Change is our goal. Responsibility is the through line in everything we do.
Sustainability and Our Team
We like to say that Gathered Foods is part of the solution. Our goal is to make a positive impact on the planet, which includes developing and creating plant-based seafood products that offset the impacts of overfishing, bycatch and fishing industry debris that pollutes the oceans. And at work, that means choosing, researching, and working towards the most sustainable options whenever we can, from the products we produce to our everyday working environment.
Process
Reducing the harmful impact we have on our planet is a mindset that is tuned into the awareness that resources are finite. By default, the process of manufacturing foods requires energy and physical inputs. It is our responsibility to ensure we can measure these inputs and adjust our processes to minimize waste at all levels. The goal never changes: To do less harm. We become better at this as we discover new ways to improve and iterate. Currently, we are launching an internal Task Force dedicated to helping us make the best choices every day as individuals and as an organization, from the ingredients we source for our products to the paper that sits in the copiers, and everything in between.
Ingredient Supply Chain
We take great care in the sourcing of our ingredients and we currently source all of our ingredients from non-GMO sources, the majority of which are from North America and Europe. We work with our partners at The Non-GMO Project to verify our products.
Our plant-based protein products are created with legumes from world-class partners that have robust supply chains and thorough monitoring and verification programs to ensure product safety. Growing our company also means growing our confidence and visibility on all levels of our process and supply chain. We are currently working with all partners to secure commitments to our standards as we explore the correct certifications for our company.
Labor
We are committed to supporting fair and just labor practices across the entire spectrum of our company and the organizations we do business with. We have a responsibility to mitigate human trafficking, slavery and related exploitative practices such as servitude, forced labor, and child labor (often referred to as Modern Slavery) within our business operation and supply chain. We have no tolerance for human rights abuse of any kind and are committed to advocating for human rights.
Gathered Foods aims to align its policies and practices with international standards, including the principles laid out in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the International Labor Organization’s Fundamental Conventions.
We require that our suppliers have appropriate policies, processes, and procedures in place to identify and mitigate any instances of Modern Slavery both within their own businesses and supply chains. Additionally, we support several international charters, principles and initiatives that inform its approach, including the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment, the Equator Principles, and the United Nations Global Compact.
Facilities
We have been fortunate to be able to build a state-of-the-art production facility that utilizes high efficiency insulation, clean building materials and low consumption lighting. Our team monitors waste streams and has commitments to waste reduction as we continue to develop our production systems.
Packaging
Good Catch® frozen products are packaged in plastic wrap made from 40% post-consumer recycled plastic, with packaging cartons made of 100% recycled paperboard from 100% post-consumer content.
All shipping packages for Good Catch® direct-to-consumer frozen products are made from corn through Green Cell Foam, which can either be safely dissolved in your sink or composted.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The team at Gathered Foods is deeply committed to the fact that all people have value; that people of different colors, creeds, sexes, sexual orientations and different countries of origin are what make the human experience vibrant, transformative and meaningful. Just as we fiercely protect the lives and well-being of animals, we fiercely protect and nurture diversity and inclusion of people from all walks of life in our organization. We reject intolerance.
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Inclusion
We aren’t just checking boxes when it comes to diversity. We go beyond diversity - we reach for inclusion. We start with the assumption of goodwill and, above all, kindness. With this intent, and only with this intent, everyone gets a seat at the table. We want everyone to be themselves without judgement, and we will take swift steps to maintain such a supportive environment should we start to go off-course.
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Equity
We strive to create an environment of equity, where each of us gets what we need to not only survive, but to thrive. Equity is about fair access to opportunity, networks, resources, and support — based on where we are as individuals and where we want to go or who we want to become. We’re committed to identifying opportunities for growth and success for everyone.
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Dialogue
It’s okay to talk about racism, sexism, homophobia and any other form of intolerance. It’s okay to talk openly about our desire to proactively hire people of color. It’s okay to be angry or emotional when people are disparaged. Speak up. Start a constructive conversation. Help us all heal and evolve. Every person deserves to be seen and heard; THAT’S inclusion and what we aim to encourage. This is not a pass for any aspect of hate or disparaging speech. Again, dialogue starts with an assumption of goodwill.
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Partnership
To create positive change, we’ll sometimes support nonprofit organizations that may not seem to perfectly align with our brand or directly equate to sales. As a mission-driven company, we want to do what’s right as guided by our founding principles and leadership. We want to partner where we can make an impact, as often as possible.
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Empathy
We encourage ourselves to experience things through different sets of lenses. We strive to be authentically empathetic and seek to understand other’s perspectives. We’re constructive and hopeful. We hold each other up, to see over the proverbial wall. Our greatest strength as people is cooperation through love and respect.