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Make The World Better Magazine

Cascadia Seaweed: Making a Splash to Make the World Better

When we think of farming, we often picture expansive fields of wheat and grains, subjected to seasonality, water shortages, and pests. Luckily, farming without these issues is possible. In fact, there’s a growing industry that’s making a splash in the world of agriculture – or should we say, “aquaculture.”

Cascadia Seaweed, a provider of ocean cultivated seaweed, is showing North America that farming doesn’t have to be on land. And people are listening: Cascadia was one of the top 20 Companies of the Fall 2021 Impact Investor Challenge at Spring Activator. We spoke with Erin Bremner-Mitchell, Manager of Communications and Engagement, about what Cascadia Seaweed brings to the table.

Tell us about Cascadia Seaweed’s mission. 

Cascadia Seaweed is growing to be the largest provider of ocean cultivated seaweed in North America. By simply cultivating seaweed in the ocean, we can help solve some of the biggest challenges humanity is facing today: climate change, economic instability, and food security.

This is what inspired Cascadia’s vision statement: “Through the cultivation of seaweed we will help improve human health, support coastal communities, and heal the Earth.”

What inspired you to start Cascadia Seaweed? 

Bill Collins was conducting research for the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (VIEA) to attract foreign direct investment to the Island. He landed on four different business cases, one of which was sustainable aquaculture. After an hour on the phone with one of Canada’s leading experts in seaweed, Bill’s entrepreneurial spirit was sparked and he quickly developed the opportunity into what we know today as Cascadia Seaweed. The mission to improve human health, support coastal communities and heal the earth by scaling up the seaweed industry has attracted a diverse group of individuals who all share Bill’s original vision of generating a profit to enable people and benefit the planet.

Members of the Cascadia team and Indigenous partners conducting harvest operations in the Klahoose Territory, Spring 2021.

What were some of the challenges they encountered? 

Cultivating seaweed at scale in British Columbia is a burgeoning sector, which poses a challenge in awareness; however, this is also our greatest opportunity! When we speak to investors, government officials, and consumers, we have a responsibility to share all of the positive impacts that seaweed farming can create.

Ocean cultivated seaweed requires no fresh water, fertilizers, pesticides, or arable land to grow. It utilizes nutrients from the sea, sequesters more carbon than land plants, mitigates acidification, creates habitat, and is renewable and fast growing. It is the definition of regenerative aquaculture, and this new and burgeoning sector directly supports the development of Canada’s growing Blue Economy.

We have certainly encountered challenges during the regulatory approval process and accessing capital, but we have a tenacious team, experienced leadership, and a compelling story which has helped us overcome these challenges.

What do you consider Cascadia Seaweed‘s biggest success? 

The most recent success the team at Cascadia Seaweed celebrated was our invitation to COP26 in Glasgow. Our CEO, Mike Williamson, represented Cascadia Seaweed at this event and spoke alongside global seaweed champion from the UN Global Compact, Vincent Doumeizel.

We also just celebrated the release of our first product under our CPG brand, Kove Ocean Foods!

Dr. Jennifer Clark accepts the 2021 Innovation Award in Victoria on behalf of Cascadia Seaweed at the annual Ecostar Awards gala hosted by the Synergy Foundation.

What makes this organization unique? 

Cascadia Seaweed is the only vertically-integrated seaweed company combining cultivation know-how, First Nations partnerships, and progressive brand development, and our leadership team has over 150 years combined experience in food, technology, and financial services businesses. 

How do you feel Cascadia Seaweed makes the world better?

Seaweed can make the world a better place, and Cascadia is playing a part in that! By growing seaweed in the ocean, we actually make the ocean healthier! Not to mention all of the uses for seaweed that have the potential to make a positive impact on our shared environment, from methane reducing agrifeeds to plastic alternatives.

Mike Williamson, CEO of Cascadia Seaweed, and seasonal contractor Chris Williams, proudly hold up Cascadia’s first harvest of sugar kelp, spring 2020.

Tell us about Cascadia Seaweed’s goals. 

We are looking to connect with investors, ESG, or family funds that align with our values and corporate vision to help us scale up – to turn this BC business into the driver behind a climate-positive industry.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share? 

Cascadia Seaweed earns access to the water by creating partnerships with Indigenous coastal communities. We all know that reconciliation with our Indigenous neighbours is a priority for governments at all levels. Reconciliation involves acknowledging and respecting the traditional territories and rights of First Nations governing bodies.

Recently, the Tsawout First Nation issued a license under their Marine Use Law to Cascadia Seaweed to install a farm in their territory off of James Island near Sidney.

“We need to prepare for the future and manage our own traditional lands, air and sea. As First Nations stewards we need to pass on the rich ecological knowledge of our ancestors to ensure that economic activities taking place in our marine environment are safe and sustainable. This includes the protection and regulation of food, social and ceremonial purposes and benefits.” Chrissy Chen, Fisheries Manager at Tsawout First Nation.

Matt Obee of Cascadia Seaweed congratulates Marshel Glidden, mechanical engineering student at Camosun College, for winning the Most Innovative Project award at the student project showcase. The winning team of four students were challenged to develop a more efficient “seed launcher” for Cascadia as their term project.

What do you most want people to know about Cascadia Seaweed?

We are seaweed farmers, and that is what we strive to be best at, but we are also entrepreneurs. We are guided by science and driven to make the world a better place.

Vegan poke bowl, made with Cascadia’s seaweed by nutritionist and chef Chantal Davis from That Planted Life.

How can people help or contribute to Cascadia Seaweed’s mission?

The first thing individuals can do to support Cascadia Seaweed is to talk to people about this interesting new industry, especially when discussing climate action. As we are becoming more aware of the connection between climate change and our consumer habits, let’s all be more cognizant of where our food comes from. 

I encourage readers to check our plant-based food brand Kove Ocean Foods to learn how they can integrate locally-grown seaweed into their diet morning, noon, and night.

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EMKAO Foods: Transforming the Economy with Every Cocoa Bean

Everyone loves to indulge in chocolate now and then – or frequently (we’re not here to judge). It’s a lucrative industry that employs and benefits the producers and retailers; however, one very important group that can be overlooked are the cocoa farmers themselves. EMKAO wants to change that. 

EMKAO Foods is a manufacturer of organic, single origin cocoa beans, which participated in Spring Activator’s Campbell River Impact Investor Challenge. We spoke with Ayissi Nyemba, Founder & CEO, about EMKAO’s personal connection to cocoa beans, their progress towards their goals, and upcoming projects.

EMKAO’s line of vegan and organic cocoa ingredients.

Tell us about EMKAO Foods’ mission. 

EMKAO Foods is committed to disrupting the traditional cocoa manufacturing model by using a direct trade model to purchase high quality cocoa beans at a fair price to support small cocoa farmers in Cameroon, thus transforming their local economy.

What inspired you to start EMKAO Foods? 

My family comes from generations of cocoa farmers in a country where cocoa production and export contribute significantly to the national economy and poverty alleviation. From my experience growing up on my parents’ cocoa farm, I made it my lifelong vision to help and support the struggling cocoa farmers in Cameroon.

What were some of the challenges you encountered? 

One challenge was having access to capital and raising capital to scale-up my business, as well as the adoption of healthier products by the industry. Also, in the industry, cocoa beans imported from Africa are, most of the time, associated with child labour.

What do you consider EMKAO Foods’ biggest success? 

We opened our doors in February 2021 and are in full production! We have made a good impression in the industry with our products, and the feedback we have received is incredible. We have been supporting the livelihoods of 100 cocoa farmers and have planted an additional 20 trees. The farm is a different entity itself!

Crafting LIKAO cocoa liquor.

What makes your organization unique? 

We specialize in the chocolate industry through a vertically integrated structure that leverages direct trade and single sourcing for the primary input product: cocoa beans. This structure is possible due to an ownership stake in a family farm (Kotou Farm) located in Cameroon, in western Africa. 

EMKAO is able to directly import high quality, certified organic, cocoa beans from Kotou Farm with favourable payment terms. Once imported into Canada, EMKAO is able to process these raw cocoa beans into five marketable finished products. The current focus is to sell these products wholesale to other businesses, such as chocolatiers, bakers, candy producers, and related businesses. We fill an immediate need in the western Canadian market, as there are currently no other competitors who are processing beans locally with a B2B focus. 

How do you feel EMKAO Foods makes the world better?

EMKAO makes the world a better place by fairly engaging the small cocoa farmers in our supply chain. We are making sure our customers know the names of our farmers. And, at the same time, we are offering ethically sourced cocoa beans, traceability via QR codes, and healthier locally made cocoa ingredients to our consumers in Canada.

Tell us about your organization’s goals. 

The main 2022-2025 goal is to obtain additional capital to finance the scale-up phase of the company. 

We plan to do this by:

  1. Serving the Canadian market and expanding to the US market,  
  2. Measuring and sharing the impact we are creating both in Cameroon and Canada,
  3. Building up the team and bringing on more partners,
  4. Creating more impact by growing more trees, and empowering women involvement in agriculture,
  5. And having “just in time” traceability and production systems. 
Ayissi Nyemba, Founder and CEO of EMKAO Foods.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share? 

We are working on developing our own in-house tracking device, TRAKAO. This project will provide immediate help to EMKAO by enabling tracking of raw material shipments from Cameroon to Canada. 

We will also be planning to launch some retail products in two years.

What do you most want people to know about EMKAO Foods?

EMKAO envisions a world where cocoa farming is a fair and decent livelihood, and where the profits from the chocolate products so widely enjoyed around the world are shared with the farmers who make it possible for these products to exist.

How can people help or contribute to EMKAO Foods’ mission?

Sharing, liking, and following us through our social media pages, @emkaofoods. Spread the word about our mission and vision, and purchase from us here!

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Nada Grocery: Going Package-Free to Save the Planet

Editor’s Note: As of May 31, 2023, Nada Grocery has permanently closed. Nada was able to divert over 1.5 million pieces of packaging from landfills and participated in numerous community events. Thank you for the work you’ve done to make the world better.

Sometimes, simple really is best, especially when it comes to food. Nada, a Vancouver-based grocery service, is working to bring fresh, healthy groceries to people and communities without adding anything extra, like packaging.

By embarking on this mission, Nada Grocery, a participant in a past Spring Activator program, is hoping to spark important conversations about our food system and its connection to the environment.

We spoke with Brianne Miller, Co-Founder & CEO, about how Nada is making the world better through their package-free, healthy alternative to traditional groceries.

Tell us about Nada’s mission. 

Nada is a package-free grocery delivery service on a mission to connect people to just food, championing a community food system by linking buyers to suppliers, and offering healthy, local, and unpackaged products and services. Our vision is that healthy people equals a healthy planet, where people link their food choices to the health of themselves and the environment.

We’re working hard to connect people to food in its simplest form in an attempt to spark conversations about our food system. By supporting Nada, you’re not only supporting local businesses, but also championing a community food system that links buyers to suppliers who offer healthy, unpackaged goods.

What inspired you to start Nada? 

As a marine biologist, Nada’s CEO & Co-Founder, Brianne Miller, has witnessed first-hand the devastating impact of plastic on the environment. It’s estimated that 9.1 billion tons of plastic have been produced since 1950, and close to 5.5 billion tons are no longer in use and not recycled. After seeing one too many remote field sites littered in plastic debris, Brianne began to wonder why there wasn’t a better way to shop – a way without so much waste.

Brianne has always had a deep love of the oceans. The magic of diving with dolphins and scouring reefs for nudibranchs is something that she wanted to preserve for everyone. Brianne realized that the current grocery models were broken, and even the most ethical, local, and organic example was still caught in this cycle of waste. And so, she asked the simple question that would positively change things forever. What if food… was just food again? With a leap of faith, a few jars, and some dear friends, the Nada story began. The result? A new way to shop for groceries and a commitment to both healthy people and a healthy planet!

Nada’s ultimate tumbler for on-the-go sipping! This Nada Miir Travel Mug is one of the many pieces found in their collection of package-free lifestyle products.

What were some of the challenges you encountered? 

Last year, we transitioned from a self-serve retail grocery store to an online business. As an independent grocery store and essential service supporting hundreds of small local suppliers and farmers, and providing food to our neighbourhood when large grocery store shelves were empty, we’ve been able to continue serving our community through the pandemic.

There have been lots of challenges and regulations to navigate along the way as we strive to keep our customers, community, and team members safe. We have been able to grow our team and reach customers in new neighbourhoods and new cities through delivery, making local and package-free foods more accessible.

What do you consider Nada’s biggest success? 

Nada is working to champion a community-focused food system by linking buyers to suppliers and offering healthy, local, and unpackaged products. A women-owned, empathy-led, and community-focused business that encounters many different broken systems contributing to an inequitable world, Nada is focusing all of its efforts on making a small but mighty impact for the betterment of our collective future by targeting three buckets: impact, community, and supply chain.

Nada’s Co-Founder & CEO, Brianne Miller

What makes your organization unique? 

Nada offers a package-free alternative to the conventional grocery shopping experience. We remove the need for unnecessary packaging by offering high-quality groceries and goods in upcycled containers, compostable bags, and deposit jars. We offer carbon-neutral grocery delivery via our electric vehicles to cities across the Lower Mainland, including Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Burnaby, Surrey, and Delta. Nada’s surplus food recovery program also completely offsets our direct carbon emissions. Check out our Nada’s Own products online to support this initiative!

Nada also facilitates monthly online events to both educate and build relationships with our community to encourage climate action and waste reduction. If you want to learn more about how to get involved in the package-free movement and our local food system, check out our newsletter!

Nada is grateful to call the beautiful coast of British Columbia home and take to heart their responsibility in protecting this special place on our planet.

How do you feel COG makes the world better?

Our goal is to be a part of the climate solution and foster a more just food system. We choose to work with fellow 1% for the Planet, Certified B Corporations, and carbon or climate neutral companies whenever possible – from our products to our office supplies, and everything in between!

We strive to foster long-term relationships with our suppliers as much as possible and love working with those who do the same. This builds stronger communities and more resilient food systems, while providing better working conditions and compensation for those at all levels of the supply chain, including growers, makers, and manufacturers.

Tell us about your organization’s goals. 

With climate change looming as the global population continues to grow, and the demand for food continues to rise, it is crucial that we find ways to reduce the emissions associated with the food system. For most people, grocery stores are the vehicle that connects people to their food. Grocery stores thus play a crucial role in transforming the food system and have a unique opportunity to better connect people to have their food and help them make more sustainable food choices.

Nada’s Own is a line of package-free products made from in-house recipes by repurposing surplus food and giving it a second chance by making these creations available to the community.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share? 

Here at Nada, we accept the donation of upcycled containers and jars to support our zero waste initiative. Each donation that we receive means that one less container has ended up in our landfills. The participation of our community in this program helps us continue to reduce waste and promote a more circular economy. Since the beginning of this program, we’ve been able to successfully divert over 1,062,177 containers from the landfill!

What do you most want people to know about Nada?

When we say community is at the heart of all that we do, we really do mean that. From the products on our shelves to the brands we choose to work with, to the partnerships that we bring inside of our store, there are so many hands involved and good work being done. Without the collective power of those who are working on improving their small piece of the food system and adapting operations with the planet in mind, we hold each other up and support each other in this rebuilding process.

Nada’s goal is to connect people to food in its simplest form and to spark a conversation about the local food system.

How can people help or contribute to Nada’s mission?

Nada is 100% committed to improving our local food system. For every purchase you make, 1% of all topline revenues are donated to grassroots environmental organizations that are supporting a more sustainable food system and standing up for our coast. For the first quarter of 2022, a portion of every purchase of Nada’s package-free groceries will be going directly towards Protect Our Winters Canada.

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What Purpose-Driven Companies Need to Know About Insurance

Entrepreneurs understand the fine balance between risk and reward, especially when it comes to doing business.

For purpose-driven companies who are innovating and taking risks in order to make the world better, the reward may include nothing less than helping save the planet itself.

But what happens when the insurance companies, a crucial component in the function of the economy, aren’t prepared to take the same risks?

Sparx Publishing Group spoke with James K. Asaad, President & Vice Chairman at Ferrari and Associates Toronto, who has extensive experience working with emerging industries, about the complex relationship between these businesses and the insurance industry.

The Current Relationship Between Insurance and Purpose-Driven Companies

As many business owners and seasoned entrepreneurs already know, securing adequate insurance coverage is a prerequisite to doing business. Insurance is embedded into every part of commerce and every transaction that takes place. 

But what does insurance actually do for a company?

Put simply, insurance effectively takes away various elements of risk your business would otherwise be liable for, in exchange for a small percentage of what those risks would actually cost you.

However, the insurance industry in general is not very friendly towards innovation. 

“The insurance market has been hardening since 2019, exacerbated by COVID,” Asaad said. “That issue is acute for startup segments… because the insurers that have been around for a long time are insuring a lot of these businesses which have had a long runway in history. It’s an industry that looks backwards and then makes decisions on the future.”

In another view, the insurance industry’s perceived resistance to insuring purpose-driven companies seems contradictory. Insurance is designed to mitigate uncertainty, and from that perspective, a better world is a predictable world. 

However, nature is becoming increasingly unpredictable, in large part due to climate change. If a company’s work helps mitigate the effects of climate change and restore some of that predictability, it seems logical that the insurance industry would want to incentivize these companies to succeed.

Perplexingly, this does not appear to be the case.

“Unfortunately, when the capital markets and entrepreneurs are always looking into the future… but the insurance company can’t stop looking at the rearview mirror, you slow down that innovation,” said Asaad.

Challenges Around Securing Insurance Coverage

The insurance industry’s pervasiveness and challenging relationship with innovative companies has resulted in an environment that can make it difficult for businesses in the impact space to get off the ground.

“It’s become an unfortunate situation where businesses are unable to launch,” remarked Asaad. “They can’t secure contracts if they don’t have insurance.”

In cases where purpose-driven companies are able to secure insurance, pricing is often a hurdle, especially for start-ups.

“As a result of reduced interest in that space, there are insurance companies that have become opportunistic,” said Asaad. “They do charge a premium to insure these companies. Recognizing that they’re one of few that have an interest in underwriting these things, they can call their shots on pricing.”

One potential solution to the pricing problem is grants and subsidies for entrepreneurs. However, Asaad believes this only addresses part of the overarching issue.

“We are seeing an increased amount of this capital that’s being provided to the entrepreneurs, be that by the private sector or the government,” he said. “That does help to remedy the situation in the sense that it gives them the capital they need to secure insurance. However, it does not change the insurance segment’s vision or view on startup businesses and startup segments.”

Though these challenges are undoubtedly tough, they’re not insurmountable.

Critical Shifts in the Industry, and What Still Needs to Change

There is a growing sentiment in the insurance industry towards the opportunity purpose-driven companies represent. 

“The competitive landscape right now, from an insurance perspective, is ready to be disrupted. What I’m seeing right now is a lot of younger people who see an opportunity within the industry to disrupt it, and have an entrepreneurial mindset, that want to insure and support the vision of these new segments where the journey is to make the world a better place,” noted Asaad. 

Asaad compares these more entrepreneurial insurance companies to investment bankers. “They want to get to know: who are the people, the players, that have this idea? What’s their vision? What’s their aptitude, their experience?”

According to Asaad, one important change that still needs to be made across the insurance industry is a shift in mindset

“We have to take the mindset of supporting the entrepreneur and supporting the segments that are trying to make the world a better place. That is our duty.”

What Can Purpose-Driven Companies Do?

In emerging sectors, where there’s not a lot of data and history available, it’s difficult to quantify execution risk from an insurance perspective. That’s why it’s important to make as many unknowns as possible into “knowns.”

To turn unknowns into knowns for his clients, Asaad uses a method called the Insurance Investment Presentation. “We want the insurance companies to get comfortable investing their capital into these leaders and businesses,” he said. 

“We want to start to recognize some of the operational pieces of the client or the business as it relates to insurance… When you get a sense of what the ecosystem looks like for their product or service, and how much control over it they have, you get a better sense of their ability to actually execute.”

Purpose-driven companies will also want to be particular when selecting an insurance broker to work with.

“Choose an insurance broker who demonstrates an interest in you and your business, an understanding of who you are, what your vision is, and who is fluent in the language of entrepreneurship, law, and finance,” Asaad recommends. 

“They must exemplify the qualities of your business while packaging your story creatively in a manner which navigates the needs of underwriters in today’s market.”

Finally, purpose-driven companies should feel empowered to speak up about the challenges their companies are facing when it comes to insurance, and encourage others in the sector to share their stories as well. 

If entrepreneurs advocate for focus on innovation in the insurance industry, meaningful change is possible, and with it, a chance to build a better world.

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Make The World Better Magazine

Canadian Organic Growers: Advocating for an Organic Future

Organic food is widely considered to be healthier for both people and the environment. While you may be able to find organic food in the supermarket, finding information on how to grow and garden organically is a different story – at least it was – in Canada.

Canadian Organic Growers (COG) grew from the need for better understanding about organic farming and gardening methods, and today, they’re advocating for organic farming across the country. We spoke with Canadian Organic Growers about their mission and projects.

Tell us about Canadian Organic Growers’ mission. 

Our mission is to provide education, advocacy, and leadership to help build an agricultural system that empowers farmers and consumers, enhances human health, builds community, and mitigates climate change, while increasing Canadian food sovereignty. 

What inspired your founders to start Canadian Organic Growers? 

Our founders wanted to grow food without chemicals, both for their own health and the health of the planet. However, there was a lack of information on organic farming and gardening, particularly in the Canadian context. Backyard gardeners, “back to the landers,” and farmers joined together to help share knowledge and resources.

What were some of the challenges they encountered? 

There was a general lack of understanding about organic farming and gardening methods, as well as a social stigma directed at organic farming. Also, organic farming wasn’t taken seriously by agricultural departments (provincial and federal) or agricultural colleges. This meant that farmers had to learn by trial and error, or from mentors.

The organic certification process and logo did not exist, so people didn’t have a way of knowing what foods were actually organic or not. Things have come a long way since those days!

What do you consider Canadian Organic Growers’ biggest success? 

By creating Canadian Organic Growers chapters across the country, organizing workshops, and publishing a series of books, we have played a pivotal role in stimulating the Canadian organic movement.

Over the decades, an increasing number of farmers and gardeners have embraced organic methods, and the demand for organic food keeps growing, for example from 1.7% of the Canadian market share in 2012 to 3.3% in 2020 (Canada Organic Trade Association).

Part of this reflects the work COG has done over the decades. Our courses and books have helped farmers transition to organic farming. In fact, three of our books have been used as textbooks in universities in their agricultural departments.

We have also enabled more people across the country to access organic food – partially by our work in stimulating the organic movement but also through specific programs, such as COG’s Growing Up Organic, which has led to the development of school gardens and the introduction of organic food in schools, daycares, and other institutions across Canada.

Connaught gardens: students from Connaught Public School harvesting kale in their garden.

What makes your organization unique? 

Canadian Organic Growers is the only national organization representing organic farmers, gardeners, and consumers from coast to coast. Our membership encompasses people from all sectors of the organic community; no other organization has this scope.

As a result, our activities range from teaching people how to grow sprouts and microgreens on the kitchen counter, to creating school gardens, to advocating for government support for farmers who are transitioning to organic agriculture, to teaching prairie farmers about organic regenerative agriculture.

We have chapters and affiliates across the country, which allows different groups to work on the local aspects of organic growing, education, and advocacy that meet the needs of their own community.

How do you feel Canadian Organic Growers makes the world better?

Canadian Organic Growers makes the world better by advocating for a cleaner environment, greater biodiversity, and a healthy, nutritious food supply.

As a result of our work, more people of all incomes and ages are eating local organic food and more land is being farmed organically. This means greater biodiversity and protection of pollinators, less pollution due to runoff of agricultural chemicals and antibiotics given to livestock, and more animals have access to the outdoors and are humanely treated.

Rural communities are benefitting from more money flowing into rural economies, and more people living in these communities have access to healthy, nutritious food. COG address the human aspect of food production by supporting the development of school gardens, incorporating mindfulness practices into gardening workshops, and developing an online Indigenous gardening workshop.

Our work also addresses the current climate crisis. Agriculture accounts for about 10% of total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) globally; COG is teaching farmers how to sequester (trap) carbon in the soil and reduce GHG emissions.

Tell us about your organization’s goals. 

Our main goal is to promote organic growing and strengthen the organic food supply through education, advocacy, collaboration, and partnerships. We want to provide farmers and gardeners with the tools they need to grow organic food, and in doing so, promote biodiversity, mitigate climate change, and protect our environment for future generations.

For farmers, we’re doing this through peer-to-peer education, publication of books, and production of webinars. We bring experts out to the field to talk with individual farmers about how they can adopt regenerative organic farming practices, and go to schools to help children learn how to garden organically and develop a taste for organic food (and practices). Canadian Organic Growers also helps seniors find accessible ways to garden and, in doing so, they can enjoy the physical and mental benefits of gardening organically in a community.

We also want to help consumers understand and appreciate the value of locally grown organic food. COG aims to increase awareness of the many reasons to buy local organic food, including the environmental, socioeconomic, and nutritional benefits. We do this through webinars, events (such as Organic Week held each September), and through our magazine (currently in the process of being moved to a free online format here).

Nature’s Path.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share? 

Regenerative Organic Oats in the Prairies (ROO) is a three-year project to help oat farmers in Saskatchewan transition to Regenerative Organic Certification. The educational aspect of the project will help encourage other farmers to adopt regnerative organic practices. This initiative, the first of its kind in Canada, is made possible due to the support of industry partners Riverside Naturals and Nature’s Path.

In Growing Up Organic (GUO), COG partners with schools to establish school garden programs as the basis for experiential education. For example, in the past year alone, GUO delivered 270 workshops and established 30 new garden beds in Ottawa schools, and the goal for 2022 is to build up to 48 new gardens and deliver more than 250 garden curriculum-connected workshops. COG is also developing a virtual Indigenous gardening workshop and now incorporating land acknowledgements, as well as mindfulness exercises in many gardening workshops.

The Canadian Access Project (CAP) is a two-year collaborative project, made possible with an investment from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), that will identify current barriers in the organic food supply chain, help the Canadian organic industry fulfill its economic potential, and provide Canadians with increased access to regionally-grown, organic food. COG will deliver virtual workshops and reports, and provide a detailed plan to create an environmental model, which would highlight the benefits of removing barriers to organic commodity production and distribution.

Growing Eastern Ontario Organically (GEO-O), is a three-year, on-the-ground initiative to support farmers to transition to organic agriculture through mentorship, financial incentives, and on-site experiential learning. GEO-O provides farmers with in-person, on-site, farmer-to-farmer training. GEO-O is a first of its kind experiential learning-centred approach in a specific region. It was made possible with funding from Ontario Trillium Foundation and Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

To date, we have had 57 farms enrolled in the program, representing over 10,000 acres of farmland. COG will compare the outcomes of GEO-O to similar efforts across the country in order to bring further benefits to the entire Canadian organic sector.

Lastly, for more than forty years, COG published a hard copy magazine; however, we have since gone completely paperless. The Canadian Organic Grower is now available free, online, in a blog-style format. The new version has information for consumers, as well as resources for backyard gardeners and farmers. The content includes features on organic businesses, tips for organic farmers, recipes, and news about organic science. Check it out! A beta version is online here, and we expect to launch the website formally in early 2022.

Growing Eastern Ontario Organically (GEO-O): the Beetbox Farm Cooperative Team, who serves West Ottawa with organic produce.

What do you most want people to know about Canadian Organic Growers? 

We offer something for everyone who has an interest in healthy food and a healthy environment. Whether you’re growing herbs in window boxes or planting one thousand acres of wheat, Canadian Organic Growers has resources to help you learn how to grow food organically.

For consumers, COG works to improve production and access to organic food across the country and will soon (through the free online magazine) provide tips on buying, storing, and cooking organic food in season.

We also do a lot of work behind the scenes, such as advocating for changes in agricultural policies (particularly regarding GMOs), helping develop the Canadian Organic Standards, and standing up for organic growers in any way we can.

William Amos announcing a $640,000 grant from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

How can people help or contribute to Canadian Organic Growers’ mission?

Grow or buy organic food. When you buy local organic food or grow your own food organically, you are helping to create a healthier planet for ourselves, future generations, and the living organisms who share our environment.

There are several ways people can contribute, including becoming a member of Canadian Organic Growers, volunteering with a chapter or the national organization, and helping to support our important work by making a donation on our website. COG is a charitable organization and can issue tax receipts for donations of $25.

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Purpose-Driven Marketing Tips Sustainability Tips

How to Avoid Greenwashing Your Brand

With over two-thirds of North American consumers preferring sustainable brands today, it’s no surprise that many organizations are responding by prioritizing environmentally-conscious business practices, such as reducing carbon emissions, using recycled materials, or donating to related causes. 

This has given way to green marketing, which is essentially organizations’ efforts to shout how amazing their environmentalism is through their advertising. All good things to fight the climate crisis, right? 

Well, unfortunately, there is a growing trend of brands making unsubstantiated green marketing claims, which leads them to be under scrutiny for false or misleading information, known as greenwashing. This can lead businesses to lose money and customers, receive negative reviews, and even be the target for class-action lawsuits.  

While Kermit the Frog may think “it’s not easy being green,” we think implementing authentically green business practices isn’t an out-of-reach ambition. At Sparx Publishing Group, innovation and sustainability is at the forefront of the content we create to make the world better. Here are our three tips to avoid greenwashing and reap the rewards of implementing green marketing into your marketing strategy. 

Become a Truly Green Business

The first step to avoid greenwashing is to practice what you preach. Do your research and commit to becoming a green business for real. Not only will you be contributing to positive environmental change, but marketing your green practices can improve your stock performance and get more loyal, higher-paying customers, as discussed in this Barron’s article. 

For more information on sustainable business practices, check out our article. Once you have an idea of ways you can make the world better, learn about setting SMART goals in cause marketing, including SMART goals examples. You can also harness the power of technology and social media to do good. 

Get Your Business Tested and Certified

Before you go to market with your green product, it’s advised to get your product certified. CSA Group is a Canadian standards organization “dedicated to safety, social good and sustainability” that can evaluate your product and, if approved, give you a sustainability mark, which will set you apart in the marketplace. 

As well, any buildings you operate can be evaluated with green building certifications. Becoming a B Corp (Benefits Corporation) is another excellent seal of approval to prove to customers you reach the highest standard of social and environmental performance.  

Communicate Your Sustainable Efforts to Customers

While it can be tempting to look better on paper, it’s worse to be discovered fraudulent or misleading. Communicate your sustainable efforts in an accessible, honest, and repetitive way for your customers and stakeholders. 

For example, this study found that Timberland, a United States-based manufacturer, sticks labels that resemble nutrition facts onto their product boxes. These labels list information regarding the company’s environmental practices, such as their environmental footprint, number of trees they’ve planted, and the total of their renewable, organic, and recycled material in their products. 

We’re Here to Help You

Sparx Publishing Group is a full-service marketing agency creating content to make the world better. If you need help with making a real, positive impact without greenwashing your brand, reach out to Sparx here. 

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Purpose-Driven Marketing Tips

Why and How to Lead with Your Values in Content Marketing

As the saying (or misquote from Field of Dreams) goes, “If you build it, they will come.” You have big dreams of making the world better, and chances are, there are people out there who share the same dreams and values.

Connecting with people to grow a value-aligned following can result in positive benefits for your organization in the long-term. Not saying that short-term wins aren’t important, but focusing on them exclusively, is, well, a little short-sighted. Here’s why and how you should lead with your values in content marketing. 

Why You Should Lead with Your Values in Content Marketing

1. Grow Your Community

By leading with your values, you humanize your organization, which makes it easy for people who share those same values to naturally gravitate towards your brand. This community is not only a place for relationship building and education around your important work, it’s also an invaluable source of feedback on how your organization is doing.

Plus, these followers represent a crucial part of your customer base. 90% of people buy from brands they follow on social media, according to a Sprout Social survey. The bigger your community, the more potential customers you have.

2. Maintain a Loyal Customer Base

When people like what you do and connect to it, they tend to stick around. And not only do they stick around, but they may become your biggest fans and cheerleaders. They’ll likely recommend you to your friends, write positive reviews, and continue to make purchases. 

Loyal customers are the right people to have on your side, considering customers trust family and friends’ opinions the most before making a purchase. That’s pretty powerful stuff.

3. Improve Your Bottom Line

If you’ve read point #1 and #2, this point should come as no surprise. Leading with your values means growing a loyal following, which leads to growing a loyal customer base, which leads to word of mouth spreading to even more future fans and customers. 

It’s also important to remember that the product or service you offer makes the world better. Not only does leading with your values help your bottom line and keep your organization growing, it also helps you achieve your environmental and social goals, because more people are making the better choice by interacting with your brand. 

How to Lead with Your Values in Content Marketing

1. Prepare Value-Driven Content for Each Phase of the Marketing Journey 

In case you weren’t aware or hadn’t considered how prospective customers become loyal fans, we’re here to convert you to using the customer journey in your content marketing efforts (wink). If you don’t have a marketing strategy, now is a good time to make one. And don’t worry, your marketing efforts don’t have to break the bank, there are plenty of ways to up your marketing game on a budget.  

Here are the four stages of the customer journey to keep in mind when creating marketing content:

  • Awareness – Like it says on the tin, this is the stage where you’re building awareness of your organization among prospective customers. Content marketing at this stage should be educational and start with why you do what you do.
    This can include revamping your “About” page, informative infographics, or educational videos that communicate your values and how you’re making the world better. If you’re unsure how to communicate your values, check out our blog. What’s important here is to be genuine, prove your value, and show that you offer a solution. 
  • Consideration – Now that your followers know what you do (and why), they may reach the point where they’re considering your product or service. At this stage, you’ll want to stand out from competitors. While you no longer have to focus quite so much on educating customers, it’s important to move customers closer to a decision while not pushing too hard. You can build trust by creating content that positions you as an expert in the space, such as case studies and FAQs.
  • Conversion – This stage is where your customers are ready to make a purchase – you just may need to edge them along. Your content marketing here should remind them why your product or service is the more ethical and sustainable choice, and what differentiates your company from any competitors.
  • Loyalty – As mentioned in the first part of this blog, leading with your values is a great way to build customer loyalty. Continuing to create share-worthy content about the amazing work you’re doing enables your customers and fans to share your content and amplify your good work, getting more people into your customer funnel at the awareness stage. 

2. Lean on Your Customers and Community

Remember your growing community? They’re also an invaluable source of impactful content ideas. Your community can tell you exactly what kind of content is important to them. Are they sharing an important cause? Using a specific hashtag? See if there are any aligned passions that make sense for your organization to get involved with. For example, Lyft Toronto acknowledges the pride of the LGBTQ2SAI+ community in the city and actively gets involved in the city’s pride events every year. 

Get in Touch

At Sparx, our mission is to create content to make the world better.

If you need help securing your website, creating great content, building experiences to delight your customers, marketing your business, or you simply have questions, the experts at Sparx Publishing Group are always available to chat. You can reach us here.


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Purpose-Driven Marketing Tips Sustainability Tips

Challenges That Are Unique to Sustainable Marketing and How to Overcome Them

Taking the road less travelled to make the world better may result in a bumpier ride along the way. Your purpose-driven organization is likely no stranger to unique challenges like sourcing sustainable materials or getting certified (for example, through Greenguard or B Corp). 

But in the end, you know that it’s all worth it, because you’re making tangible and positive impacts on not just people, but the planet.

However, just because you know your organization is doing the right thing, that doesn’t always mean customers know. When it comes to convincing people to choose your company, you may face specialized marketing challenges as a purpose-driven organization. Here’s our guide to overcoming them.

Communicate Your Value to Customers

Brands that pay fair wages, use sustainable materials, and have ethical production processes usually incur higher operational costs, so generally charge more for products that may also have an inexpensive “fast factory-made” counterpart. 

Money-conscious customers may be tempted by the cheaper option, so you’ll need to communicate your value and impact.

It’s a good idea to include an “About” page on your website that showcases your backstory, goals, and impacts. Periodically share this page and related content on your social media platforms, emails, and advertisements to educate new customers and remind existing customers of the impact of your good work.

Kotn, a B Corp-certified Canadian clothing retailer, is a great example of how to do this. Check out their About page here. 

Another way to let customers know that they’re making the more sustainable, ethical choice is to inform them of the impact they have by choosing your products or organization. For example, US shoe retailer Thousand Fell shows the driving emissions avoided, bulb energy saved, and plastic bottles recycled for each product, so customers know their individual impact before purchasing. 

Rise to the Challenge of Meeting Higher Customer Expectations

Customers that are willing to choose an environmentally and socially conscious product generally have higher expectations, as they’re potentially paying more and waiting longer for their product.

It’s a good idea to ensure your marketing-adjacent user experiences, such as your website and your customer service channels, are solid and easy to use, so customer satisfaction is not only met, but exceeded. 

It’s also important to remember that these are well-researched, well-educated customers, which means they’ll likely be able to sniff out any potential marketing disingenuity, like greenwashing. Always be completely transparent and honest with your processes and efforts.

Stand Out From the Competition

Whether it’s for altruism or to keep up with increasing consumer demand, more brands are entering or transforming themselves to fit into an environmentally and socially conscious marketplace. 

The Global Sustainability Study 2021 found that “Globally, 85 percent of people indicate that they have shifted their purchase behavior towards being more sustainable in the past five years.”

While this is great for people and the planet, it also means increased competition for your organization. You can set yourself apart from the competition by focusing on what makes your company unique – and get specific.

Have you innovated an existing product? For example, SAYE is a shoe brand that uses “leather” made from cactuses. Have you innovated on the process? For example, Canadian furniture brand Pivot has a circular approach to their manufacturing by using reclaimed materials for their furniture, and they also have a made-to-order option. Communicate these differences, and their impacts, through your marketing efforts.

Another important way to set your purpose-driven organization apart is through your branding. Make sure you have a distinct visual identity (i.e. logo, fonts, imagery, and colour palette), and tone of voice that fits with your values and resonates with customers. Here are some examples of eco-friendly companies who have memorable branding. 

Keeping up with trends can also ensure that you’re also keeping up with (or getting ahead of) the competition. Check out some Marketing Trends to Look Out for in 2022.

Time and Budget Constraints? Plan Marketing Efforts Strategically

For purpose-driven organizations, tasks like developing aligned partnerships, working towards or maintaining certifications, and developing new sustainable products may take up the lion’s share of your time and budget. However, you can still employ sustainable marketing tactics strategically, even if you don’t have a lot of time or resources.

Whether you want to drive website traffic, grow your social media audience, and/or convert prospective customers, here’s how to up your marketing game on a budget. 

Choose Sparx to Elevate Your Sustainable Marketing

You’re making the world better and we want to help you do it. 

If you’re looking to elevate your sustainable marketing, the experts at Sparx Publishing Group are always available to chat. We help purpose-driven organizations secure their website, create great content, build experiences to delight their customers, and help grow their business, all within a variety of budgets. You can reach us here.


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Purpose-Driven Marketing Tips

How to Up Your Marketing Game On a Budget

As a purpose-driven organization that’s making the world better, it’s important to amplify your impact story. If you’ve been around the block, there’s a good chance you’ve already undertaken some sort of marketing effort, whether it’s email newsletters or social media posts.

For many organizations, especially in the ESG space, there’s a chance that marketing efforts may wind up getting deprioritized to help keep different priorities or impact projects on track. 

This might make marketing seem like an expensive “luxury.” However, being tactical and strategic with your efforts can result in effective marketing that doesn’t break the bank. Here’s how to up your marketing game on a budget.

Drive Website Traffic

Whether you want to educate your audience on your important cause, or encourage them to buy your company’s sustainable products from your digital storefront, it’s a good idea to make driving website traffic one of your goals. After all, your website is the digital home of your organization! 

You can tailor your marketing tactics depending on your budget to increase website visitors. One relatively inexpensive way to do this is by regularly producing educational and value-driven blog posts that include necessary search engine optimization keywords to help your Google ranking. 

Similarly, an email newsletter can also be another effective website traffic driver and all-around great marketing tool. There are several free and paid email marketing tools out there that can help you create emails to strategically drive traffic directly to specific pages on your website.

If your target audience is particularly active on social media, running paid ads on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn that link to your website can be a way to put your budget to good use and get more eyes on your brand. 
Alternatively, you can also launch paid Google search ads, which is when you bid on keywords to show up at the top of Google search rankings. Just a heads up, though, this tactic can get expensive quickly, so you’ll want to be very strategic in its execution if you choose to do this.

Grow Your Social Media Audience

When it comes to achieving your organization’s impact goals and boosting awareness of your cause, social media can be a powerful tool. In fact, 83% of Canadians use social media, which means it’s likely your target audience is already there. 

In addition, according to GlobalWebIndex, 71% of consumers are more likely to purchase products and services based on social media referrals. 

A good first step is to regularly post well-curated content on your key social media platforms with relevant hashtags. Hootsuite recommends posting at least once per day depending on the platform.

In order to show your audience and prospective followers what your values are, it’s also a good idea to post about the causes that matter to you through educational infographics, reshares of content from other value-aligned organizations, or collaborating with micro influencers in your specific niche. Content resharing in particular is a budget-friendly method of community building online.
If you’ve got a little extra room in your marketing budget, you can introduce paid social media ads into your repertoire designed to increase your followers. For example, to show up on the Explore page of like-minded Instagram users, you could try Instagram Explore ads. Other social media platforms have similar ad types as well.

Convert Prospective Customers

For many organizations, conversion is the ultimate end-goal – literally. Perhaps you want to sell more of your ethically-made products or get more donations for your worthy cause. That’s where marketing efforts towards conversion come in. 

If you sell a tangible product or service, one relatively budget-friendly way to encourage sales is to offer a deal or promotion, or to run a giveaway. You can promote the sale in your email newsletter, on social media, and on your website. Encouraging sharing and tagging in your social media posts is a good way to get more eyes on your promo.

If you have the budget for paid advertising, an excellent form of paid ads for converting customers is retargeting ads. These ads remind customers of an item in their cart or an action they didn’t complete to remind them in order to edge along the conversion. For example, if someone went to your page, learned about your cause, but hadn’t yet donated, a retargeting ad could remind them to do so. 

If this all seems a little overwhelming, it’s fine! The most important thing to remember is that if you’re on a budget, you don’t need to do it all when it comes to marketing. Find out where your audience is, identify your most important business goals, and create strategic content around that.

Marketing agencies are also a great resource. We’re able to help you map out your customer journey, strategically identify and target critical marketing touchpoints in that journey, and build tactical content and ads designed to support your most important business goals.

Choose Sparx for Your Budget-Friendly Marketing Efforts

You’re making the world better and we want to help you do it.

If you’re looking to amplify your world-changing message, the experts at Sparx Publishing Group are always available to chat. We help purpose-driven organizations secure their website, create great content, build experiences to delight their customers, and help grow their business, all within a variety of budgets. You can reach us here.

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Make The World Better Magazine

Heal Mary: A Better Way to Connect with Clinical Trials

When it comes to illnesses such as cancer, clinical trials can be helpful in achieving the best possible health outcome. However, finding information about clinical trial options can be difficult and stressful. 

Heal Mary makes this process easier by connecting patients, caregivers, and doctors with data on clinical trials that are happening worldwide. We chatted with Founder Cassandra Hui about Heal Mary’s history, mission, and goals, and what makes this company unique.

Heal Mary’s Founder Cassandra Hui

Tell us about Heal Mary’s mission. 

Heal Mary’s mission is to make clinical trials accessible to people of all backgrounds by easing the burden on the search and enrollment process. We’re focused on empowering patients. 

What inspired your founders to start Heal Mary? 

My sisters were both diagnosed with cancer in 2017. Our mom was already a Stage 4 cancer survivor. I decided at that point to move my career from technology to digital health.  

What were some of the challenges you encountered? 

I think the biggest hurdle was trying to understand how clinical trials and enrollment functions behind the scenes. We had to bring on several advisors in the space to really get to know the problem we were solving.

In April 2020, we pivoted to help with COVID-19, and everything we thought we knew changed overnight. And so, we had to be incredibly agile in both spaces to address the impact the disease was having to the existing clinical trial industry and to the new state of the industry. 

What do you consider Heal Mary’s biggest success? 

Our biggest success is really what we’ve done in the past 12 months after pivoting our business, from the life science team we’ve brought on – who have done everything to help out, from translating medical terms to plain language and digital patient outreach – to our technical team who spent countless hours building out the functionality and technical process for the patient experience.

 Our community really came together to help us out in an effort to help more patients. 

What makes your organization unique? 

Our diversity. The rich experiences of our team members who have had training or education in places like the US, Africa, Scotland, and Hong Kong, and in industries like Pharma, Digital Health, AI, and Telecommunications. 

The lens in which we operate internally is how we feel best serves a diverse patient population as well. 

How do you feel Heal Mary makes the world better?

We are passionate about patients and their ability to know their options. We feel we make the world better by making it easier for patients to access those options. 

Tell us about your organization’s goals. 

We have several technology and investment goals in the next year that will get us to a place to serve more patients and increase access to trial information. 

What’s probably more compelling are our goals for 2021/2022 that tie into our UN SDG objectives:

  • Good Health and Well-Being: 100% increase in matching patients to clinical trials.
  • Gender Equality: 40-50% of potential participants in any trial from Heal Mary are female.
  • Reduced Inequality: 25-30% of potential participants in any trial from Heal Mary are BIPOC.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share? 

Currently, users of our platform can get matched with individual trials based on acceptance criteria. Our next technology implementation will help patients match with multiple trials, and they will only need to fill out the acceptance criteria once.

What do you most want people to know about Heal Mary? 

We want patients and caregivers to know that they’re not alone. Most of us have been there. This is our passion.

How can people help or contribute to Heal Mary’s mission?

Help us share the word with people who you think could use our platform or services. We want to work with patients to create the best patient-empowered platform.

This story was featured in the Make The World Better magazine:

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