Next Economy Now highlights the leaders who are taking a regenerative, bio-regional, equitable, transparent, and whole-systems approach to using business as a force for good. 

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Arjan Stephens serves as Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Nature's Path. Arjan was named one of Business in Vancouver’s ‘Top 40 under 40’ in 2012. He’s the second generation of the Nature’s Path organic foods company, a business he says was “founded on a hope and a dream and a $1,500 loan”, and is still driven by those same values 30 years later, now it’s turning over $300m a year and selling into over 50 countries. One of Arjan’s main purposes is to move the world away from zombie-like consumerism and encourage consciousness, especially with food. He believes our forks and wallets are the most powerful tools for change, and organic agriculture is the catalyst that will transform the world for the better. Arjan received his bachelor’s degree in History from Queen’s University and an MBA from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

Some highlights from Kevin’s interview with Arjan include:

• How Nature’s Path integrates their values throughout their supply stream, supporting over 120,000 acres of organic production internationally and sourcing local where feasible

• Understanding that the organization is not just there to serve the customer but to serve all who are part of the organization, Nature’s Path demonstrates their care for their people by offering great benefits and work environment that includes spaces to garden or meditate

• Nature’s Path recently met their goal to become Zero waste certified in all facilities (only cereal company to do this)

• An example of “corporate venturing,” the Seed to Sprout program at Nature’s Path has invested in three organic food companies to support entrepreneurs

• Arjan shares his thoughts on going beyond organic farming toward regenerative organic farming

Resources:

• Love at First Bite

• Nature’s Path Nourishing Communities programs

• First Priority, Zero Waste: Nature's Path Earns Prestigious Sustainability Certification at Third Facility

• The four ‘P’s: People, planet, profits – and passion

• Arjan’s Father: Arran Stephens

• OTA’s U.S. Families' Organic Consumer Attitudes and Beliefs Study

• Regenerative Organic Agriculture and Climate Change

• Regenerative Organic Certification

• Join Us: The Journey to Regenerative Organic Certification

Videos:

• Walk the Talk Show with Waylon Lewis: Nature's Path with Arjan Stephens.

• How we leave the Earth is our collective legacy | Arran Stephens | TEDxUW

• Ted Talk: A guerilla gardener in South Central LA | Ron Finley

People:

• Ron Finley

• Arran Stephens

Organizations

• Conscious Capitalism

LIFT Economy is an impact consulting firm whose mission is to create, model, and share a locally self-reliant economy that works for the benefit of all life.

Kevin Bayuk works at the intersection of ecology and economy where permaculture design meets next economy organizations intent on meeting human needs while enhancing the conditions conducive to all life. He is a co-founder and  partner with LIFT Economy, the Senior Financial Fellow at Project Drawdown and a founding partner of the Urban Permaculture Institute.  You can follow Kevin on Twitter @kevinbayuk or email him kevin@lifteconomy.com.