WHOLE FOODS RECEIVES “2009 SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE RETAILER AWARD”

Whole Foods Market (Nasdaq: WFMI), a leading natural and organic grocer, today received the Natural Products Association’s “2009 Socially Responsible Retailer Award” for excellence in integrating social responsibility into multiple aspects of business.

“This award recognizes that our retailers are valued and integral parts of their communities, and that they provide much more than simply a place to purchase natural products,” said Natural Product Association President Debra Short. “All the award recipients are serious about being a source of support for their employees and their communities in environmental, social and educational efforts, and the work that Whole Foods Market and its Foundation do are excellent examples of how dedication to local and global action can generate positive results.”

While there were several determining factors for selection, the work of the Company’s nonprofit Whole Planet Foundation was the primary reason that Whole Foods Market was chosen for the award.

“The Whole Planet Foundation represents an incredible expansion of Whole Foods Market’s mission to actively lend a helping hand to our global neighbors in communities that supply our stores with products,” says Philip Sansone, president and executive director of The Whole Planet Foundation. “We are thrilled that our nonprofit work through the foundation was recognized as a key factor in securing this award for Whole Foods Market. Caring about our communities and our environment is one of our core values, so to be one of only three companies to receive a ‘2009 Socially Responsible Retailer Award’ is a tremendous honor.”

Established in October 2005, The Whole Planet Foundation empowers the poor through microcredit in developing countries where the Company sources products. To date, the foundation has committed $9.9 million for micro-lending projects, and has provided $5.3 million in grants to microfinance groups around the globe, resulting in $13 million in microcredit loans – usually less than $200 – to start home-based businesses. The project has given more than 41,000 people the chance to lift themselves and, on average, five family members, out of poverty, effectively impacting a total of 205,000 people in communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Sansone accepted the award this morning at the Natural Products Association’s annual trade show and convention in Las Vegas.

To learn more about The Whole Planet Foundation and its mission, or to donate to the nonprofit, visit: http://www.wholeplanetfoundation.org/

 SOURCE  Whole Foods Market

LOCAL FOOD ‘GREENER THAN ORGANIC’

Local food is usually more “green” than organic food, according to a report published in the journal Food Policy.

The authors say organic farming is also valuable, but people can help the environment even more by buying food from within a 20km (12-mile) radius.

The team calculated a shopping basket’s hidden costs, which mount up as produce is transported over big distances. The study found “road miles” account for proportionately more environmental damage than “air miles”.

Therefore, the researchers’ message to consumers is this: it is not good enough to buy food from within the UK – it is better if it comes from within your area, too.

However, they admit that consumers are prevented from “doing the right thing” because of inadequate labelling.

“The most political act we do on a daily basis is to eat, as our actions affect farms, landscapes and food businesses,” said co-author Professor Jules Pretty, from the University of Essex, UK.

“Food miles are more significant than we previously thought, and much now needs to be done to encourage local production and consumption of food.”

Clean-up costs

Professor Pretty and his colleague Tim Lang, from City University, UK, painstakingly estimated the environmental price tag on each stage of the food production process.

That price might reflect, for example, the clean-up costs following pollution, or the loss of profits caused by erosion damage.

“The price of food is disguising externalised costs – damage to the environment, damage to climate, damage to infrastructure and the cost of transporting food on roads,” Professor Lang told the BBC News website.

The authors calculated that if all foods were sourced from within 20km of where they were consumed, environmental and congestion costs would fall from more than £2.3bn to under £230m – an “environmental saving” of £2.1bn annually.

They pointed out that organic methods can also make an important contribution. If all farms in the UK were to turn organic, then the country would save £1.1bn of environmental costs each year.

Consumers can save a further £100m in environmental costs, the authors claim, if they cycle, walk or catch the bus to the shops rather than drive.

Each week, the average person clocks up 93p worth of environmental costs, the report concludes.

These costs should be addressed by the government, companies and consumers, the authors believe.

Sophisticated policy

“It is going to need some sophisticated policy solutions,” Professor Pretty said. “You could say we should internalise those costs in prices, so that it affects people’s behaviour. That might be economically efficient but it lacks on the social justice side because it will affect rich people much less.”

Instead, the authors are advocating a softer approach. Consumers should make ethical choices about the food that they buy, and supermarkets should be open with customers about where their food is coming from.

At the moment, as every UK consumer will know, it is impossible to tell whether your carrot has come from Devon or Scotland.

“In the short term, our paper adds to consumer frustration,” Professor Lang concedes. “The problem is we don’t get the information. Food labels don’t tell you the sort of information you really need to know if you want to do the right thing by the environment.”

Since supermarkets do know exactly where their food is coming from, Professor Lang believes they have a duty to inform their customers.

Eventually, the authors hope, the food production infrastructure within Britain will be transformed.

“We think farming methods will change – farming will undergo a re-birth, if you like,” said Professor Lang.

“A big city like London could be provided with a lot more seasonal vegetables from local farms – because at the moment, the shape of the supply chain is all wrong from the point of view of food, environment and public health.”

Source: BBC News, 2 March 2005