Pharmavite Pledges $100,000 to J.E.D.I. Collaborative to increase equity and diversity in natural products industry

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Dietary supplements company Pharmavite, maker of Nature Made vitamins and supplements, will donate $100,000 over three years to J.E.D.I. Collaborative, a nonprofit initiative started in 2019 to bolster justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the natural products industry. The company says it is the first vitamin and supplement brand partner to join the J.E.D.I. Collaborative.

J.E.D.I. Collaborative is a project started by nonprofit, community-based organization One Step Closer. Its mission includes increasing BIPOC representation in the natural products industry, including among company leaders, retailers, and consumers. Participants include representatives from natural product companies, the media, financial firms, and more.

Surveys conducted by J.E.D.I. Collaborative and Informa/New Hope Network in 2019 show that BIPOC representation in the natural products industry is currently low. Black professionals account for only 2% of leadership seats in the U.S. industry and on company boards, while Latinx representation is merely 2% on company boards and 6% in company leadership positions.

In addition to its monetary donation, Pharmavite says it will explore other opportunities to support J.E.D.I. Collaborative’s mission to advance social justice in the industry.

“Over the past year, the ongoing social injustices against the backdrop of a global pandemic brought into sharp focus the need for us to be even more of a leader in ensuring that diversity, inclusion, and belonging are achieved in the vitamin, mineral, and supplement industry,” said Jeff Boutelle, CEO of Pharmavite, in a press release. “We listened closely to our employees of color and our entire staff who clearly told us they expected Pharmavite to leverage its voice in new and impactful ways, and that’s why we’re so proud to support J.E.D.I Collaborative’s critical work. We believe that diverse teams are the best teams and that it’s a business imperative for our organization—and the industry—to reflect the diversity of the consumers we serve.”