Dr. Bronner’s Announces 2022 Recipients of All-One Canada Initiative to Support Advocacy for Social Justice, Animal Protection, and Environmental Sustainability in Canada
Program of Top-Selling Natural Soap Brand Promotes “Global Mission and Local Impact” in Canada and Beyond
July 11, 2023
VISTA, CA – Dr. Bronner’s, the global organic and fair trade soap and body care brand, is proud to announce the 2022 recipients of funding through the company’s All-One Canada Initiative. All-One Canada is a chapter of Dr. Bronner’s All-One International Initiative that seeks to ensure mission-aligned advocacy is supported in markets that Dr. Bronner’s sells its products in and is at the heart of the company’s continuing global growth strategy. At a minimum, 1% of Dr. Bronner’s sales to the Canadian market each year is donated to local advocacy efforts in support of Dr. Bronner’s core causes. A diverse coalition of activists, nonprofits, and businesses, the recipients of Dr. Bronner’s All-One Canada Initiative work across the intersections of social justice, environmental sustainability, and animal protection to drive change in a more equitable direction.
Dr. Bronner’s All-One Canada Initiative directed a total of $112,000USD (approx. $150,000CAD) to seven organizations and projects in 2022. The initiative supports grassroots efforts working on limited budgets as well as larger nonprofits in need of funding for specific projects across three core areas: Animal Advocacy: Animal Justice, Coextinction; Environmental Sustainability: Indigenous Climate Action, Rivershed Society of BC, Regeneration Canada; and Social Justice: Black Lives Matter Canada, Groundswell Community Justice Fund. All-One Canada has been a chapter of the All-One International Initiative since 2020 and continues to support local organizations that align with Dr. Bronner’s core values.
“The organizations we are supporting through All-One Canada have a demonstrated commitment to environmental sustainability, animal advocacy, and social justice in extraordinary ways. We are excited and inspired to see how these organizations in Canada will continue to highlight the intersections of social justice and create new ecosystems of transformative social change,” says Michael Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner’s. “Localized mission-aligned brand activism is a priority for Dr. Bronner’s, and the organizations we are supporting in Canada strongly align with our core values and advance meaningful impact. We are happy to elevate these causes globally.”
Funding an Ecosystem Approach to Movement Building and Social Change
In 2022 under the All-One Canada Initiative, Dr. Bronner’s provided funding to Groundswell Community Justice Trust Fund. Groundswell was founded in 2011 by individuals who were interested in raising capital for transformative social change in their local communities. They provide funding to groups working to confront power imbalances and elevate organizations working to build community power. Groundswell supports several projects that amplify Black-led efforts for health and healing. Ancestral Hands Midwives, a Black midwife-led organization focused on improving Black maternal health, received funds from Groundswell to offer a Black-focused prenatal class. Toronto Black Farmers and Growers Collective received funding from Groundswell to develop food sources for their communities, including buying tools, equipment, seeds, and more. In addition to funding transformative social justice projects, Groundswell also supports efforts that center environmental justice, such as the First Nations organization Sovereign Likhts’amisyu, that works to slow the acceleration of climate change and restore and protect the biodiversity of their region.
“We really value Dr. Bronner’s and their commitment to ethical causes that span different issue areas,” says Jackie Esmonde, a Board Member of Groundswell Community Justice Trust Fund. “Dr. Bronner’s support has been so crucial for Groundswell’s ability to directly support grassroots organizations that are on the front lines of the struggle for a better world. These groups often face difficulties raising funds for their work, so Dr. Bronner’s support is helping to increase their organizational infrastructure and allow groups to do their crucial work on a long-term basis.”
Dr. Bronner’s support of Indigenous Climate Action, an organization that centers First Nations in developing solutions to the climate crisis reflects the company’s understanding of the need to address climate change at its core. Indigenous Climate Action offers pathways for First Nations individuals and communities to amplify their voices and engage in movement building to influence climate policy.
Together the organizations supported through All-One Canada provide a template for how to take bold action for climate justice and social change. Rivershed Society of B.C. is another example. The organization collaborates with local First Nations communities and agricultural landholders to restore portions of private land adjacent to the waterways along Fraser River. People and wildlife depend on the Fraser River for their prosperity and survival. The Fraser River is an integral part of a complex and vibrant ecosystem that supports all species of Pacific salmon, 57 other fish species, more than 300 species of birds, and dozens of mammals.
Animal Justice received funding under the banner of All-One Canada Initiative through Dr. Bronner’s animal advocacy budget to support their work in the courts on behalf of farmed animals in Canada. The lawyers at Animal Justice work to pass strong new animal protection laws, push to hold industries accountable for abusing animals, and fight on behalf of animals in court. Animal Justice continues to engage in crucial legal work to halt the passage of ag gag laws that criminalize animal industry whistleblowers and undercover activists and has recently exposed heartbreaking suffering from the first-ever behind-the-scenes footage of a small-scale, local Canadian slaughterhouse in British Columbia selling “humane meat.” Animal Justice is a transformative organization that aligns with Dr. Bronner’s belief that all animals should be treated humanely and with respect for their well-being.
“Dr. Bronner’s support is vital for our fight against ag gag laws in Ontario, Alberta, and Manitoba,” says Camille Labchuk, Executive Director of Animal Justice. “Exposing hidden animal suffering is fundamental to the effectiveness of the animal advocacy movement. We rely on photos and videos from investigations in campaigns to promote legal and policy change. With Dr. Bronner’s support, we were able to mobilize quickly to oppose and block Canadian ag gag laws, opposing them in legislatures and in the court. Since Animal Justice has filed suit, no new ag gag legislation has been proposed. Dr. Bronner’s support has been instrumental in our fight against animal cruelty.”
Dr. Bronner’s is also pleased to support the documentary film, Coextinction under the banner of All-One Canada Initiative through its Animal Advocacy philanthropy. Coextinction is a profound award-winning documentary on the extinction crisis, centering on the plight of the Southern Resident Orcas in the Pacific Northwest. Dr. Bronner’s has recently launched a limited edition “Protect Orcas!” label of its 946ml (32oz) Castile Liquid Soaps for sale in Canadian stores to further raise awareness about the film and its call-to-action. Like Rivershed Society of BC, Coextinction highlights the importance of salmon to the survival of other species and communities and features different strategies for protecting threatened ecosystems and animals.
To learn more about the All-One Canada Initiative and the recipients of this program, please visit: https://www.drbronner.com/blogs/our-community/all-one-international
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About Dr. Bronner’s
Founded in the U.S. in 1948, Dr. Bronner’s is the top-selling natural brand of soap in North America and a leading brand worldwide. The company is an independent, family-owned business based in California, committed to honoring the vision of founder Emanuel Bronner by making socially and environmentally responsible personal care and food products of the highest quality, and by dedicating profits to help make a better world. Dr. Bronner’s commitment to social justice, environmental sustainability, and progressive business practices is part of the company’s mission to put into practice the “All-One” philosophy printed on the company’s iconic soap labels. The company caps executive salaries at 5 times its lowest paid fully vested position and donates all profits not needed for business development. Dr. Bronner’s generated approximately $169 million in revenue in 2022 and gave an estimated $8.5 million to fund charity and activism. In 2022, a bottle or bar of Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile soap was sold, on average, every 0.95 seconds. 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the company. To learn more, please visit: https://drbronner.com.