One Step Closer (OSC)

We're at the half way point of Plastic Free July and kicking the #PackPact into high gear so we wanted to shout out some of the awesome brands we work with who are driving innovation in plastics. At OSC, we believe that not all plastic is created equal and we celebrate those who are making progressive strides away from virgin plastic through the use of materials such as prevented ocean plastics, biobased plastics, and post-consumer recycled resins. Want to learn more? Check out Banyan Botanicals launch of their tablets into Prevented Ocean Plastic™, a special type of PCR plastic that is collected from the shores of ocean-bound waterways! Tablets: https://lnkd.in/ee4W9f9K Take a look at Clover Sonoma's post-consumer recycled milk jug or 100% renewable carton using paperboard with well as green bioplastic liner! PCR Jug: https://lnkd.in/eZPZ3hYJ Renewable Carton: https://lnkd.in/ee8Xge3D

We're thrilled to announce the launch of our re-envisioned annual campaign; The Pack Pact! The OSC Pack Pact is a collective action campaign aimed at promoting a circular economy and at reducing single-use packaging in the natural products industry. To address this systemic issue, we are inspiring innovations in product packaging that minimize waste while raising consciousness about the environmental impact of our choices, empowering brands, packaging manufacturers and consumers to take action! We are calling on our industry peers to join us by pledging to make actionable progress around circular packaging. Bold brands can join here: https://lnkd.in/eq4vh7sE We also encourage brands who take the pledge to invite their consumer networks to join the journey, too! Conscious consumers can join here: https://lnkd.in/erYyjdnS Follow along as we champion innovation in circularity over the next few months through educational content, webinars, activations & more. A special shout out to our campaign partners who walk alongside us in our pursuit for a more circular future! Mountain Rose Herbs Banyan Botanicals Traditional Medicinals Nature's Path Foods Clover Sonoma Ancient Nutrition Dadascope Communications

Sponsorship Opportunity: We're gearing up for Ripple Fest 2024 and are seeking aligned partners to elevate this unique event! Activate the Power of Partnership - join OSC as a sponsor and leverage your impact at our most anticipated annual gathering. What is Ripple Fest?  A signature One Step Closer event, Ripple Fest is an invite-only convening of brilliant leaders and disruptive companies in natural products. With action-oriented and immersive breakout sessions, impactful networking opportunities, and spontaneous fun, this is not your average leadership conference. Sponsorship gives you the opportunity to: - Join this invite-only gathering - Elevate your organization's impact - Make lasting connections with the One Step Closer community Learn more about sponsorship opportunities here: https://lnkd.in/eSdDbvyw Explore the 2023 event recap here: https://lnkd.in/eH8SDj4U Lara Jackle Dickinson Sarah Shaw Sarah Rohr, PhD. Eliza Brady #community #events #naturalproducts #leadership #cpg #sustainability #impact #sponsorship

One of our OSC Packaging Collaborative members, Nature's Path Foods' annual Gardens for Good grant program is accepting applications through June 24th, 2024. “Gardens for Good helps good things grow by awarding grants to support deserving non-profit organic garden projects providing accessible, healthy, organic food for their communities." Please share with your local organic community gardens, 15 gardens in the US and Canada will win a $7,500 grant to be used towards alleviating food insecurity, with special consideration given to gardens founded by and serving BIPOC communities. https://lnkd.in/djZ6XNHJ

It's already been a week since our women's session at Expo West 2024:  Cultivating Lead(her)ship: The Ripple Effect of Uplifting Women in Natural Products. Hosted by OSC and Lara Jackle Dickinson, we would like to thank our amazing speakers and leaders, Angela Rassi, Angela Marturano, Betsy Frost, Caryl Levine and Rachel Budde. Thank you also to everyone that attended and participated in our breakout groups it was great to see both familiar and new faces. The room was full with meaningful conversations, laughter, incredible people and wonderful energy.

We are feeling deeply inspired after a week spent with our peers at #naturalproductsexpowest. Our week was filled with enriching conversations, new connections and celebrations around industry innovations in sustainability. We were honored to present our 2nd iteration of the #OSCPackagingInnovationAwards and want to shout out the inspiring winners across 3 categories: -MYO Cosmetic Cases for Supply Chain Waste Reduction -The Refill Shoppe for Innovation in Refillable -Square Baby for Material Innovation We thank you for the ripples of change you are making in the industry and congratulate you on your achievements in circular packaging!

In September 2023 we hosted the first annual Ripple Fest, a day-long leadership convening centered on impact-focused and engaging breakout sessions for leaders in natural products. One of the most engaging impact topics was (not surprisingly) the Better Agriculture Roundtable. A key outcome from the vibrant discussions was that stakeholders can and should come together pre-competitively to continue deep learning as the regenerative agriculture movement evolves, including when it comes to policy. Fast forward to Expo West 2024, and we're thrilled to be bringing another developmental space for industry stakeholders to engage in the regen ag conversation. Join us this Friday, March 15 for a policy-focused regenerative agriculture roundtable that will dive into California's work in defining regenerative agriculture. The roundtable will include an update from CDFA's work with representatives from the Regenerative Agriculture Working Group, plus interactive breakouts with other stakeholders. More info and RSVP link is here (spaces are limited): https://lnkd.in/eHrGFiS8 Thank you to our co-producing partners! Big Tree Farms Inc., Gaia Herbs, Traditional Medicinals, Pacific Botanicals, Wildway, GoodSAM, PBC, Ancient Nutrition, Organically Grown Company, Yogi, MegaFood, All Good Body Care #regenerativeagriculture #roundtable #leadership #communityengagement #expowest2024 #policy

While today is recognized as International Women's Day, we know and see everyday how much women truly power our industry and world. From farm fields to boardrooms, women play a critical role in uplifting the health and well-being of people and planet. We get to see some of that magic first hand in our increasingly successful Women's Peer Mentoring Circles for women leaders in natural products. Our participants come together to receive support and resourcing, share their wisdom and expertise, and, most importantly, experience the power of connection. We invite you to join us next Thursday, March 14th at Expo West to experience some of this magic first hand at "Cultivating Lead(her)ship: The Ripple Effect of Uplifting Women in Natural Products". Featuring special guests Angela Marturano, Angela Rassi, Betsy Frost, Rachel Budde, Dr. Nioma Narissa Sadler, and OSC's own Lara Jackle Dickinson, this session will blend storytelling from impactful women leaders and interactive breakouts for attendees to build new connections in a trusted space. All are welcome, more is available on the Expo agenda here: https://lnkd.in/gBbKK5tT We hope to see you there! #women #leadership #community #connection #naturalproducts #expowest

Curious about sustainable packaging innovations? Then you don't want miss the 2024 OSC Packaging Innovation Awards ceremony at Expo next Thursday, March 14th! OSC's Packaging Collaborative and industry experts from Elk Packaging, Trayak, Canopy, and Napa Recycling reviewed dozens of incredible entries in three distinct categories: - Innovation in Materials - Refillables - Supply Chain Waste Reduction We can't wait to share more - Join us in Grand Ballroom F in the Anaheim Marriott at 12:15pm as we honor this year's winners! Lara Jackle Dickinson Jake Hebert Natalie Kra, MBA/MENV #sustainablepackaging #innovation #cpg #expowest2024 #naturalproducts #circulareconomy

One Step Closer (OSC) is hosting Realigning the Wheel of Funding in CPG at Expo West 2024. Make sure to attend it on March 15. As a General Partner at the OSC Venture Fund, this event is an incredibly important for me. It is an intersectional moment of bringing our caring community of founders and leaders together with new approaches to capital. It is what our founders and CEOs have been asking for for 12 years at OSC. Fundraising is hard, and it is imperative that the capital matches the industry and company. And that has not been the case for a long time in food and CPG. Please join me and a network of investors and leaders bringing these structures forward. One Step Closer Venture Fund, Edouard Rollet, Jenny Cawthon, Mark Griffin, Ahmed Rahim, Elliot Begoun, Stephen Hohenrieder, Arno Hesse, Wefunder, Brenna Davis, David Cooper, Kyle Koehler, Scott Leonard, Nicolas McCoy