Renaud des Rosiers , Amy's Kitchen2024 : Organic Climate ActionThe Organic Climate Action Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in advancing organic solutions to mitigate climate change. This year’s award goes to Renaud des Rosiers, Director of Sustainability for Amy’s Kitchen, who committed early on in his career to strive towards a sustainable world through the power of business and has for almost a decade directed sustainability efforts for Amy’s, the largest provider of organic prepared foods in the nation. For the past 20 years, des Rosiers has been working within the organic industry helping companies implement sustainability and climate strategies. Through his work on sustainable supply chains and packaging at Amy’s, Renaud has worked collaboratively with a broad group of organic companies over the years to broaden the collective understanding of sustainability issues in the organic sector. He is active in advocacy and policy work to drive the development of biobased, compostable materials as an alternative to conventional fossil plastic packaging and has created a replicable framework for smaller organic companies to cost-effectively bring renewable energy into their supply chains. “Overhauling the modern food system for the better is a foundational element of our transition to a sustainable future, and the organic movement has done more to drive that transition than any other idea,” says des Rosiers. Des Rosiers sees an important role for organic in the future: “Impact is driven by scale, and I look forward to an increased role for organic—one that meets evolving social needs, adapts to scientific advances, and unlocks broader markets while staying grounded in its core principles—to inspire the next generation of farmers and be accessible to an ever-wider group of eaters.” |