Top-Selling Natural Brand of Soap, Dr. Bronner’s Marks 5th Year of Dedicated Program to Support Animal Advocacy Movement
November 19, 2018
VISTA, CA – Dr. Bronner’s, the family-owned maker of the top-selling natural brand of soaps and body care products in North America, is proud to mark the fifth year of its philanthropy program to support animal advocacy and farmed animal protection efforts as a core focus of the company’s activism. This commitment is made alongside institutional support of causes including fair trade, regenerative organic agriculture, drug policy reform, wage equality, and community and youth programs. By the end of 2018, Dr. Bronner’s will have donated over $750,000 in 2018 to a variety of leading organizations that are working to expose and reduce the suffering of animals while advocating for healthier and more sustainable food systems through reducing meat consumption in favor of plant-based diets. Since 2014, Dr. Bronner’s has donated over $2 million to support organizations in the animal rights movement.
“Leading a vegan life is more than a dietary preference, it is a philosophy of living on behalf of the well-being and dignity of animal life and wild ecosystems,” says David Bronner, Cosmic Engagement Officer (CEO) of Dr. Bronner’s. “I’m grateful to my family, who support regenerative organic agriculture to mitigate climate change, which is directly linked to our current industrialized food system and inhumane factory farming of animals,” Bronner continues.
Support Across the Movement
In 2018, Dr. Bronner’s has made donations totaling over $750,000 to a variety of highly effective organizations and initiatives across five designated giving categories determined by donation levels and operational focus. Categories include Core Partners ($25,000-$100,000): Compassion Over Killing, Compassion in World Farming USA, Good Food Institute, Farm Forward, Humane Society of the United States: Farm Animal Protection Department (via Plant Based Dining Program), Plant Based Foods Association, and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society; International Allies ($50,000-$100,000): Compassion in World Farming and Sea Shepherd Global; Grassroots Catalysts ($10,000): Factory Farming Awareness Coalition, The Humane League, Vegan Advocacy Initiative, and Vegan Outreach; Movement Building and Infrastructure ($5,000-$10,000): Black Vegans Rock, The Gentle Barn, FANG: Animal Rights Prisoner Support, Our Hen House, Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary, Sistah Vegan Project, and VINE Sanctuary; Activist Educators ($10,000-$50,000): Better Eating International, Encompass, and Reducetarian Foundation.
In addition to financial donations, the company has donated its soaps and other products to vegetarian and plant-based lifestyle festivals, educational events, fundraisers, animal sanctuaries, and direct-action campaigns across the country, and around the globe, throughout the year.
Support for Women, LGBTQ+, and People of Color-Led and Empowered Organizations
In 2018, Dr. Bronner’s philanthropic support of the animal advocacy movement includes an intentional focus on funding organizations that are led by, and who seek to empower, women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people. The use of confined animal feeding operations, inhumane slaughter methods, exploitive human labor practices, environmental degradation, lack of access to consumer health education and organic plant-based foods in many communities, all result in real, tangible forms of social injustice. Dr. Bronner’s embraces an approach that seeks to build and strengthen the movement across diverse groups with a focus on equity and inclusion.
“Since Encompass’ launch last year, we’ve been busy building the foundation of the organization. Thanks to Dr. Bronner’s generosity, we are now positioned to launch our programs to empower farmed animal protection organizations to weave diversity, equity, and inclusion into their work, and we are excited to further empower animal advocates of color through our mentorship program, leadership skills and personal resilience trainings, and community building events,” says Aryenish Birdie, Executive Director of Encompass. “When I visited Dr. Bronner’s headquarters this past fall I actually teared up learning about all the ways they support our Earth and her inhabitants. The amount Dr. Bronner’s donates is a testament to their deep commitment to supporting humans and non-humans alike and I’d love to see more companies practice compassion at all levels like Dr. Bronner’s.”
With the understanding that it is necessary to reach and empower diverse communities, the company has committed resources in 2018 to groups such as: Better Eating International, Black Vegans Rock, Encompass Movement, Compassion in World Farming USA, Compassion Over Killing, Our Hen House, Poplar Spring Sanctuary, Plant Based Food Association, Sistah Vegan Project, Vegan Advocacy Initiative, and VINE Sanctuary. Ranging from work to rescue and protect farmed animals, to efforts geared toward public education about the health benefits of plant-based diets and the negative environmental impacts of meat production, these groups led by women, people of color, and LGBTQ people put forward diverse voices and perspectives in the animal advocacy movement, that together, deepen and broaden the impact of Dr. Bronner’s financial giving.
“As an LGBTQ+ led organization working for social and environmental justice as well as animal liberation, our small staff cared for more than 600 animals while organizing or participating in more than 60 educational events this year,” said pattrice jones, co-founder of VINE Sanctuary. “The callous indifference that underlies mistreatment of animals also enables social injustice and facilitates environmental despoliation. By supporting animal care and advocacy initiatives along with social and environmental justice programs, Dr. Bronner’s proves itself to be true to its own All-One philosophy of care for the planet and all of its inhabitants,” jones continued.
New End Factory Farming Soap Label
Dr. Bronner’s has created a special limited edition label for its 4oz Almond Castile Liquid Soaps, that declares, “End Factory Farming!” Not available in stores or for resale, these soaps will be distributed freely at animal advocacy and plant-based lifestyle events, and generally via Dr. Bronner’s partner organizations in the movement, throughout the year. The messaging on the bottle underscores the problem of industrialized animal production and summarizes why our food choices matter.
“The incredible support of Dr. Bronner’s has strengthened Compassion Over Killing’s work for animals by enabling us to expand our reach, building bridges with larger communities to share the far-reaching benefits of choosing vegan foods to create a kinder, greener, and healthier world,” says Erica Meier, Executive Director of Compassion Over Killing. “By fueling efforts in the animal protection movement, Dr. Bronner’s shines as an example of a compassionate company with integrity, living—and fighting for—its values of equality and justice for all.”
Launch of Regenerative Organic Certification
In the spring of 2018, Dr. Bronner’s joined The Rodale Institute, Patagonia, and other allies in the Regenerative Organic Alliance, to announce the launch of the Regenerative Organic Certification. Currently in the first year of its pilot program, the Regenerative Organic Certification is a new standard that accounts for the highest level integrity of regenerative organic farming, by upholding 3 core pillars: Soil Health, Pasture-Based Animal Welfare, and Social Fairness.
“Dr. Bronner’s has been a long-standing and dedicated supporter of the animal protection movement. As an exciting extension of this, we are proud to be collaborating with Dr. Bronner’s on the pioneering Regenerative Organic Certification standard,” said Rachel Dreskin, U.S. Executive Director of Compassion in World Farming. “Regenerative Organic Certification takes a holistic approach by highlighting and fostering pasture-based systems that have the highest level of animal welfare potential, and ultimately set us on a path toward agriculture systems that not only benefits the animal, but people and the planet as well.”
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Dr. Bronner’s is a family business committed to honoring the vision of founder Emanuel Bronner by making socially and environmentally responsible 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 principles that inform the philosophy printed on the company’s iconic soap labels written by founder Emanuel Bronner. The company is the top-selling natural brand of soap in North America and widely renowned around the world. Based on 2017 sales, a bottle of Dr. Bronner’s soap was sold, on average, every 2.2 seconds throughout the year. For further information, please visit: https://info.drbronner.com.