Hold Ourselves Accountable

It’s Not Simple, and It’s Never Easy

It is easy to wish that a simple project and catchphrase would be enough to show everything that we do. But it isn’t. This is hard work without a clear path. It takes thought, constant collaboration, and a willingness to take risks and makes mistakes to forge a road towards an equitable and regenerative world. 

Traditional Medicinals was not founded because it was the easy thing to do. It started with a shared vision to offer the world what wasn’t readily available: accessible herbal wellness, made with ethically sourced herbs. Our co-founders wanted to leave the world better than they found it. And that isn’t always easy, and it’s never fast. 

Our eight charter commitments are how we hold ourselves accountable as an organization. They serve as our guideposts and keep us looking to the future and re-imagining what is possible, together. With one foot grounded in our purpose and the other moving forward, we are navigating into the unknown, willing to learn from our past, take bold risks, and always keep our focus on connecting people to the healing power of plants.

As we evolve as a company, we continue to prioritize sustainability, ingredient quality, and social and environmental advocacy. With thoughtfully designed purpose, transparency into our value chain, and accountability to third parties, we are working to meaningfully alter the course of many of the systemic and pervasive challenges that lie ahead of us.

Committed to Progress and Accountability 

We know that progress is not linear, but accountability in this space means sharing our successes and learning from our setbacks. From the fields where our herbs grow to our manufacturing facility and offices in Sonoma County, CA, we prioritize and measure our environmental, social, and economic impact.

For over 20 years, we’ve remained committed to transparency by sharing our performance and progress through our Impact Report. Reporting is an important tool that helps us track our progress and keep everyone in our value chain informed as we work towards larger organizational and collaborative goals. Beyond our annual Impact Report, we engage in reporting through voluntary certification bodies, financial disclosures, quality assurance practices, sharing the stories of our source communities, and more.

Voluntary Standards and Industry Investments

One way we are able to demonstrate transparency is through our voluntary support of certification standards like United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Organic, CCOF, Fair Trade, FairWild, and NonGMO Project verification. Reporting is an inherent part of these certifications, helping us to practice business with integrity. Our adherence to these certification standards is verified through a third-party, ensuring sustainable and ethical business practices and instilling our suppliers and customers with confidence. 

Our production facility in Sebastopol, CA is a California Green Business™, following additional guidelines for conservation, operational sustainability, nontoxic cleaning, and local purchasing. We utilize this certification as well as TRUE Zero Waste as additional accountability and transparency tools for our factory. With Zero Waste, we commit to diverting at least 90% of our waste materials from the landfill and are given another opportunity to engage in reporting that is accessible to the general public. 

B Corp—Business as a Force for Good 

Traditional Medicinals is a Certified B Corporation, which means that our company’s overall environmental and social performance is measured and independently verified by B Lab. We believe that choosing the thirdparty verification gives us the best chance for transparency and accurate tracking of our progress against our aspirations and challenges. We were one of the first natural products companies to receive a B Corp certification in 2010. We used it as an additional tool for reinforcing our commitment to business as a force for good. Since then, many natural food and beverage companies have sought B Corp certification. We are proud to have set this precedent within the industry, offering an example of how others can invest in equitable and sustainable business.

As a California Benefit Corporation, we are legally required to prioritize positive impacts for everyone in our value chain by codifying our beneficial mission into our by-laws and decision-making. We’re incredibly proud to be both a certified B Corp and a registered California Benefit Corporation and are grateful for the communal challenge to prioritize and communicate the impact of our mission.

Growing from the roots of our legacy and looking to the future, we are focused on innovation and collaboration as we embed transparency and accountability into everything we do. We are committed to informed and effective decision-making, serving as a force for sustainability and equity in the world. Leading with our values, we are moving closer each day to a balanced world where we give back more than we take.