WINNER: Nature’s Path has grown from a small-scale operation making food out of the back of a restaurant into an international organic food brand.
As a family-run company, Nature’s Path has the freedom to put their money where their heart is. Beyond just making organic products, they are committed to being socially responsible and environmentally sustainable in everything they do — through donating one per cent of proceeds, giving back to food banks through their Bite4Bite initiative, purchasing organic farmland to work with family farmers to ensure the purity of their foods and supporting organic crops for generations to come.
Remaining independent allows Nature’s Path to take risks, remain nimble and to focus on what makes them different: Their precise focus on organics, their commitment to non-GMO and transparency in labeling and their drive to leave the Earth better than they found it.
“Thank you so much, we are really humbled and honoured to be here with what started in the back of my parents’ restaurant,” said Arjan Stephens, the company’s executive vice president of sales and marketing. “It started with a simple vision — always leave the soil and the Earth as we found it.”
FINALIST: Panther Cheer Athletics passionately believes that they use the sport of all-star cheerleading and tumbling as a powerful vehicle through which their young athletes learn many important life lessons and skills that guide them to become exceptional young adults. Panther Cheer Athletics not only helps their athletes achieve excellence in their athletic skills, but teaches powerful character development lessons every class to each and every young person they work with. These messages are discussed, celebrated and shared through all Panther Cheer Athletics marketing messages and social media posts.
Annually, Panther Cheer Athletics spearheads an initiative in which each of their competitive teams embraces a philanthropic cause and gets involved by volunteering their time and resources.
FINALIST: The Sage Foundation aims to set the standard for Corporate Compassionate Capitalism around the world. Each of Sage’s 14,000 employees are able to take five days per year in work time to volunteer with any non-profit organization they elect to support. The Sage Foundation will also give grants to create entrepreneurial opportunities for the young and disadvantaged within communities, as well as grants to match employee charitable donations and fundraising.
With tens of thousands of non-profit organizations as existing Sage customers, the Sage Foundation will enhance Sage’s relationship with charity and social enterprise.
