Greenhouse grower NatureSweet was recently awarded the B Corporation Certification, an initiative led by the non-profit B Lab.

The certification aims to recognize companies that “meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency,” according to B Lab’s official website.

With this, NatureSweet becomes the world’s largest controlled environment agriculture (CEA) company to achieve the certification.

In a release, NatureSweet says it  “pursued the B Corp certification to invite the $80 billion fresh produce industry to make the well-being of workers and their communities a cornerstone for growth.”

“We are the largest CEA company that is Fair Trade Certified, Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) Certified, and now B Corp Certified. I am incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished and look forward to strengthening our efforts. We hope our impact goes beyond NatureSweet and serves as a roadmap for the industry,” said NatureSweet President and CEO Rodolfo Spielmann.

Some of NatureSweet’s efforts include income sustainability for its workers, who are paid almost 40% above the median wage of agricultural workers in Mexico, and approximately 25% above the median wage of its main competitors. 

In 2022, 75% of the company’s agricultural workers earned livable wages enabling them to have better access to housing, education, and healthcare. These wages are 53% above the average agricultural compensation in Mexico.

Additionally, the firm’s drip irrigation systems result in approximately 80% less water usage than open-field agriculture for small tomatoes.

Seventy percent  of the company’s packaging material volume is from recycled plastic. 

Recently, NatureSweet voluntarily conserved more than 120 acres of its land to protect endangered species.