The Co-op Gets (Even More) Ethical: B Corps Status and What It Means for Everett

As a grocery-buying human, I am regularly overwhelmed with choices. There are so many things to take into consideration. Like, how easy is it to get to a given store? What’s their food selection like? Is it a kid-friendly place? What’s the average price point? What is the wait like in line?

It’s crazy. For the most part, I’ve resolved my personal values with where I shop by patronizing the co-op downtown. (Full disclosure: I’m part owner of this grocery store, along with about 5,000 other people in our community.)

The Sno-Isle Food Co-op is a great place to get groceries, because, in my opinion, it offers the best business model. It’s owned by the community and offers truly organic and local groceries.

In July of 2019, the Co-op got even more ethical by becoming a certified B Corporation company.

Co-op customers can “round up” their bill to support other nonprofits in the community. // Richard Porter

B Corps status is pretty exciting. The designation requires that companies provide fair employment, use transparent business practices, and give back to their community. These good things are quantified. Each B Corps company gets a rating on the B Corps website, and the metric is broken down into measurable categories. The Co-op will be routinely audited over a three-year period to make sure that they adhere to the standards of this important rating system.

What this looks like, practically, is that employees weigh all of the Co-op’s waste. Every day, compostable materials, recycling, and garbage are set on a scale and measured. In the past few months, the Co-op’s goal was to get their waste down to ten percent—a pretty amazing standard for any modern grocery store.

To their surprise, when they began to track their waste, they found out that they only ended up discarding only six percent of their product. Pretty remarkable! Now, they’re working to get that number even lower.

Co-op employee Tony Brock weighs recycling to help track and quantify how much waste the co-op produces.

Another facet of the store’s community engagement and transparency is their member-elected board of trustees. Co-op members can vote for these trustees, who make decisions for the future of the store. Anyone is welcome to attend board meetings and give their input into the organization’s direction.

The Co-op also helps to support and promote other B Corps businesses by carrying several B Corps products, including Dr. Bronner’s-brand soap, Nature’s Way tea, and other delicious and healthful goods, as depicted below.

This is a sampling of some of the B Corps products offered by the Sno-Isle Co-op. Check the packaging for the B Corps logo. You can also search for other B Corps companies to patronize by searching the B Corps directory // Richard Porter

There are a bunch of other ways that the Co-op perpetuates good. They have “smart” freezers and fridges that conserve energy. They offer composting bins and recycling in their public dining areas. 100-percent of their deli cutlery is made of compostable faux plastic. They buy a portion of their fresh produce directly from farmers in the Snohomish and Skagit Valleys.

The Co-op offers to compost containers in their deli area. The Co-op also composts most of their old produce // Richard Porter

Yep, the Co-op is a place where you can feel good buying groceries. It’s a community grocery store that really serves the community, and that’s something worth celebrating.

Keep up the good work, Co-op! Thanks for helping to build a more equitable and sustainable economy, right here in our mill town.

Want to get involved with the Sno-Isle Co-op? It’s not a bad idea. Here are some ways to invest in your own community and build a better model for a grocery store.

Search the B Corps directory for good local businesses and products.

Other upcoming events for members:

September 1: Voting day for Board Members. Read up on the candidates for the Co-op’s Board of Trustees and cast your ballot on who you want to guide the ol’ co-op ship.

October 18: Annual member meeting. See where the co-op is going in the next year. Hear from the store and be heard.