Vital Farms prioritizes all its stakeholders —farmers and hens included. Vital Farms Vital Farms is bringing ethical food to the table while cultivating a sense of community. The company demonstrates its commitment to its stakeholders through Conscious Capitalism.
Russell Diez-Canseco, CEO of Vital Farms, is leading the company with this philosophy in mind. Vital Farms is a Certified B Corporation that offers a range of ethically produced foods nationwide, including eggs and butter. The company takes farm-to-table to heart, but not exactly how you’d think.
Its mission to bring ethical food to the table comprises a commitment to its stakeholders (farmers and suppliers, customers and consumers, communities and the environment, crew members and stockholders) and a desire to build community through its Conscious Capitalism business model. That means that while Vital Farms is fiercely competitive and motivated by profits, it also considers all of its stakeholders. The company believes that prioritizing long-term sustainability and the success of its stakeholders produces stronger outcomes, for everyone, over time.
After years of working for organizations focused solely on generating revenue, the current president and CEO of Vital Farms, Russell Diez-Canseco, was looking for a company disrupting the food industry. What he found instead may be more akin to a calling. CEO of Vital Farms, Russell Diez-CansecoVital Farms”Vital Farms was building a culture, and the recognition that accomplishing a company’s goals or its purpose involves a higher purpose than just making money,” Diez-Canseco said.
“I didn’t find Vital Farms because I was in search of a better way. Vital Farms showed me that there was a better way, and I’ve become adherent to it. “How Conscious Capitalism is paying off for Vital Farms crew membersVital Farms is careful to select only farmers and crew members who share in the company’s mission, allowing the practice of Conscious Capitalism to run throughout the organization.
Once a farmer, crew member, or supplier becomes a stakeholder, they benefit from Vital Farms’ supportive, insightful, collaborative, and people-first spirit. So, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it was no surprise that Vital Farms transitioned to a remote model for those outside their egg washing and packaging facility, Egg Central Station, to show support when the majority of their crew members asked for it. Going remote and staying remote, even as other companies started to migrate back to offices, allows Vital Farms to cast a much wider net when considering new hires to the company.
“We were able to hire people where they preferred to live, wherever that is,” Diez-Canseco said. It’s a big part of the reason Vital Farms can hire like-minded talent who care about the product and its mission beyond its Austin, Texas roots. “As a Vital Farms crew member, I see our values of humility, ownership, empathy, growth, and competition practiced daily — whether it’s the measures we take to care for crew, the opportunities for professional development, or the many thoughtful ways our remote and Egg Central Station crew stay connected with visits and video calls,” Michelle Granados, a Vital Farms crew member, said.
“We win and lose as a team. We bring the desire to learn, to sit on the same side of the table, to give each other feedback, and, together, we work to succeed each day. “This confidence in Vital Farms’ ways of working and adherence to Conscious Capitalism adds to a culture that gives crew members the opportunity to be who they are as stakeholders in the company.
“We’ve always had a culture of supporting people showing up as their true selves,” Diez-Canseco said. “I’ve been on plenty of calls where there’s a kid on the call, and I think that’s fun. “It is this spirit of authenticity and empathy that continues to convey how the company considers all its stakeholders, from farmers to hens to crew members.
“For me, it’s easy to just think of us as the animal-welfare egg company,” Diez-Canseco said. “But I think it’s a lot more than that. “And like him, crew members think it is more than just an egg company, too: 90% of them feel genuinely supported if they need work flexibility, and 96% feel they can collaborate while working remotely.
“I am helping build this company as an antidote for whatever ails crew members in terms of their opportunities to feel fulfilled and have the flexibility to live their lives,” Diez-Canseco said. As a fellow stakeholder, Diez-Canseco is also afforded the opportunities to feel fulfilled during and after hours, primarily because of Conscious Capitalism. “Maybe it’s not a coincidence that I’ve never been more satisfied and happier,” Diez-Canseco said.
“It’s been a great run here. And I think a lot is due to this different approach to doing business. It’s just more fulfilling.
“Find out more about how Vital Farms is embracing the concept of conscious capitalism. This post was created by Insider Studios with Vital Farms. Read the original article on Insider.
From: insider
URL: https://www.insider.com/sc/vital-farms-conscious-capitalism-ethical-food-philosophy
