEOPLE ARE OUR STRENGTH
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Our connection to fostering a healthier world starts with our people.
Organic produce grown on the farm is also donated to community
This is why we are dedicated to providing our employees with the best-
organizations such as Bread of Life. In 2019, over 3,000 pounds of
quality care and creating an inclusive environment where our team
produce was donated, providing vulnerable populations with access to
members can flourish.
organic vegetables and fruits.
We’re proud to be a Living Wage Employer, certified by the Living
“Our produce program is important because it eliminates the potential
Wage Coalition of Transylvania County, part of Just Economics — the
barriers of access to healthy, organic food for our employees,” Renner said.
nation’s largest advocacy group for the fair wage movement.
“It also benefits the local food banks to whom we donate produce, getting
it helps to promote a sustainable and just future for our entire region.
“Investing in our employees demonstrates the value we place in them
nutritious foods in the hands of those who need it most.”
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
and their contributions to the business,” said Jennifer Kirkpatrick,
In 2019, we successfully built and opened a new 140,000 square-foot
Director of People, Culture and Wellness. “It is our belief that the return
facility in Mills River, North Carolina, which allowed for additional
on this investment is increased through employee satisfaction, retention,
space for state-of-the-art manufacturing and distribution capabilities,
and engagement.”
as well as increased office space.
Through our Employee Wellness Program, we provide fresh, organic
This new facility was built with sustainability in mind, from a roof
produce two times a week during the growing season to all our
constructed to support future solar panels to a warehouse with high-
employees. An average of 30,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables
efficiency LED lighting. Aiming to become a Zero-Waste company
are grown each year for our team, including over 100 different species
by 2024, we have started implementing steps towards this goal in
of fruits and vegetables, and we devote 10 Certified Organic acres on
our newest building, including creating a multi-step waste system. A
our farm specifically for our employee produce program.
multi-step waste system is a way to categorize waste to reduce the
Organic meals are also prepared with care by our Executive Chef Alex
amount that would otherwise travel to a landfill.
Lapidus and his team for our employees each week throughout the
“Our goal is to divert all of our waste from going to the landfills or
growing season.
being incinerated,” said Alison Czeczuga, Sustainability & Social
“Our kitchen mantra is, ‘Presence of mind, heart and purpose in every
task,’” Lapidus said. “I am inspired by our company’s mission. I love being
able to provide healthy meals that create a sense of community around
the lunches that we serve.”
Impact Manager. “To do this, we will need to do several things including
increasing our capacity to compost and partnering with organizations
such as TerraCycle for hard-to-recycle materials.”
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2019 // PEOPLE // P.19
Investing in our employees not only improves their personal quality of life;
