ALOHA, a Certified B Corporation which produces plant-based protein bars, announced that it has obtained Climate Neutral Certification. The brand reports that it is the first plant-based protein bar and one of the first plant-based food brands to receive such a certification.
 
ALOHA received this certification by measuring its 2022 greenhouse gas emissions footprint, implementing emissions reduction plans, and investing in carbon credits to compensate for its footprint.
 
“As a plant-based company and certified B Corporation, we believe we have a responsibility to take care of the planet and understand that true impact comes from how we operate across every aspect of our business,” says Brad Charron, ALOHA CEO. “That's why we are committed to continuously learning, evolving and taking the actions required to be Climate Neutral Certified, leading with our food, our mission, and our people so we can drive meaningful and sustainable change within the category.”
 
Climate Neutral Certified is the standard earned by companies that measure, reduce, and compensate for their greenhouse gas emissions from creating and delivering products. ALOHA worked with the Climate Neutral team to implement time-bound reduction action plans, including improving supply chain logistics, optimizing shipping routes, and increasing its renewable energy usage and sourcing opportunities.
 
ALOHA is investing in sustainable agriculture and third-party verified carbon offset projects that support protections of the forests and the deployment of renewable wind energy technologies, including the Vaspet Wind Power Project and the North Maine Woods Forestry Project.
 
“We are excited to congratulate ALOHA on becoming Climate Neutral Certified for the first time," says Austin Whitman, CEO of Climate Neutral. "They join a growing community of brands that collaborate and learn from one another as they seek to transform their businesses. With its focus on healthy products, ALOHA has a perfect opportunity to help consumers understand that their purchases impact both individual and planetary health. We look forward to working with ALOHA as they continue their climate work in the years ahead."
 
The certification comes on the heels of the launch of the Kona Bar, which launched last month. The bar’s ingredients are sourced from three partner farms in Hawaii, and it is the first commercially-available food product made with Ponova oil from Pongamia trees, a climate-resistant, resilient tree which revitalizes areas in which it’s grown, the company reports. Ten percent of the bar’s proceeds are donated to Kupu, a nonprofit organization that invests in Hawaii’s youth through land stewardship and hands-on environmental education.