Radical Reporting

This week’s issue wraps up our three-part series on individuals, companies, and ideas with radical impact.

You might not think of a benefit report (aka impact report) as a radical document, but in an age where DEI and ESG have been politically weaponized, that’s exactly what a public measuring and telling of an organization’s social and impact has become:  a radical document.

Given this charged atmosphere, we might re-think annual reporting as an act of civil disobedience against the prevailing business paradigm, however small, by showing that a company or organization can openly live and model its own corporate constitution, comprised of a mission and underpinning values in support of purpose and impact, aka business for good.

So, yeah, radical.

And here’s an organization that’s as rad as it gets when it comes to impact reporting (and much more, which we’ll touch on in a bit):  Organically Grown Company (OGC) of Portland, Oregon.

OGC was formed in 1978 by a group of hippies, organic farmers, and other believers in a better way of providing food. Over the past five decades it has become the nation’s largest wholesale distributor dedicated to organic fresh produce, which it sources from farms both large and small.  If you live in the Northwest, chances are you’ve eaten organic foods that were provided to your store by OGC.

It is an Oregon Benefit Company, and one of this legal structure's requirements is to publish an accounting of the public benefit it created over the prior year.

This year’s 2024 benefit report from the team at OGC is as good I’ve seen – and through decades of impact reporting, I’ve seen A LOT.

Here’s why it’s such a gem.

• It brings the goods, as in lots of hard data on the public benefit it creates through its operations.
• It not only does that, but it tells the story in a lively way that holds attention and conveys the brand ethos – colorfully and in a voice with lots of character.  The typography, interactivity, and illustrations (particularly of its people) are off the hook.
• It doesn’t avalanche the reader with too many words, using graphics to impart the data and key messages.

• I love its educational ethos, for instance the way the plum harvest is used to convey learning about food waste and make it relatable to the audience, along with what the real impact is – avoiding methane emissions from landfill decomposition. (Okay, plum brandy, too 😉.)
• It’s a big, long scroll – sometimes bothersome, but in this case I found it to be utterly delicious, which is good because OGC has so much benefit to communicate, from tons of produce delivered by bicycle to worker retention metrics.
• I’m a fan of how they treat accessibility with an ever-present icon, which clicks through a self-selecting, relevant experience for those who need it ⬇️.

• You come away from the experience wanting to learn more about the company and, more than that, wanting to stay connected to the OGC experience so you can follow along in the future.

Some benefit reports do a fantastic job with the data and fall short on the storytelling, while others find themselves teetering and unbalanced with the opposite approach. OCG scores on both counts for maximum impact.

This is obviously an organization that puts a lot of resources into its reporting because it prioritizes its purpose and its public benefit.  Now that’s pretty rad.

Another item of note: OGC is an OG in the world of perpetual purpose trusts, having helped pioneer this legal business structure in 2018 when it became a Sustainable Food & Agriculture Perpetual Trust.

Oh, and we’ll be doing an interview with the OGC team to get an inside glimpse into their benefit report process for an upcoming issue of Godspeed.

Godspeed, friends.

Russ

💬 Think About It

“However much you deny the truth, the truth goes on existing.” George Orwell

💥 Quick Hits

•            Sweet supply chain impact – Here's another example of Organically Grown Company's purpose at work whereby they are preserving a California citrus farm's organic legacy.

•            Baked Alaska anyone? – Alaska receives its first heat warning from the National Weather Service.

•            Entry-level AI job loss – Last week we wrote about AI-powered job loss in the entry-level, white collar employment sector. If you're wondering about the opportunistic faces behind this, well here they are.

Find the Most Meaningful Work of Your Career

Our partner One Work has you covered with opportunities that go beyond a paycheck, a cubicle, or a weekly team Zoom call. You'll find purposeful jobs like those below at the One Work job board.

• Environmental Defense Fund - Marry your marketing skills with advocacy at an OG in the world of taking it to the man. 💪 Senior Digital Comms Specialist, Washington, DC.

• Small Door Veterinary - Let your career go to the dogs at a company providing a higher standard of veterinary care. Senior Manager, Strategic Finance and FP&A, New York, NY.

• Penumbra - Cast your shadow at international scale with a role at this global health care company that uses innovative technologies to help as many people as possible. Senior International Marketing Director, Alameda, CA.

 Need help in some way? Have a story idea, question, or request? Perhaps a social entrepreneur we should interview? Let us know – We're here to help. Just reply to this email with whatever you've got. We'll see you next week.