More Health and Wellness Products Are Putting Sustainability First
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In today’s business and consumer markets, sustainability is so much more than a trendy buzz-word. More than ever, successful companies are incorporating environmentally sustainable practices into their business models, and in no other business is this more important than in the health and wellness industry. While health and wellness products have traditionally focused on sustaining those characteristics among people, many businesses and products are now focusing on sustaining the health and wellness of the planet at the same time. Here’s how many health and wellness products are putting sustainability first.
Ethical Sourcing
An important first step when creating any kind of product is sourcing the raw materials. More than ever, health and wellness products are emphasizing ethical and sustainable sourcing. This means that the ingredients in their products are sourced from farms, mines, or manufacturers that engage in sustainable practices. These sustainable practices include environmental consciousness as well as fair trade and compensation protocols for workers. After all, sustainability is about the health of the environment and the health of local workers and communities.
Holistic Farming
Health and wellness products, by their nature, tend to rely heavily on farming and farmers for their base ingredients. To emphasize environmental sustainability and to take the idea of ethical sourcing a step further, many companies are investing in partnerships that emphasis holistic farming practices. Unlike many commercial farming practices which, over time, ruin the local ecosystem with the use of pesticides, chemicals, and other aggressive soil-depleting practices, holistic farming emphasizes organic production, soil-building, and biodiversity. These sustainable holistic practices take the future health of the earth into account so that the local ecology can continue to thrive for generations.
Eco-Responsible Partnerships
Like in any business, the health and wellness industry requires countless partnerships with other businesses in order to take a product from dream to reality. Health and wellness companies need to partner, not only with those who produce the raw ingredients for their products, but also with manufacturers, packaging companies, shipping services, and more. Many companies are putting sustainability first by partnering with outside businesses that share their values. For example, it’s important when thinking about sustainability to consider the environmental impacts of plastic packaging and the carbon footprint of shipping a product across the globe. To emphasize sustainability across all aspects of their business, health and wellness companies are partnering with others who offer biodegradable packaging or who participate in carbon-offset programs.
Charitable Giving
Another way that health and wellness products are putting sustainability first is by committing a percentage of their profits to charitable giving. More and more companies are establishing ongoing charitable giving to environmental and community organizations that work toward improving sustainability even further. By committing to ongoing donations based on a percentage of profits, these companies make it easier for non-profits to do the work they need to do because they can count on an ongoing source of funds. A charitable giving program not only helps the planet, it also contributes to the sustainability of the business itself as more and more customers are inclined to purchase from a company they know is giving back to the world as a whole.
Healthy People, Healthy Planet
Although health and wellness companies and products have always understood and emphasized the importance of healthy people, they are now linking the idea of healthy people to the idea of a healthy planet. Ultimately, what’s good for people is usually also good for the planet. By combining the two ideas, health and wellness products are doing good for them both. For example, products that are free of toxins, synthetics, and chemicals are not only more environmentally sustainable, they are also better for the customer’s health and wellness. Furthermore, many companies are moving away from animal testing and creating vegan products which they believe are healthier and safer for not just people, but animals and the environment as well.
Heath, wellness, and sustainability naturally go hand-in-hand. More than ever, companies and products are recognizing the important link between creating products that are good for both people and planet. Sustainability is being incorporated into every step of the process from farming, to manufacturing and delivery so that customers can enjoy both health and wellness products and our beautiful planet for years to come.
