By partnering with local farmers and helping them engage in regenerative practices, David says, “the yields are around 40% more than if you planted monoculture blocks.”
How has the company made soap a catalyst for change? By operating according to what it has coined “constructive capitalism”: the idea that the purpose of business must extend beyond personal financial gain to benefit humanity and the planet. One way Dr. Bronner’s does this is by capping executive salaries; no one makes more than five times the salary of the company’s lowest-paid full-time employee who’s been in the position for five years. Profits are put toward the brand’s idea of the greater good. In 2023, the company donated nearly $5.7 million, including $300,000 to animal advocacy; $451,000 to regenerative organic agriculture organizations, and $2.6 million to drug policy reform, among other causes like migration justice, fair trade, and fair wage.
The company also works toward policy change, providing funding and in-kind labor contributions to campaigns and initiatives, and building awareness for causes like cannabis policy reform (for industrial hemp and marijuana), organic labeling integrity and certification for personal care products (to battle greenwashing), genetically modified organism (GMO) product labeling, and access to psychedelic-assisted therapy and plant and fungal medicine. Dr. Bronner’s has come a long way since Emanuel launched the brand, but its through line is clear: to make real, positive, and lasting change in the world. With each bottle of soap sold, the company is proving that you can make a profit and do something good with it.
Clockwise from top: Every ounce of Dr. Bronner’s business is tracked to measure impact. The giant 2,000 pound steel kettle originally used by Dr. Bronner’s soapmaking predecessors in Germany over 100 years ago sits at the center of the brand’s museum. The All-One Magic Foam Experience has been traveling around since the 1980s, blasting tingling suds at music festivals, parades, beach parties, and mud runs.
Visit DRBRONNER.COM to learn more.
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ISSUE 02
A GENIE IN THE BOTTLE
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