I chose to look into the sustainability efforts of the Clif Bar company. Clif has been around since 1990, when the company’s founder decided to make an energy bar that actually tasted good. Since then, the company has expanded, producing many different bars that come in a variety of flavors. Over the years, the company has invested its efforts into making production more sustainable and better for the environment. It began using organic ingredients in the early 2000s. The company boasts 82% of its ingredients are organic. Clif also values using sustainably sourced and fair-trade ingredients for its products. The cacao and palm oil are Rainforest Alliance Certified, which “supports a healthy environment, promotes the well-being of workers and their communities, and strictly prohibits child labor.” According to the website, reducing food waste is another important value of Clif Bar. Ninety percent of its waste is diverted from landfills.
In 2015, Clif created the first endowed university chair in plant breeding for organic crops in the U.S. The company also has ensured that its facilities are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, which means that they are dedicated to cost, water, and energy efficiency. The bakery in Idaho has an “innovative and sustainable design that features energy and water efficiency, recycled and natural materials, biophilic design, and onsite renewable energy from a 2 MW solar array.” One hundred of the facilities’ electricity is green power. Clif is also working towards more sustainable packaging in hopes of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half over the next 10 years.
An interesting aspect of Clif’s sustainability program is that the company pays for volunteer time. Employees are encouraged to spend 20 hours a year volunteering for community service. The company also supports a lot of other sustainability projects, which is another way it gives back to the community.
Overall, the Clif Bar Company values sustainability and giving back to the community. The company has gone to great lengths to uphold these values and protect the environment.
Source: https://www.clifbar.com/who-we-are/our-aspirations
Image from Clif Bar