Drawing a roadmap to sustainable food, and sustainable practices

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Pacific Foods' Rory Schmick can quantify Pacific Foods' sustainability efforts.

Every time we turn around it seems there’s a new book, essay or study about the impact of business on the health of our food system, environment, economy and communities. From the writings of Michael Pollan and Bill McKibben to the hopeful efforts of Wes Jackson, there is a vibrant and expanding dialogue about consumer culture in our country. With every new finding about pollution in our oceans and the impact of pesticides in our fields, people are becoming more aware, active and engaged.

As a result of heightened consumer awareness and our own growing body of knowledge, many food-processing companies, including Pacific Natural Foods, are being challenged and inspired to consider new ways to improve aspects of our businesses, from the environmental impact of our manufacturing to the ingredients in our food.

There’s never been a better or more crucial time for business leaders to accelerate the adoption of sustainability principles by fully engaging in the process. An incredible number of companies are doing good work but what really counts at the end of the day is transparency, accountability and involvement at every level of the business. The “talk-do” index, as we’ve come to call it, is a key measure — making sure change is on a systemic basis versus something shallow, on the surface.

Growing up in the natural food industry, we’ve learned a lot about the importance of listening to our customers, growers, employees and the natural environment itself for feedback. Integrating sustainability into a business in a real and impactful way can be daunting, but we’ve found that building a roadmap and executing it with a sense of purpose and humility are critical ingredients for success. Establishing audacious goals, developing measurable targets and tracking performance are essential. Here are some tips and tricks that we’ve learned along the way:

• Move sustainability into the core part of your business strategy by applying the same rigorous metrics that you do in the other parts of your business.

• Integrate sustainability strategies with existing business practices so they’re not viewed as something extra.

• Set quantifiable goals, take action, and measure results.

• Don’t worry about perfection. Sustainability is about continual improvement. Taking incremental steps is much more important than doing nothing.

• There will be many challenges along the way. Be flexible, patient and persistent.

• Benchmark best practices. Look at leading companies’ CSR reports and learn how they set up their programs.

• Remember that sustainability practices extend beyond environmental issues to represent fair labor practices and community involvement.

• Stay informed. It’s critical to stay up to speed on the latest practices, technology alternatives, manufacturing breakthroughs, consumer expectations and government regulations.

• Use your resources. Oregon is a fertile ground for sustainable business with resources like Metro, the Energy Trust, the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, the universities and an ecosystem of other organizations.

•Take a leadership position whenever you can. The bar for sustainable business practices is raised every day. Consumers appreciate companies who continue to elevate their own standards. Customers can sense what they can’t see. Make the changes because it’s the right thing to do and because somewhere down the road, people will demand it.

In many ways, the business community in Oregon has been on the forefront of our respective industries and has worked hard to create a more sustainable future for our state. To continue improving and truly make Oregon businesses the most sustainable and innovative in the country, we will need to continue the dialogue and exchange roadmaps along the way. What are your benchmarks and goals? How do you measure success?

Rory Schmick is the Sustainability Manager of Pacific Natural Foods, a natural foods company based in Tualatin since 1987. He directs corporate practices that integrate social, environmental and economic considerations, including energy conservation and waste reduction initiatives.