Herbalist & Alchemist has published its latest Sustainability Report, highlighting how it has once again surpassed ambitious benchmarks.
The 2024 report details progress across its Zero Waste programme, sustainable sourcing practices and comprehensive multi-scope emissions tracking.
“When we initially worked for B Corp certification in 2010, the process created a benchmark that we use to continually ask ourselves what more we can do, a process that continues,” said H&A CEO Beth Lambert.
“After establishing our Green Team, with members from each department working together to find more ways to be sustainable, we’ve achieved far more than we thought possible 15 years ago.”
In 2021, Herbalist & Alchemist qualified for Zero Waste certification, which requires less than 10% of waste to be landfilled and the other 90% diverted, reused, donated, or composted.
However, the company didn’t stop searching for ways to reduce waste.
In 2024, the company reached 96% and now needs only a single rubbish bin — less than half the amount of rubbish one average American produces in a year (1,788.5 lbs), for the entire company (602.84 lbs).
The company recycled 11,079 lbs of material and upcycled 1,555 lbs of material, as well as generating 6,242 lbs of compost.
The natural byproduct of the fresh herb production process, marc, becomes high-quality compost distributed to local farmers.
All paper towels, previously one of the main landfilled items in their rubbish, are turned into compost by a speciality service.
H&A’s Scope 1 direct greenhouse gas emissions for the entire company are comparable to what a family of four produces.
Energy-saving technology and commitment to sourcing locally whenever possible, including from local farmers and wildcrafters, significantly reduce the Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions.
H&A believes that carbon-storing, regenerative agriculture is essential in combating climate change.
To that end, H&A sources many raw materials from growers following the following practices:
- regenerative agriculture
- organic
- permaculture
- biodynamic
- regenerative organic
- forest-grown
- FairWild
- ecologically and ethically wildcrafted
- wild-simulated
- non-GMO
- naturally grown
- and organic-compatible.
Over the years, the Green Team have found creative ways to divert materials usually landfilled.
The fresh herbs H&A processes into finished products have to be kept cool with ice packs during shipping, which are then donated to local children’s camps and food pantries.
The 55-gallon drums become rain barrels and raised vegetable beds, which are then used for equine barrel racing.
Other specific changes included smaller shipping boxes, replacing bubble wrap with plant-based material for smaller items and working with TerraCycle and SustainAbilities.
“David and I are so proud of our Green Team leadership and our whole staff for their commitment to sustainability,” said Beth Lambert, Herbalist & Alchemist CEO.
“We truly believe that managing by principles that are good for people and the earth contributes to the long-term sustainability of our business.”
H&A's American Ginseng grower has over 50 years of experience in growing high-quality, forest-grown, wild-simulated ginseng.
This grower doesn’t harvest roots until they are at least six to eight years old or more, to ensure maximum Ginsenoside levels.
Wild ginseng is usually considered the most potent, since the roots are harvested when older and growing in the wild provides the best environment for Ginsenoside production within the plant.
They naturally grow their ginseng at a high elevation under a canopy of hardwood forest and their usage of seed stock developed from wild seed, gathered locally, results in a root with maximum potency.