Episode 22: Dr. Bronner's Ryan Zinn - How Can Businesses Build Regenerative Organic Supply Chains?

Ryan Zinn is the Regenerative Projects Manager at Dr. Bronner's.

Ryan focuses on Dr. Bronner's international supply chains and farmer training. He has worked in the food and farm justice movement at home and abroad for 20 years, including with such organizations as the Center for International Law, Friends of the Earth-Paraguay, Global Exchange and the Organic Consumers Association.

Dr. Bronner's was founded in 1948 by Emanuel Bronner, a third-generation master soapmaker from a German-Jewish soapmaking family. He used the labels on his superb ecological soaps to spread his message that we must realize our transcendent unity across religious & ethnic divides: "We are All-One or None!" Still family-owned and run, Dr. Bronner's honors its founder's vision by making socially & environmentally responsible products of the highest quality—and by dedicating our profits to help make a better world. All-One!

TOPICS EXPLORED

0:00 – 1:08 – Introduction

1:08 – 3:00 – What is Dr. Bronner's and what types of products does it create?

3:00 – 5:05 – How did you become interested in a career in sustainable agriculture and food systems?

5:05 – 7:34 – What inspired the Dr. Bronner's team to look more closely at how the raw materials in their products are being produced?

7:34 – 10:57 – How does Dr. Bronner's create socially and environmentally sustainable supply chains?

10:57 – 16:03 – What are some of the raw materials you source and where are they sourced from?

16:03 – 23:48 – How do certification programs such as USDA Certified Organic, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil Certified, Regenerative Organic Certified, or Fair Trade help people and businesses understand how products are created?

23:48 – 27:54 – What do you think companies can do to source more certified raw ingredients and what can customers do to make sure the products they are buying are certified?

27:54 – 30:09 – How have you developed partnerships with farms and other key stakeholders?

30:09 – 32:02 – Has Dr. Bronner's experienced an increase in customer support due to its genuine focus on creating socially and environmentally sustainable supply chains?

32:02 – 35:43 – Why is it important for people and businesses to pay attention to how things they buy are made?

35:43 – 37:37 – What are some ways people can create a more socially and environmentally sustainable world?

37:37 – 38:15 – Things to share and wrap up

DR. BRONNER'S INFORMATION

https://www.drbronner.com/

RESOURCES

Dr. Bronner's Building Equitable Supply Chains: https://www.drbronner.com/blogs/our-suppliers/building-equitable-supply-chains

Dr. Bronner's Projects and Partnerships: https://www.drbronner.com/blogs/our-suppliers/projects-and-partnerships

Dr. Bronner's Annual Report: https://www.allone.report/2024

Dr. Bronner's Honor Thy Label Book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/622437/honor-thy-label-by-gero-leson-foreword-by-david-bronner/

FOOD FOR YOU AND THE PLANET PODCAST INFORMATION

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/food-for-you-and-the-planet/id1739416396

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7pkAIuXxl9dzD48b7qMOL1

RSS: https://feeds.libsyn.com/506343/rss

Podcast Instagram: @foodforyouandtheplanet

TAGS

Food

Environment

Health

Podcast

Sustainability

Agriculture

Supply Chains

Organic

Fair Trade

Regenerative Organic Certified

Dr. Bronner's