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IMPACT REPORT
Our Mission is to farm, craft and share remarkable coconut products that create a natural demand for sustainable farming, better business practices and community impact.
FOUNDER’S
VISION
We Make the best coconut products, but more importantly we
people
the planet
Achieved Regenerative Organic Certified® at the Bronze Level on Harmless Harvest coconuts
Achieved Upcycled Certified™ status ON our SMOOTHIE PRODUCTS
Maintained zero coconut waste from our factory to landfill
Supported 14,870 people in coconut supplying communities via Fair For Life initiatives
big
news
LETTER FROM
THE CEO
Friends, fans, followers, family:
When I joined Harmless Harvest over 5 years ago, we were a young and unprofitable company built on the uncompromising belief that business not only can be, but must be, a force for good. We learned that we can’t make that intended impact if our business doesn’t make money... and we’ve since proven that the more we do to profitably grow our business, the more impact we can have.
To that end, we invested in regenerative agriculture 5 years ago because it hit the bullseye on the type of initiative we wanted to pursue: it would help us reduce our carbon footprint AND improve our profitability (and our farmers’ incomes) through better coconut yields.
I am THRILLED to share that Harmless Harvest coconuts achieved Regenerative Organic Certified® Bronze Level certification in 2023!
We launched our pilot farming program long before Woody Harrelson told the world regenerative agriculture was cool; not to earn a seal for our brand (although we’ll take it!), but to ensure the future health and longevity of Thailand’s coconut farms, and to consider their impact on the climate and surrounding ecosystems.
Today, Harmless Harvest is the reason regenerative organic coconut farms exist in Thailand – it’s that simple, that profound. We have started, supported, and grown a movement that will forever have an increasingly positive impact on the land and the people.
And here’s the kicker: The more we invested in good, the more our business thrived. It’s absolutely true! We entered 2024 as a wildly successful and beloved brand that has lived up to its mission while resetting expectations for the marketplace.
Still, our work continues. Maintaining regenerative organic certification requires just as much (if not more) effort. You don’t reach this goal and rest; you have to grow your impact with your business.
TL;DR? Here’s the summary:
Invest in good, and you will get better. Know that as a business grows, so does its impact. So, for all of us, make sure it’s a good one.
Less harm. More good. Keep going.
With gratitude,
Scott
our roadmap to carbon neutrality by 2030
Coconut Farming
100% of coconuts sourced
from farms utilizing
regenerative organic
practices by 2030.
our roadmap to carbon neutrality by 2030
Utilize the whole 'nut; achieve circularity on farms by utilizing coconut husks for biofuel & compost and upcycle coconut meat in new products.
our roadmap to carbon neutrality by 2030
Evolve packaging materials to meet
best in class environmental standards (including reusable, recyclable and compostable).
our roadmap to carbon neutrality by 2030
Achieve 100% renewable
energy in all owned
operations.
OUR GOAL IS TO
ANNOUNCING
What is regenerative organic agriculture?
Regenerative organic agriculture is focused on restoring soil health and biodiversity while capturing atmospheric carbon, defending farms against climate change and improving yields… or, in short… bringing nature back to agriculture.
Better for us, better for the planet.
Let's meet some of the farmers that are using regenerative farming practices.
CHAMROEN
Khun Chamroen and his wife met at the farm they manage over 30 years ago, and continue to bring that love & care into their Nam Hom coconuts.
These farmers have created a large cover crop nursery of round leaf seedlings for their farm and neighboring farms. Cover crops are a critical regenerative organic practice because they protect soil from erosion and keep nutrients in the ground.
Khun Chamroen also utilizes natural canal duckweed control. He routinely releases fish into his canals that keep the duckweed under control (they eat it!) which creates cleaner, clearer water in the farm canals.
Khun Thianchai and his son have implemented several regenerative practices, including vermicomposting and leaning into drying farm waste instead of letting it decompose in canals.
Vermicomposting, or raising earthworms to create a natural fertilizer, helps provide nutrients to the soil. This can result in healthier farms and increased coconut yields.
Our team of agronomists have identified that farm waste (like palm fronds and branches) getting dumped into water (the canals on our farms) is a big emitter of methane. Not good. To address this, Khun Thianchai has created dry canals for farm waste. Not only does this reduce methane emissions, it also can be used in compost that delivers those nutrients back into the soil!
THIANCHAI
BANDIT
Khun Bandit and his family are leading the charge on implementing regenerative organic practices, including adding pollinators, coconut husk compost, and intercropping.
This farm has introduced stingless beehives to support pollination and build a more biodiverse farm ecosystem.
They’ve also mastered the art of transforming coconut husk waste into compost! It’s a delicate art of blending chicken manure, coconut husks and water together and letting it decompose over the course of a few months. Then, all of those nutrients get mixed back into farm soil.
Intercropping means farming more than one crop on a farm. This helps with biodiversity and creates more financial opportunity for farmers. Khun Bandit has started growing coffee. We’re all still in the learning phase on how to make intercrops as successful as our Nam Hom coconuts, but we’re excited for the journey ahead!
ALL TOGETHER NOW...
we harvest
of pounds of waste in the form of
coconut meat and husks
Coconut
waste management plan:
Fiber extraction
circularity goal
A delicious (but often wasted) element of the coconut. We hand scoop this byproduct of making our coconut water (effectively upcycling) and blend it into our yogurt alternatives and smoothies.
The outer layer of the coconut that often gets sent to landfill. This piece of the coconut contributed to 29% of our greenhouse gas emissions in 2021, and we’re working to transition it into compost, green energy and other goods.
COCONUT MEAT WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN:
(& NEW) HARMLESS HARVEST PRODUCTS
Switching our coconut Beverage bottles to 100% recycled plastic (RPET) is our biggest achievement in packaging sustainability, to date.
2020
business to use recycled
plastic in Thailand,
30% rPET bottles.
2021
milestone of 100%
recycled plastic (rPET)
beverage bottles.
**excludes cap and label
2023
virgin plastic and mitigated
727 tons CO2e emissions
by using recycled plastic
bottles (rPET)
weight of
203
We are proud of the work we're doing to address the climate, but more importantly, we continue to support the people in our communities
What is
fair for life?
The Fair For Life Certification assures that human rights are safeguarded at any stage of production, workers enjoy good and fair working conditions and smallholder farmers receive a fair share. Fair trade improves the livelihood of thousands of smallholder farmers and workers by providing the means for social community projects and empowerment of people.
In 2023, we contributed over
$190,000 to the FAIR FOR LIFE FUND
These dollars supported things like:
Education
- Provided backpacks to students in 23 schools from 4 provinces.
- Sponsored STEM camps.
- Updated schools water filtration systems
Health
- Sponsored health checkups for communities in Central Thailand
- Provided coconut farmers and harvesters with protective gear (like shirts & hats for sun shielding)
Regenerative Initiatives
- Supplied farmers with round leaf cover crops.
- Provided stingless beehives to coconut farmers.
OUR FOCUS REMAINS TO BRING DEVELOPMENT TO COCONUT COMMUNITIES
In 2023, 14,870
people in Thailand benefited from our Fair For Life programs.
To date, 78,000+
people have been impacted by our Fair For Life programs.
GETTING
Together, IRL
Collaborating across continents isn't always easy, but our Thai & U.S. teams had several opportunities to connect in 2023. As part of last year's journey, we worked together on new product launches at our Samut Sakhon factory in Thailand, learned from our agronomists about our Regenerative Organic Certification on our Nam Hom coconut farms, and closed the year with Thai team members joining our company summit at our Oakland HQ.
SUstainability
Goals 2030
Refining our mission and values in 2023 has helped us clearly define our vision for the future. Our ambition is to reach Net Zero (as soon as we can) while doing right by our communities. As we work to determine an ambitious but achievable target date for Net Zero, we know our commitment to these 2030 goals will move us swiftly in that direction.
The ultimate goal?
Evolve our ethos from “less harm, more good” to
Has a nice ring to it, yeah?
People Goals:
Nurture thriving
communities
Planet GOALS:
Use resources
responsibly
pronounced Kap Khun Krap, meaning thank you!
Thank you for being a part
of this journey.
And thank you to our team for
making the journey possible.
Our US team
Our Thailand Team
Our Nam Hom Coconut farmers
