ClimateHound Pack: Seattle Chocolate Company
Long before Seattle Chocolate Company met ClimateHound, the company, which operates under the brands MAEVE and jcoco, was sweet on the planet. First founded in 1991 and rebuilt in the aftermath of 2001’s Nisqually earthquake, the business has always been guided by a commitment to environmental responsibility. Its luscious truffle bars and bonbons are created with an eye toward reducing carbon footprint through renewable energy, recyclable and compostable packaging, and waste diversion, among other strategies. They have even invested in planting trees in cacao-growing regions like Ghana. By 2022, they knew that they were achieving carbon neutrality through a combination of sustainable business practices and offsetting.
In ClimateHound, Seattle Chocolate Company found a partner to confirm their status as a carbon neutral company. They recently became the first business to take advantage of ClimateHound’s new brand licensing program, which recognizes the work that industry pioneers are already doing to calculate, manage, and offset their carbon footprint with our peer companies or in-house. ClimateHound assesses supporting documentation that businesses like Seattle Chocolate Company and their current partners provide to confirm that the company:
1. Calculates carbon footprint (scopes 1, 2, 3 in alignment with the GHG Protocol or ISO 14064),
2. Commits to reducing overall environmental impact, and
3. Funds third-party verified projects to offset remaining annual emissions.
ClimateHound offers additional guidance where needed, and provides third-party recognition of their efforts with the Carbon Neutral certification for the food and beverage industry.
“The ClimateHound Carbon Neutral mark on packaging sends a powerful message to consumers: here’s a business whose values you can truly believe in.”
Ruby Shrestha, vice president of scientific affairs for Seattle Chocolate Company, says, "As a company already prioritizing sustainability initiatives, it was important for us to work with a partner that values transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement. ClimateHound provided Seattle Chocolate Company with an independent way to verify and communicate our climate action as part of a growing community of environmentally responsible brands committed to meaningful action on behalf of the planet.”
For ClimateHound, the brand licensing agreement with Seattle Chocolate Company represents a new way to welcome food and beverage leaders into their growing community. “ClimateHound is proud to offer a platform to help businesses take the first steps toward carbon neutrality, but we also have the flexibility to support companies like Seattle Chocolate Company that are already measuring and managing their footprint,” says ClimateHound CEO and Co-founder Palmer Fox. “Certification can be especially meaningful for these partners because it confirms the valuable work that they have already done, and the ClimateHound Carbon Neutral mark on packaging sends a powerful message to consumers: here’s a business whose values you can truly believe in.”