B Local PDX Spotlight: Tillamook
We asked Tillamook, certified B Corp since 2020, to share some thoughts about their experience getting certified, and how it’s affected their business. Responses attributable to Jocelyn Bridson, Director, Environment & Community Impact, Tillamook County Creamery Association.
1. For many of us, it’s a huge deal that Tillamook, an iconic Oregon company with over $1 billion in sales, became a B Corp. Why did you decide to make this B Corp commitment when it was probably expensive, time-consuming, and challenging to make it happen?
When the Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) was created in 1909, our farmer-owners built everything with a long-term outlook — to ensure that farms and communities are here for generations to come. We’re still farmer-owned to this day and have committed to growing our business with our values at the forefront. Joining the B Corp network of purpose driven companies felt like a natural next step in Tillamook’s journey. As a values-driven company, we’re committed to growing with purpose and being good stewards of cows and farms, of people and products, of our communities and the environment. Being part of the B Corp movement aligns with our Stewardship Commitment to these six stakeholders and ensures the actions we take today push us to be better in the future.
While it was very time-consuming to get certified, we know consumers and customers are becoming increasingly interested in the companies that produce their food. Although Tillamook is well-known for its involvement in the community and dedication to Stewardship in the West, newer customers out East are less familiar. Becoming a Certified B Corp provides us with a reputable third-party verification to our Stewardship claims. We are humbled by the recognition and to be among the group of fellow B Corp Oregonians, including Stumptown Coffee, Rogue Creamery and New Seasons Market.
2. How hard was the process for such a large company to get B Corp certified?
Becoming B Corp certified didn’t change who we were, but it did push us to prove how we live out our six Stewardship commitments. As fellow B Corps know, the Business Impact Assessment tool adjusts to your business size and industry, and for a company with about 1,000 employees, it required collaboration across our cooperative. The certification process was thorough and detailed, requiring us to respond to over 200 questions in the key impact areas along with over 50 additional disclosure questions. More than 90% of the questions were verified with documentation, data, policies and/or verbal confirmations.
In addition to the rigor of the standard, we completed the assessment during the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Although this was a goal of ours for a while, it was especially challenging to pull time away from other business priorities such as addressing supply chain constraints. One of our core values is working as One Team, and I am proud of the collaborative effort that made our certification possible. We continue to meet on a quarterly basis with our B Team to talk about how we are amplifying the message of B Corps and improving our dedication to our stakeholders.
While the B Corp certification only lasts for three years until the renewal process, we are committed to growing with purpose. For us, we view our certification as a milestone, not an end zone.
3. We see that several of your employees are engaged in the B Local PDX community. What’s your favorite B Local PDX event and why?
Being part of the B Corp family allows us to participate in great B Local PDX community events and opportunities. Because we became a B Corp during the pandemic, there haven’t been many live events, but we did get the chance to support and present at the virtual BLD PNW Conference in 2021. As one of Oregon’s largest B Corps, we also joined as a Catalyst Member, recognizing the importance that this organization brings to small and large B Corps alike.
As a co-op who works for farmers, our employees were excited to volunteer at Zenger Farm in SE Portland for B Local PDX’s Day of Service. Zenger Farm is a working urban farm that models, promotes and educates about sustainable food systems, environmental stewardship, community development and provides access to good food for all. Through TCCA’s TCares program, our employees receive up to 8 paid volunteer hours per year and can engage in the community and support local organizations. The Day of Service was well organized, and some employees enjoyed networking with other Bs at the afterparty at Hopworks Brewery that we helped sponsor.
4. Tillamook is one of very few companies who is actively bridging the urban / rural divide in Oregon. Do you talk about B Corp principles differently in rural places than you do in Portland and other cities?
Tillamook established a board-approved Stewardship Charter in 2017 that aligns well with the principles and focus areas of B Corp, including: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Costumers. Communicating the value of the B Corp certification has been relatively straightforward as our farmer-owners and employees understand it mirrors our already-established commitments to our stakeholders.
For example, while there are certainly differences between urban and rural areas that we embrace, we find that everyone across regions can rally around supporting the communities where our employees and farmer families live and work. TCCA was founded in Tillamook, Oregon, a rural community where we are also headquartered and nearly two-thirds of our employees are still based in rural communities. Commitment to community impact is also reflected in B Corp principles. In 2021, we donated 7.8% of our net income back to our hometowns, funding causes related to food insecurity, healthful children and agricultural advocacy. In addition, as one of the largest employers along the coast, we are proud that we pay a Living Wage to our employees and our cooperative structure helps return profits to farmers – boosting the local economy for all.