You’ve heard us say before that the foundational principle of Mountain Rose Herbs is “people, plants, and planet are more important than profit.” A primary element of how we succeed in keeping that ethic at the core of everything we do is the recognition that no matter how much we strive for excellence as human beings and as a company, it really does “take a village” to create change and to set ourselves always on a path of growth and learning. We have been building working relationships with like-minded companies, organizations, nonprofits, and individuals for more than three decades in order to put strategic action to our principles. One of these longstanding alliances is with BRING, a local nonprofit that has been working to change attitudes and behaviors about waste for 50 years.BRING is one of the oldest nonprofit recyclers in the nation and we are extraordinarily proud to be allied with this organization whose values and mission align so closely with our own. BRING focuses on consumption, climate change, and community reliance, with a mission to provide vision and leadership in the community. As part of this work, they provide a reuse store and robust community education programs.
BRING also oversees one of our favorite business opportunities: the Rethink Business program. Put simply, this free, comprehensive program helps businesses and workplaces figure out how to be more resource-efficient by recycling, reducing energy use, switching to durable goods, using more environmentally friendly cleaning materials, etc. Expert advisors conduct on-site assessments of water, waste, energy, and transportation practices, and then provide recommendations, tools, and resources including water-saving devices, recycling boxes, detailed recommendation lists, and information about rebates, grant opportunities, and tax incentives. This year, we’re excited to announce that BRING has also added a J.E.D.I. component to the Rethink program.
Businesses achieve Rethink certification by putting into place and practicing conservation and efficiency actions in the categories of energy, pollution prevention, solid waste, transportation, wastewater, water, and resilience. This year, marking BRING’s 50th anniversary, they added a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) category. This addition is a powerful statement that declares that regardless of the size, structure, or culture of a company, there are steps that can be taken to successfully weave J.E.D.I. principles into the fabric of the organization. It is this unwavering commitment to the most ethical, inclusive business practices that puts BRING high on our list of stand-out companies.
“Mountain Rose Herbs is a local example of why being economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable is good for building business and community,” BRING’s Director of Education, Emily Shelton, recently wrote of us. “We believe Mountain Rose Herbs is a role model within the Rethink network and sets a high standard for what is possible. We’re especially inspired by their dedication to their people, which is evidenced by their culture of collaboration and investment in professional growth and development opportunities.”
Coming from an organization that is celebrating half a century of dedication and tireless work to make our world a better place for all, this is high praise indeed. We are honored and grateful to be shoulder-to-shoulder with organizations like BRING.
You can learn more about BRING’s Rethink Business program at www.bringrecycling.org/services/certifications/rethink/.
You may also enjoy:
Topics: Inside Mountain Rose Herbs, Sustainability
Shawn is Mountain Rose Herbs' owner and CEO. He first became involved with Mountain Rose Herbs as a passionate young idealist with a fervent desire to change the world. He was a notorious rabble-rouser, always petitioning for mandatory labeling on genetically modified food crops, encouraging people to support a strong conservation ethic, fighting for the protection of endangered or threatened species, and the protection and enhancement of our riparian areas. When Mountain Rose Herbs came into his life, Shawn saw it as an opportunity to change the way business is conducted on this planet. To this day, the revolutionary business principles that Shawn initiated have been used as a successful model by countless other organizations. Since becoming a co-owner of the company in 2001, he has continued to initiate bold and daring changes, most notably the eradication of all conventionally grown products from our product line, introducing the first line of fair trade certified medicinal herbs in the United States, implementing the design and deployment of our web presence, launching our zero waste program and our charitable giving program, and more. In his spare time, Shawn can be found deep within Oregon’s wilderness system, or lost in the pages of any book about ecology and the environment. He currently retains one of the nation’s largest collections of rare and antiquarian books that deal exclusively with nature writing and outdoor literature. With Thoreau, Abbey, and Muir being his favorites, of course! "All of our environmental issues can be connected to the embarrassing way that business abuses this planet. My objective is to stop this destructive pattern by offering an alternative modality and sharing that modality with others so we can all lead the change necessary to heal the planet"
You’ve heard us say before that the foundational principle of Mountain Rose Herbs is “people, plants, and planet are more important than profit.” A primary element of how we succeed in keeping that ethic at the core of everything we do is the recognition that no matter how much we strive for excellence as human beings and as a company, it really does “take a village” to create change and to set ourselves always on a path of growth and learning. We have been building working relationships with like-minded companies, organizations, nonprofits, and individuals for more than three decades in order to put strategic action to our principles. One of these longstanding alliances is with BRING, a local nonprofit that has been working to change attitudes and behaviors about waste for 50 years.BRING is one of the oldest nonprofit recyclers in the nation and we are extraordinarily proud to be allied with this organization whose values and mission align so closely with our own. BRING focuses on consumption, climate change, and community reliance, with a mission to provide vision and leadership in the community. As part of this work, they provide a reuse store and robust community education programs.
BRING also oversees one of our favorite business opportunities: the Rethink Business program. Put simply, this free, comprehensive program helps businesses and workplaces figure out how to be more resource-efficient by recycling, reducing energy use, switching to durable goods, using more environmentally friendly cleaning materials, etc. Expert advisors conduct on-site assessments of water, waste, energy, and transportation practices, and then provide recommendations, tools, and resources including water-saving devices, recycling boxes, detailed recommendation lists, and information about rebates, grant opportunities, and tax incentives. This year, we’re excited to announce that BRING has also added a J.E.D.I. component to the Rethink program.
Businesses achieve Rethink certification by putting into place and practicing conservation and efficiency actions in the categories of energy, pollution prevention, solid waste, transportation, wastewater, water, and resilience. This year, marking BRING’s 50th anniversary, they added a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) category. This addition is a powerful statement that declares that regardless of the size, structure, or culture of a company, there are steps that can be taken to successfully weave J.E.D.I. principles into the fabric of the organization. It is this unwavering commitment to the most ethical, inclusive business practices that puts BRING high on our list of stand-out companies.
“Mountain Rose Herbs is a local example of why being economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable is good for building business and community,” BRING’s Director of Education, Emily Shelton, recently wrote of us. “We believe Mountain Rose Herbs is a role model within the Rethink network and sets a high standard for what is possible. We’re especially inspired by their dedication to their people, which is evidenced by their culture of collaboration and investment in professional growth and development opportunities.”
Coming from an organization that is celebrating half a century of dedication and tireless work to make our world a better place for all, this is high praise indeed. We are honored and grateful to be shoulder-to-shoulder with organizations like BRING.
You can learn more about BRING’s Rethink Business program at www.bringrecycling.org/services/certifications/rethink/.
You may also enjoy:
Topics: Inside Mountain Rose Herbs, Sustainability
Shawn is Mountain Rose Herbs' owner and CEO. He first became involved with Mountain Rose Herbs as a passionate young idealist with a fervent desire to change the world. He was a notorious rabble-rouser, always petitioning for mandatory labeling on genetically modified food crops, encouraging people to support a strong conservation ethic, fighting for the protection of endangered or threatened species, and the protection and enhancement of our riparian areas. When Mountain Rose Herbs came into his life, Shawn saw it as an opportunity to change the way business is conducted on this planet. To this day, the revolutionary business principles that Shawn initiated have been used as a successful model by countless other organizations. Since becoming a co-owner of the company in 2001, he has continued to initiate bold and daring changes, most notably the eradication of all conventionally grown products from our product line, introducing the first line of fair trade certified medicinal herbs in the United States, implementing the design and deployment of our web presence, launching our zero waste program and our charitable giving program, and more. In his spare time, Shawn can be found deep within Oregon’s wilderness system, or lost in the pages of any book about ecology and the environment. He currently retains one of the nation’s largest collections of rare and antiquarian books that deal exclusively with nature writing and outdoor literature. With Thoreau, Abbey, and Muir being his favorites, of course! "All of our environmental issues can be connected to the embarrassing way that business abuses this planet. My objective is to stop this destructive pattern by offering an alternative modality and sharing that modality with others so we can all lead the change necessary to heal the planet"
