California Giant Berry Farms announced that it is now a Certified B Corporation®, joining a global community of businesses committed to using business as a force for good.
Just as Fair Trade USA and USDA Organic certifications validate how berries are grown, B Corp certification recognizes how companies operate. With this certification, the company demonstrates its commitment to meeting the high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
"Our vision is to be the most sustainable fresh berry company in the world, because we believe that's the only way to provide premium berries for generations to come," said Joe Barsi, president and CEO of California Giant Berry Farms. "Becoming B Corp Certified is a significant milestone on our sustainability journey, as it holds us publicly accountable for real, lasting progress."
© California Giant Berry Farms
L-R: Joe Barsi, Catherine Campbell
Since its founding in 1983, the company has been a family-owned, purpose-driven company. As part of its sustainability roadmap, it has recently announced several key milestones, including:
- Enhanced grower partnerships through Fair Trade USA and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) verification programs.
- Introducing company supported volunteer hours as well as reinstating its Green Team that provides employee education on its environmental and societal impacts.
- Conducted a materiality assessment that informed new sustainability metrics and goals for internal and external benchmarking.
- Named as the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County 2024 Food Donor of the Year.
- Installing a solar array at its Santa Maria, CA cooler which is expected to offset 50-60 percent of the facility's grid electricity use.
B Corp certification is a part of the company's broader "Berries with Purpose" ideology—an ongoing commitment to nourishing communities, protecting the planet, and delivering exceptional berries for generations to come.
"With our Berries with Purpose commitment, we've formalized our purpose, set strategic targets, and openly shared our progress through our Sustainability Report," said Catherine Campbell, director of sustainability at California Giant Berry Farms. "Becoming a B Corp is the result of our team's incredible achievements to date. We're honored to join the B Corp community as we continue to grow our positive impact in the berry industry."
For more information:
Kelley Sablan
California Giant Berry Farms
Tel: +1(831) 786-7467 Ext. 267
[email protected]
www.calgiant.com
