In this conversation, John Tran talks about joining Vita Coco to help evolve their sustainability and social impact programs at the same time that were becoming a publicly traded company and going through the rigorous B Corp Certification process. He shared how they shifted their impact efforts from a collection of passion projects to a more coordinated and comprehensive ESG framework focused on protecting natural Resources, building thriving communities, and championing health & wellness. John then detailed some impact programs, like their ambitious goal of distributing and planting 10 million seedlings and trees globally! This conversation also covers the health benefits of coconut water, some big challenges in the coconut industry, and the importance of collaborating with local organizations to maximize impact in farming communities. John wraps up by sharing that a better world is one in which everyone is thriving, economically, socially, and beyond.

Takeaways:

• Vita Coco became B Corp Certified and a publicly-traded, Public Benefit Corporation in 2021.
• Vita Coco’s ESG framework focused on protecting natural Resources, building thriving communities, and championing health & wellness.
• Coconut water has 3.5X the electrolyte of common sports drinks.
• Aging trees have lower yields, which makes it harder to keep up with demand and reduces farmer income.
• Over a million seedlings have been distributed, with a goal of 10 million seedlings by 2030.
• The Vita Coco Community Foundation was founded to make sure that everyone in the coconut industry is thriving.
• Collaboration with local organizations is crucial for their impact programs.
• They partner with indigenous communities to train farmers in regenerative agriculture practices.

Sound bites:

• “As brands come online with B Corp certification, it really gives us some kind of litmus to understand where we stand within the sustainability and social governance spaces.”
• “When you have many passionate people who are driving their passion projects, there isn't always a clear framework in terms of what we're driving towards.”
• “I very much see myself as kind of an accelerator to be able to support a lot of the projects that are existing within the organization.”
• “Coconut farming communities are just so inherent to our business, right? They are the heart of our business. And without them, there's really no VitaCoco.”
• “We want to create more economic empowerment within farming communities and more upward mobility by way of our impact programs.”
• “The great thing about coconut water is natural hydration. It has three and a half times the electrolytes of more common sports drinks.”
• “Finding what you're good at and what you're passionate about is really one of the keys to success of this role in any kind of role you'll have within sustainability.”

Links:

John Tran on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-tran-07047715/

Vita Coco - https://vitacoco.com/

Vita Coco on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-vita-coco-company/

Vita Coco on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VitaCocoUS/

Vita Coco on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vitacoco

Vita Coco on X - https://x.com/vitacoco

Vita Coco on SnapChat - https://www.snapchat.com/@vitacoco

Vita Coco on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@vitacoco?

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