PRANA is a leader in social and environmental responsibility and is a certified “B-Corp” – a designation reserved for businesses that demonstrate a positive impact on the environment, their workers and customers, and the community.SUPPLIED
Consumers who buy organic desire something better: healthier selves, a healthier planet, respect for food – many reasons. Yet with organic aisles swelling in supermarkets everywhere, it can be hard to tell which products align with what organic truly means: a true commitment to sustainability.
“Considering the full life cycle of a product – including how ingredients are sourced, produced and transported – is the measure of a company’s environmental stewardship,” says Marie-Josée Richer, co-founder of PRANA. “At PRANA, we’re not just about products – we’re about the values consumers can believe in and share.”
PRANA is a leader in social and environmental responsibility and is a certified “B-Corp” – a designation reserved for businesses that demonstrate a positive impact on the environment, their workers and customers, and the community.
“Two years ago, we did a full life cycle analysis of our products to be good citizens and better partners for our customers – and ultimately create a better food system,” says Ms. Richer. “The results were surprising.”
Our goal is to know the impact of any product before we introduce it, and then make changes at the supply chain if necessary.
— Marie-Josée Richer co-founder of PRANA
PRANA discovered that packaging made up a tiny fraction of its environmental footprint, while the biggest problem area – 81 per cent of that footprint – was in growing the ingredients of its food. This, despite the fact that PRANA is an organic, vegan company.
Being organic is not an idle place; it is one that must evolve. So, after this analysis, PRANA made some decisions, beginning with a big one: sourcing almonds from Spain instead of California. PRANA found that California almonds use up to 12 litres of water to grow a single nut – but partnering with a Spanish supplier meant PRANA could reduce irrigation for its almonds by the equivalent of 715 Olympic pools of water a year.
“What’s more was that we found transporting the almonds by boat from Spain to Montreal left a smaller carbon footprint than using trucks from the west coast,” says Ms. Richer. “For each tonne of almonds, we reduced CO2 emissions by nearly one tonne – all at no extra cost to the consumer.”
This evolution continues as PRANA rolls out a “Better Food Model” that will analyze the impact of its 20 most-used ingredients based on CO2 emissions, water consumption and energy method for drying fruit.
“Our goal is to know the impact of any product before we introduce it, and then make changes at the supply chain if necessary,” says Ms. Richer, who adds that PRANA is also conducting a green packaging study. “It’s all part of what we call our ‘triple bottom line’ approach that focuses on people, profits and the planet.”
Such an approach requires a shift in mindset and the courage to challenge the status quo – but for PRANA, that’s what a commitment to sustainability truly means.
Produced by Randall Anthony Communications. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved in its creation.