We are incredibly proud to congratulate Niman Ranch Senior Director of Sales Drea Starch for being selected by Progressive Grocer as a 2024 Top Women in Grocery - Rising Star!
Congratulations Drea for being honored by Progressive Grocer for your work inspiring and mentoring other women through volunteering and leading organizations that exist to create opportunities and environments which counteract the systemic lack of diversity across the agriculture industry.
🗣 Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in retail is at a “critical moment”, according to Nikki Porcher, the founder of Buy From A Black Woman , a non-profit that aims to bring awareness to Black women business owners. Porcher’s comment comes in response to last month’s announcement by Tractor Supply Company that it was backtracking on its DEI efforts.
🔈In a statement released on June 27, the “rural lifestyle retailer”, which sells agricultural and home improvement products, said that it would eliminate DEI roles and retire its current DEI goals while still ensuring a respectful environment, among other actions. Tractor Supply said the changes were driven by customer feedback, but the announcement was met with criticism from some within the company’s customer base.
👩💻 Inside Retail US connected with Nikki Porcher, Sharitta Marshall MBA, ERG Alignment Expert and Alison Taylor to gather their feedback on the retail industry's backtracking of DEI efforts and what efforts the retail industry at large needs to take to be properly inclusive.
⬇ Check out the link below to find out more!
#insideretail#retail#dei#diversity#inclusivity#equity#strategy#editorial#linkedin#article#interview
#SaturdaySummaries
This week we read “The Life You Can Save" by Peter Singer.
Did you know? Over 736 million people live in extreme poverty, struggling to survive on less than $1.90 a day. In "The Life You Can Save," Peter Singer challenges us to confront the moral imperative of addressing global poverty and inequality. Here are the 5 key takeaways from the book:
1. Embrace Diversity 🌟 : True leadership goes beyond numbers; it's about valuing unique perspectives and strengths that come from varied life experiences. Embracing diversity enriches our organizations and communities, driving innovation and resilience.
2. Redefine Leadership 🔄 : It's time to move beyond traditional models of leadership that focus solely on privilege and hierarchy. Effective leadership requires inclusivity, empathy, and a deep understanding of diverse realities.
3. Inclusivity Drives Success 🤝 : Inclusive practices are not just morally right; they are also strategically smart. By fostering an inclusive culture, we tap into the full potential of our teams, driving creativity, innovation, and organizational effectiveness.
4. Self-Reflection Matters 🧠 : Leadership begins with self-awareness. It's essential to recognize and challenge our own biases to create a more conscious and considerate workplace.
5. Patience is Key 🕰️ : Building an inclusive culture takes time, patience, and consistent effort. By investing in long-term strategies and fostering trust and understanding, we can create lasting change and build a better future for all.
Peter Singer advices to begin by donating small amounts and gradually increase your contributions. Adjusting your lifestyle to prioritize giving can pose challenges, even after understanding your moral obligation to help. Learn more about it at https://lnkd.in/dppaXBYC
About the Author: Peter Singer is an Australian ethical and political philosopher best known for his work in bioethics and his role as one of the intellectual founders of the modern animal rights movement. He first became well-known internationally after the publication of Animal Liberation in 1975. His other books include: Practical Ethics, The Expanding Circle, How Are We to Live?, Rethinking Life and Death, Pushing Time Away, The Life You Can Save
#GiveBack#SocialImpact#CharityWorks#MakeADifference#CommunityEngagement#Philanthropy#GlobalCitizen#ActOfKindness#ChangeMakers#EmpowerOthers#EndPoverty#SustainableGiving#HumanitarianEfforts#EthicalLeadership#LiftOthersUp
🔥UNICORN A TOP Product is thrilled to be an honoree in the 2023 BostonInno Fire Awards! 🔥
As a women-owned company based in Massachusetts, this isn't just an accolade; it's an affirmation of our mission to redefine basic human needs and champion gender equality. We're initiating a societal shift, making period products as ubiquitous as toilet paper in EVERY restroom stall.
Our alliance with titans like JPMorgan Chase & Co., American Express and MassMutual goes beyond workplace excellence and DEI&B goals; it's a game-changing movement redefining corporate responsibility. As we gear up to close a $3M seed round, this honor amplifies our pursuit of a transformative precedent that will touch the lives of women everywhere. Stay tuned as we aim for the #InnoBlazers title—this is just the start of our disruptive impact.
#UNICORN#EveryStall#BostonStartups#WomenOwned#GenderEquality
Read more about all of the honorees here: https://lnkd.in/exstYgEB
#CompanySpotlightBettaFish develops seaweed-based alternatives to seafood, in an effort to protect and conserve our ocean's ecosystem. The company also pushes forward the research and development of seaweed ingredients to make them accessible to the food industry.
Across the globe, it is estimated that more than 3 billion people rely on seafood as a significant source of protein. To meet the demand, overfishing is becoming the norm, and practices such as trawling and longlining often result in significant bycatch, which is harmful to marine life. Recent statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) show that “approximately 34.2% of the world's fish stocks are overfished, and 60.3% are fully exploited.” Illegal and unregulated fishing disrupts marine habitats, leading to ecosystem imbalances and loss of biodiversity. #SustainableSolutions are crucial to protecting ocean life and promoting a balance in marine ecosystems.
Seaweeds are a zero-input crop, they grow fast and need only sunshine and seawater to grow. Furthermore, they sequester CO2 and convert it into oxygen, providing other marine life with a suitable habitat to thrive in. BettaFish’s products are made from seaweed sourced from farms off the coast of Europe, which provide economic opportunities to local communities while keeping marine life safe.
In 2021, BettaFish launched its tuna alternative product, TU-NAH, in over 4,000 stores in Germany, making it the biggest alternate seafood launch in Europe at the time. Since then, the company has developed canned, ambient, and chilled products for consumers and business clients. Strong retail and food service partnerships have ensured that products are available in many European countries including Austria and Switzerland, and Japan in the Far East. Currently, the company is exploring novel seaweed processing methods in collaboration with renowned research institutes to create more innovative ingredients using macroalgae.
To date, the company has saved 134 tons of tuna fish and avoided 136 tons of bycatch, leaving the ocean biodiversity richer. BettaFish firmly believes that “increasing the use of algae in the diet can have a positive impact on our planet” and hopes to work with more food producers “to reach even more people and achieve climate goals together.”
Recently, the company’s CEO, Deniz Ficicioglu won second place for the EIT Women Leadership Award. This award is given to exceptional women leaders from the EIT community, whose disruptive innovations are driving positive change for people and the planet.
https://lnkd.in/dWxv46VQ
BettaFish is a SAGANA portfolio company.
To learn more about BettaFish and its product, visit https://bettafish.co/Deniz Ficicioglu | Tamas Vincze#SAGANA#ImpactInvesting#FoodTech#FutureOfFood#Seaweed#PlantBased
Over the coming weeks and months, we will be sharing what we’ve found as a result of this initiative to build awareness through advocacy and education.
Our goal? To bring people together through leadership, and to create meaningful change now in our joint efforts towards reducing embodied carbon in buildings.
This is the beginning of the Carbon Coalition...
#beaninitiatorofchange#smallstepsbigchanges#carboncoalition#earthday
The wine industry has a rich history of succession from father to son. The industry is slowly beginning to shift, but still women make up less than 20% of winemakers. What can you do to support women in winemaking? In honor of Women’s History Month, WSET student Nicole explores the topic in this blog!
Excellent article by my colleague Ali Tocker, shining a light on women in our sector and the important role they play in building a positive future in dairying.
Check out the new film "Saving the Chattahoochee," which showcases the incredible journey of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper's advocacy, including the powerful work of Waterkeeper Alliance founder and first Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Sally Bethea. The film highlights the efforts of three generations of women leaders, united by their dedication to environmental advocacy, and pays tribute to the river's enduring significance to the community. Please see comments for a link to the trailer and to Sally's excellent memoir, Keeping the Chattahoochee.
#advocacy, #activism, #cleanwater, #water, #wateraction, #environment, #SDG6
Four years ago on June 19th FACT made a commitment to racial justice and equity in the food system. We asked some serious questions about our work and about the inequitable food and farming system.
We declared that:
1. We must dedicate ourselves to reaching out and listening to BIPOC farmers throughout the country.
2. We must address our lack of diverse leadership, starting with our board of directors.
3. We must examine our programs and policies to identify how they can reflect and sustain broader societal inequities and take corrective steps.
We have made progress in the past 4 years. Our programs reach many more BIPOC farmers than they did previously. Our Board of Directors is more diverse and inclusive. We have joined organizations such as the HEAL Food Alliance that are working nationally for "people to have the right and means to produce, procure, prepare, share, and eat food that’s nutritionally and culturally appropriate, free from exploitation of themselves and others."
We were encouraged at the time that so many of our partners and allies, especially within the not for profit and philanthropic worlds, were making similar commitments, and positive change was happening.
Sadly, as often happens when there is progress towards an equitable society, there has also been a backlash against this work. Gene LaMarch wrote this insightful opinion piece in The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
"What began as a long-overdue reckoning with America’s racial history following the murder of George Floyd four years ago has now led to assaults on affirmative action and almost any other measure aimed at increasing the representation of individuals from underrepresented backgrounds — or of even giving an honest accounting of our nation’s complicated past."
We must continue moving forward in our effort to create a more just and equitable food and farm system. This Juneteenth we are committing ourselves at FACT to continue this important work.
Connection Cultivator|Sales Leader|Ag Lover|
1moThanks Elle 😊 and the feeling is mutual!!!