Industry leaders can take a survey to help determine progress of diversity and inclusion in the natural products industry.

Sandy Almendarez, VP of Content

January 31, 2022

2 Min Read
JEDI Collaborative logo

By taking a short, anonymous survey, natural products industry members can help the JEDI Collaborative, a project of One Step Closer, better calculate the leadership team demographics of companies that provide natural and organic foods, dietary supplements and personal care products. This survey is designed for leaders within companies to easily complete based upon knowledge of the leadership team.

The survey guides users through a standardized assessment of the demographic make-up of their leadership team. The JEDI Collaborative understand that HR departments might not collect all the data the survey asks for, and the hard and fast figures may not be easily accessible, so they welcome best guesses in the responses.  All data collected will remain anonymous and only reported out in aggregate. The results of the 2022 version of the survey will be shared during Natural Products Expo West, March 18 to 12, 2022, in Anaheim, California.

Data obtained from this survey will also be compared to benchmarks established in 2019, which showed the natural products industry's need for diversity and inclusion. The first annual Natural and Organic Industry Benchmarking Survey, conducted in 2019, showed that the industry leadership teams and boards lack diversity.

And products and brands within this industry attract a consumer base that lacks racial diversity.

In 2019, the industry was not set up to serve an increasingly diverse population, and was in a position to struggle to engage the diversity of thought that will help fuel industry growth.

The 2022 survey aims to show if the natural products industry has become more diverse in terms of leadership teams during the past few years, which would help establish the efficacy of initiatives, such as the JEDI Collaborative, which was launched in 2018 to address justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) in the natural products industry. The purpose of the J.E.D.I Collaborative is to accelerate and expand the impact the natural products industry can have in transforming the entire food system and the accessibility of healthy products. The JEDI Collaborative works to evolve the industry, so all people are treated justly, supported equitably, have a voice in decision making, and feel they belong.

Having accurate information about the current state of the leadership also helps to adequately monitor future industry initiatives to see their effects.

This survey is conducted in partnership with New Hope Network. Questions about the survey, or the JEDI Collaborative mission, can be directed to Cynthia Billops, vice president, operations, membership and belonging, One Step Closer (OSC), at [email protected].

Click here to take the survey.

About the Author(s)

Sandy Almendarez

VP of Content, Informa

Summary

• Well-known subject matter expert within the health & nutrition industry with more than 15 years’ experience reporting on natural products.

• She cares a lot about how healthy products are made, where their ingredients are sourced and how they affect human health.

• She knows that it’s the people behind the businesses — their motivations, feelings and emotions — are what drive industry growth, so that’s where she looks for content opportunities.

Sandy Almendarez is VP of Content for SupplySide and an award-winning journalist. She oversees the editorial and content marketing teams for the B2B media brands Natural Products Insider and Food and Beverage Insider, the education programming for the health and nutrition trade shows SupplySide East and SupplySide West, and community engagement across the SupplySide portfolio. She is a seasoned content strategist with a passion for health, good nutrition, sustainability and inclusion. With over 15 years of experience in the health and nutrition industry, Sandy brings a wealth of knowledge to her role as a content-focused business leader. With specialization in topics ranging from product development to content engagement, creative marketing and c-suite decision making, her work is known for its engaging style and its relevance for business leaders in the health and nutrition industry.

In her free time, Sandy loves running, drinking hot tea and watching her two kids grow up. She brews her own “Sandbucha” homemade kombucha; she’s happy to share if you’re ever in Phoenix!

Awards:

Speaker credentials

Resides in

  • Phoenix, AZ

Education

  • Arizona State University

Contact:

Subscribe and receive the latest insights on the healthy food and beverage industry.
Join 30,000+ members. Yes, it's completely free.

You May Also Like