Sustainably Speaking

Today the concept of "sustainability" is being used to evaluate everything from restaurant menus to public policies to how companies demonstrate performance to stockholders. Increasingly, the California Almond community is also being asked—and is asking questions about—sustainability.

One aspect of this trend is that the companies most vocal about their sustainability often talk in terms of their efficient use of resources such as water and energy. Almond growers have been focused on efficient resource use for years; however, there has been no effort to document these actions. So, as sustainability questions are being asked, growers and handlers are struggling to answer with credibility. The Almond Board, through the Environmental Committee, has launched the California Almond Sustainability Program. This is a means to document the practices almond growers are already employing to use resources wisely, and give feedback where improvements may be possible.

With this issue of California Almonds Outlook, ABC is launching a column to discuss the program and steps to think about in efficient resource use. Click here to request more information on how you can participate in the sustainability program for California Almonds.