2022 Benefit Report
We’re on a mission to grow the organic agricultural movement
In 2022, we didn't just talk about making a difference, we actually made it happen. While we worked hard to help organic farmers get their fruits and vegetables to market and focused on customer well-being, we also fought for stronger protections to defend organic agriculture. We took care of each other by raising wages, increasing benefits, and donating 2.5% of our profits to nonprofits. Despite inflation, the pandemic, and weather-related challenges, our focus on building resilience paid off.
Since joining OGC in February 2022, I’ve been proud to partner with all of you in our relentless mission for healthier people and planet. We're not afraid to break the mold, and we won't back down from our fight for a better world.
Brenna Davis, CEO
Breaking the Mold
We’ve never been content with the status quo.
We’re hippies, farmers, activists, food-lovers, and dreamers on a mission to prove that business can be used for good. And we’re not the only ones - we're igniting a kick-ass movement to revolutionize food, agriculture, and economic models for the better. We live by our purpose over profit philosophy, that means we do right by our community and the earth above all. We take care of our people, support organic growers and advocate for the organic movement, because we know that's what it takes to make real change.
Doing Right is Our Bottom Line
OGC is breaking the business-as-usual mold as the first purpose trust-owned company in the US. We're doing things a little differently around here, but that's just the way we like it. We’re here for something bigger than profit - that's why we operate as a steward-owned trust, called the "Sustainable Food and Agriculture Perpetual Purpose Trust." We're all about putting our money where our mouth is - our economic, social and environmental commitments are built into everything we do.
Learn more about how this works at www.sustainablefoodandagtrust.com.
Oh, and did we mention we have a pretty unique model for sharing wealth? Once we've taken care of our standard business responsibilities like customer and vendor costs, wages and benefits, community giving and base dividends for our investors, we prioritize sharing our success equitably with shareholders and stakeholders. So, when we have a good year, everyone benefits. That's just how we roll.
Our amazing 2021 performance enabled us to dish out some serious rewards in 2022. Investors received their planned dividends, our hardworking coworkers received profit shares and other perks, our Mission Fund supported our growers, customers and community allies, and we invested in sustainability and organic advocacy. Bottom line, we get to put everything we have into growing the organic movement.
Igniting a Movement
At our core, we’re agents of change. We’ve taken bold, audacious steps to revolutionize the way ownership works, not just for OGC, but for everyone. Our innovative steward-ownership model is a game-changer that's shaking up the status quo and inspiring others to do the same.
We created Alternative Ownership Advisors (AOA) and Forcefield Capital to help other businesses break away from traditional ownership models and find their path to trust ownership. We’ve sparked a movement and it’s gaining momentum.
In 2022, AOA supported 11 clients on their journeys to trust ownership (meaning they helped companies explore, design and even implement this ownership model). Here are three that are on a path to stay mission-focused and independent forever because of this mentorship:
“As a trust-owned company, we can focus on growing in a way that continues to benefit local farmers, our employees, and the communities we serve, without the uncertainties that can come when companies are bought and sold,” said Grand Central CEO Claire Randall.
"What I really like about the trust is that there is no ownership,” said Laura Anderson, president of Local Ocean. “It’s the end of ownership. The trust is not a person, the trust does not need income, the trust just holds the purpose."
“The point of the Perpetual Purpose Trust is to keep Zingerman’s in the Ann Arbor area, contributing and caring in meaningful ways, for many years to come,” said Co-Founding Partner Ari Weinzweig.
Community Roots
OGC is more than a produce company. We're a community of big-hearted rebels that stands for something bigger than ourselves.
We know that navigating change together makes us stronger and more resilient than ever. That's why we take care of each other, build connections and go the extra mile to serve our customers and growers.
Co-op spirit runs deep here at OGC – what was started by a few small farmers and friends in 1978 has grown to help create healthier food, people and planet for over 45 years by helping organic farmers get their fruits and vegetables to market.
But we're not done yet. Resilient communities need environmental stewardship and a just food system. That's why we're constantly working to make an impact with organic and responsible sourcing, our OGC Mission Fund, gleaning programs, and in-kind produce donations.
AWARDED MORE THAN
$165,000
IN GRANTS TO OVER
65
MISSION-ALIGNED PARTNERS
For the Future of Farming
Every bite of the produce you love comes from farmers. At OGC, we know that a strong organic supply chain takes more than just lip service - it takes action. That's why our Mission Fund grants build resilient communities from farm to market.
Our commitment to giving back is more than just a good idea, it's written in our bylaws and funded annually by our own success. In 2022, we proudly awarded grants to more than 65 purpose-aligned partners, including the hardworking organic farmers who make it all possible, our customers, and nonprofits mentoring growers and fighting for our environment and food security.
We’re supporting organic farming today, just like always, to ensure the future of healthy food and planet for generations to come. Because food doesn’t grow itself.
Meet Roots Zero Waste Market
Just outside Boise is an environmental company disguised as a retailer. OGC customer Roots Zero Waste Market & Cafe in Garden City, Idaho, is an independent neighborhood store and the first and only full-service, zero-waste grocery store and cafe in the U.S.
The power of produce
Produce that gives back
Gorge Grown Food Network is making sure locally grown harvests are reaching those in need in the Columbia River Gorge. They’re focused on providing food access to rural and historically disadvantaged communities, many using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and vouchers to stretch their grocery dollars.
Last fall, Gorge Grown turned to OGC to fill a seasonal gap in supply for its Indigenous community. Gorge Grown had formed a partnership with Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fishing Commission to feed 120 families living at in-lieu and treaty-access fishing sites along the river. Many don’t have access to refrigeration and have limited cooking supplies so they depend on sturdy vegetables and fruits that can be stored longer for fall and winter. With OGC’s year-round gleaning and in-kind donations program, and trucks on I-84 eastbound daily — we knew we could deliver for this community in need and provided more than 6,500 pounds of fresh produce.
Gleaning for Good
What is gleaning? Gleaning is a way to share produce not sold to customers with those in need - reducing food waste and addressing hunger in our community.
Waste not:
of produce was donated to gleaning partners.
go to organizations creating an equitable, resilient and just organic food system.
Rebels with a Cause
Our commitment to taking care of each other no matter what has made us more than a produce company. We know that actions speak louder than words. That’s why we work to lift diverse voices and build a culture where everyone can thrive through our focused equity, inclusion and belonging work.
Our coworkers are more than just food movers - they're a force to be reckoned with. They're artists, innovators, activists, and all-around amazing people who truly embody our values of service, trust, connection, and intention in everything they do. We're damn lucky to have such a caring, smart, and unique team on a mission to make a difference in the world. Last year, we invested in wages and benefits for our team, not just because we appreciate them (which we do), but because it's the right thing to do.
*Feedback submitted through 2022 Coworker Survey
We do things our own way at OGC. We take care of our own, and we know that benefits are just one of the many ways we show our team we care - that means offering a package that’s beyond the ordinary. That's why we upped the ante last year with our progressive benefits package and added new and improved perks. We won't settle for the status quo when it comes to taking care of our coworkers and we're proud to offer benefits that truly make a difference in their lives.
Click the plus sign to see more info about each
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Physical and mental health are both fundamental for wellbeing. Last year, we partnered with Ginger to offer on-demand, confidential mental healthcare. Through this app, coworkers have access to unlimited coaching and eight completely free sessions per year of video-based therapy or psychiatry.
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In 2022, we focused on bringing back coworker committees. Now, our employees can guide company decisions by joining any of these committees: 401(k), Stakeholder Giving, Safety, Food Safety, Peer-to-peer Empowerment Appreciation and Recognition (PEAR) and Sustainability
Here’s some of the work these committees did in 2022:
The Stakeholder Giving Committee led our Mission Fund giving and directed in-kind donations and coworker donation matching gifts.
The 401(k) Committee figured out how to raise the 401(k) match for coworkers.
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We're here to set our people up for an epic future. And investing in a 401(k) is a great path to a healthy financial future. We match up to 5% and in 2022 we increased our dollar-for-dollar 401(k) match cap to $3,500.
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We make sure fresh organic produce is always available to our team in our OGC discounted coworker store and in our free food bank. And in the last four months of 2022 everyone also received $50 per month of free organic fruits and veggies from the coworker store! This additional produce credit came just in time to make those special holiday meals.
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Profit sharing
Donation matching
Health insurance
Professional development
Paid time off, paid/floating holidays and a catastrophic leave bank
In addition, we offered an extra 40 hours of PTO if a coworker caught COVID.
Eight hours of paid volunteer time per coworker per year
Fitness reimbursements
Wellness challenges
PTO cash-out and zero cost payroll advance options
Free and discounted produce
Wholesale bulk natural food ordering
HealthJoy, a telehealth app offering immediate access to benefit information
SMART commute incentive for choosing more sustainable commuting options
A Workplace that Works for Everyone
We're all about creating a workplace that's diverse, inclusive, and equitable — a place where everyone is respected, accepted, and appreciated for exactly who they are. We're actively creating a culture where diverse voices are not just heard but celebrated. We continue to shake things up by infusing this ethos into every single thing we do. And we won't stop until everyone can show up to work as their real rockstar selves. Here are just a few wins from 2022:
Click the plus sign to see more info about each
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We engaged a community partner to work with us in increasing EIB efforts and invited coworkers to participate in listening sessions. In 2023, we’re using their feedback, in coordination with a coworker EIB committee, to develop an EIB action plan.
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We are proud to have women in all levels of OGC leadership. Last year, Brenna Davis became our second woman CEO in a row.
50% of Executive Team (or Mission Team) identifies as women.
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In celebration of Pride month in June, OGC matched coworker donations to organizations supporting the LGBTQIA+ community and offered resources for organizations where people could volunteer. Coworkers also received a gift box filled with a rainbow of delicious organic produce and Pride-themed swag.
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We increased the accessibility of internal resources and communications by sharing them in both English and Spanish.
Careers That Bloom
When you’ve got some of the smartest, most talented, and hardest-working, produce-loving folks in your company you want to keep them on your team. So, we put a lot into our coworkers and their career growth. This includes a four-level warehouse career path program, software program training and more. Fifty percent of open roles were filled by internal candidates last year!
One example of growth within OGC is Olea Stevens who started with us as a Class C driver, but she didn't stop there. She approached us with the possibility of being trained in-house for her CDL. Olea put in hours behind the wheel soaking up knowledge and honing her skills. And after months of hard work, study, and training, she earned her unrestricted Class A CDL.
OGC has some of the best drivers in the industry. In 2022, they earned multiple awards, including:
2nd place at the Oregon Trucking Association’s Great West Safety Awards for their record in 2021.
Two OGC drivers earned trophies at the Annual Truck Driving Championships - a friendly competition that promotes safety by testing professional truck drivers in three events: a written knowledge test, a mock pre-trip and a close quarter maneuvering test.
50%
of open roles were filled with internal candidates in 2022
A 71% increase year-over-year
75
coworkers moved forward on their career path in 2022
That’s 26% of our workforce!
6.6 Years
is the average tenure at Organically grown company
The national average is 4.1 years
Love the Planet, Grow Organic
Organic isn't just a label - it's a way of life. We demand real, wholesome food that nourishes people and the planet.
We stand for a better future - one where organic farming is the norm, not the exception. Where every person has access to fresh, healthy and sustainably grown food. Where the earth is treated with respect, and biodiversity thrives.
OGC sources, markets and delivers organic produce at its peak from the best growers in the Northwest and beyond.
We’re on a mission to promote and inspire the growth of the organic agriculture movement.
We use our business to champion organic agriculture and keep sustainable farms of all sizes in production, because there’s no better way to promote biodiversity and soil health, sequester planet-warming carbon and keep our community healthy than through organic farming and food.
In 2022, we invested in northwest nonprofits dedicated to training and educating beginning and underserved farmers, preserving farmland, and shaping organic policy with over $125,000 in grants through OGC’s Mission Fund program.
We’re championing the organic revolution.
96%
Organic Starts with Farmers
Beginning farmers face countless barriers to accessing acreage as land prices skyrocket and climate change impacts the environment. Washington Farmland Trust (WFT) has been working hard for two decades to build a safety net that keeps farmland safe, helps farmers out and shakes things up for the future of farming in Washington.
OGC has been an advocate of WFT for years and we’re not slowing down. In 2022, we gave them a Mission Fund grant for general operating support and to help them develop programs that keep local organic farming alive in our region.
“We share OGC’s commitment to sustainable organic practices. This funding will help us grow our work and programming,”
-Melissa Campbell, Executive Director of Washington Farmland Trust
We support and celebrate Rogue Farm Corp, Viva Farms, and Washington Farmland Trust and their work to give beginning and marginalized farmers access to training, tools, and land.
A Greener Avocado
In 2022, we introduced organic shoppers to a new domestic-grown avocado that took our love of this creamy toast topper to the next level.
This game-changer is called the GEM® avocado and it truly lives up to its name. Not only is it mouth-wateringly delicious, but this variety grows upright, allowing for higher-density plantings which makes for more efficient use of land and labor. It also requires less water to grow than other avocados which is a big deal for growers and the environment in drought-stricken California.
Bred and researched at the University of California Riverside, the GEM originated from a Gwen avocado seedling grown in Camarillo. After countless trials and thousands of seeds planted, researchers selected GEM for its tolerance to extreme temperature fluctuations and its post-harvest and eating qualities. All these traits work together to benefit growers and the environment. In partnership with Del Rey Avocado, OGC was the first to offer this GEM in the Pacific Northwest.
Nuevo Amanecer,
Viejos Amigos
New Dawn, Old Friends
Partnerships with successive growers dot the land like the acreage farmed by Juan and Maria Aparicio.
Returning the Land
Passing on Knowledge
Eastern Washington-grown row crops are a summer staple for OGC customers who know our longtime supplier, Inaba Family Farms.
Small Acts,
Big Impact
At OGC every decision we make is full of respect for the people we work with and the planet we call home. Our teams don't just comply with environmental regulations – we work together every day to reduce our environmental impact, coming up with creative solutions to slash energy consumption, cut down on plastics and divert as much waste as possible from hitting the landfill.
Reducing, diverting, recycling, and gleaning practices are part of our DNA, along with ingenious practices like “Project Banana Blanket.”
PEELING BACK
OUR USE OF PLASTIC
Bananas are a hot commodity at OGC, and we source from the best of the best. Our longtime partner, Organics Unlimited, is a fierce women-led business that’s all about the highest quality and caring for their farmers.
Our bananas travel all the way from Mexico and arrive in Oregon green, firm, and ready to be conditioned in one of OGC’s eight state of the art ripening rooms. Each towering room holds a massive 53-foot trailer’s worth of bananas and has atmospheric controls to encourage the ripening process.
In 2022, OGC’s coworker-led Sustainability Committee joined forces with Quality Assurance and Operations and created Project Banana Blanket to tackle plastic use in our facility.
Previously, our team tightly wrapped each banana pallet with plastic, which offered a layer of warmth as the bunches ripened. With input from OGC’s Food Safety team, our Sustainability Committee members set up a process to swap plastic wrap for washable thermal blankets. The experiment worked, bringing plastic wrap use down by over 95% in this area of our business.
Investing in Sustainability Smarts
The produce industry changes every day. Consumer preferences, market changes, climate impacts, and social issues are challenging us to do better, work smarter and tread lightly.
In 2022, we grew our ability to assess and act by teaming up with graduate students at the University of Oregon and Portland State University to help really dig in and understand our impacts. They built tools for tracking our greenhouse gas emissions and waste stream, designed a three-year plan to address plastic packaging, and inspired change.
Then we brought back our in-house Sustainability Committee and empowered them to make real change happen. We spread eco-advocates throughout the company to keep us on a greener path in the years ahead.
Navigating the federal organic regulatory world can be overwhelming for busy farmers and vendors, but their voices and experiences are so important for leaders to hear. That’s where OGC steps in as an ally with policy partners to fight for organic. We make sure that the needs of organic farmers and supply chain partners, big and small, are represented to lawmakers here in the Northwest and in Washington, D.C.
OGC represents the Organic Produce Wholesalers Coalition, bringing a collective voice to the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). Last fall’s NOSB meeting alone presented 32 topics relevant to the organic produce trade. Working together, we deter fraud, mitigate risk, increase technical support, and amplify organic as climate-smart agriculture.
We Get Loud for Organic
OGC’s 2022 advocacy work focused on making sure organic standards stay fair and adaptable with the latest farming trends and new production systems. We worked to build trust in the organic label so that it continues to be the baseline for add-on claims and certifications, and that organic practices are recognized as a solution to climate change, helping farmers weather the extremes.
Go Organic or Go Home
When USDA Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a $100 million Pinpoint Organic Market Development initiative in 2022, OGC worked with our peers at the newly formed International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) to share valuable insight with the USDA.
We shared just how important it would be to help grow the demand for organic in response to the huge influx of growers coming out of the USDA’s Transition to Organic Program. We also championed support for expanding produce production in the Northwest to take pressure off major growing regions facing water shortages, increased fire and weather events and to make USDA grants available to schools and institutions to source organic produce.
We Make Change Happen
OGC contributed to four bills introduced to Oregon’s legislature focused on expanding support and resources for organic farmers and businesses and protecting the state’s specialty crop seed producers.
We helped the Coalition of Regenerative and Organic Agriculture (CORA) prepare its policy platform for Washington’s 2023 legislative session.
We shaped organic policy from a seat on the Organic Trade Association (OTA) board and as members of the OTA’s produce sector, sustainability, and diversity councils.
We invested in The Organic Center’s study on ways organic growers can mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.
$100,000
Invested in the work of three allies:
Growing the Organic Revolution
We stand for organic. We’re on a mission to grow the organic agriculture movement by caring for people, prioritizing the planet, and focusing on our purpose. Join us in the organic revolution. It's time to take back our food, our health, and our planet. We won't back down from promoting and inspiring the growth of the organic agricultural movement.
Follow along with OGC’s work now and into the future by checking out our website and our social media on Instagram and Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Measuring OGC’s impact and benefit for our stakeholders
We used the B Impact Assessment (BIA) from B Lab as an objective, independent, third-party reporting standard for this 2022 report. This standard meets the Oregon Benefit Company requirements and is a rigorous and widely used tool to measure a company’s impact on workers, community, customers, and the environment.
Our scorecard provides transparent tracking of year-over-year impacts and highlights the indicators of special importance to OGC and our stakeholders.