In 2013, the company formalized its Animal Advocacy giving program, under which Dr. Bronner’s supports a variety of approaches to address animal exploitation, primarily focusing on the plight of cows, pigs, chickens, and turkeys in confined animal feeding operations. Those approaches include:
- Engaging in advocacy and education on animal rights, veganism, and plant-based eating
- Expanding the markets for alternatives to factory farm products
- Pursuing legislative changes to ban the worst practices on factory farms
- Working with major corporations on policies to eliminate or reduce the use of factory farm products
- Conducting undercover investigations that generate mainstream media coverage to expose the worst abuses occurring on factory farms
- Operating animal sanctuaries that provide a safe haven for victims of animal abuse and educational opportunities to the public
- The passing of Question 3 in Massachusetts (2016) and Prop 12 in California (2018), two landmark pieces of legislation that banned cruel confinement practices for chickens, pigs, and calves
- The funding of the Good Food Institute and Plant Based Foods Association in 2016, allowing the organizations to prove concept in their initial years and attract other donors in following years
- The partnership with Compassion in World Farming along with The Rodale Institute, Patagonia, and others to form the Regenerative Organic Alliance and create Regenerative Organic Certification in 2018
- The support of filmmakers Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn, whose films have educated millions regarding the problem of factory farming and the benefits of plant-based eating
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“In 1997, I committed to living a vegan lifestyle out of respect for the well-being and dignity of animal life and wild ecosystems. Now, awareness of the ethical nightmare and disastrous consequences of factory farming is on the rise. The first vegan IPO broke unprecedented records on the stock market earlier this year. Generally, the demand for and availability of plant-based alternatives to animal products seems to be exploding at fast-food chains, in the grocery aisle and beyond. The taste and affordability of these foods is continuously improving too, making it easier and easier for people to adopt more compassionate eating habits,” said David Bronner, Cosmic Engagement Officer (CEO) of Dr. Bronner’s. “In this spirit, Dr. Bronner’s offers free, daily, 100% plant-based lunches to our 200+ employees at our headquarters. I’m proud of my family and our company for standing up for animals in this historic moment of climate crisis, both with our free vegan lunch program, and our dedicated giving to support the animal advocacy movement, now in its sixth year. We need to end factory farming now!”“Support for animal advocacy is at the core of our philanthropic and activist agenda, and we are fully committed to this program,” said Michael Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner’s. “We are doing this not just for the animals, but also for the Earth and our fellow human beings, as current rates of meat consumption and industrialized animal slaughter are a major contributor to climate change.”
One of the recipients of the donations was Black Vegans Rock, founded by Aph Ko, who commented in the release: “I have used Dr. Bronner’s products for a very long time, so it has been such an incredible experience to receive grants from them for my project, Black Vegans Rock. Their support sustains my work on racial justice and animal rights, and simultaneously provides me with a sense of confidence.”
