Green potatoes are good?

Green potatoes aren’t normally considered a safe or healthy choice. But when the green refers to the process of how they’re grown, processed and transported, the greener the better.  

In their Global Sustainability Report (2015) Nielsen stated that 66% of global respondents are willing to pay more for sustainable goods and that 45% indicate that the environmental friendliness of products is a key purchasing driver. Are companies who make the products we buy taking responding to this trend?  

 A great example of how environmental stewardship can help support business growth is the UK’s largest supplier of fresh potatoes, Albert Bartlett. Operating since 1948 their strategy has always been based on selling good quality produce. Today their management team believes that protecting the environment is part of what goes into growing and processing a high-quality potato.

 Their commitment to this was clear in their transition from the old version of the standard to ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management. In addition to transitioning, Albert Bartlett used the opportunity to expand their certification from single to multi-site. And with full engagement from their senior management, the process was prioritized and well-communicated across the organization.

Their commitment to managing their environmental impacts has paid off over the years.  Expansion in the last decade saw the organization expand outside the UK to Jersey and even as far off as the US. Consumers can find their products in the product sections of global giants like Marks & Spencer, Costco and Whole Foods.

Keeping things green isn’t the only reason the business has grown, but prioritizing their corporate social responsibility not only helps protect the planet it also helps grow a healthy brand.

Author: Kaara Pallop

Global Portfolio Manager - Sustainability