Members Raise Concerns over Non-food Products: New Greener Products Coming to Open Harvest

by Open Harvest Cooperative Board of Directors

January 13, 2010

Open Harvest is adding new products to its shelves to give customers even more opportunities to make purchases that align with their values.

At the December 2009 meeting of the Open Harvest Cooperative Board of Directors, members presented a petition asking the board to review certain purchasing decisions, in particular, the conventional non-food items added to the store as part of the expansion.

The petition raised a number of valid concerns and we appreciate the strong interest of members in the long-term health of the Cooperative. Everyone on the board believes that Open Harvest has a responsibility to its members to stock products that meet the "Ends Statement" of the co-op, which is to be "Lincoln's trusted source for responsibly selected natural foods, products, and related outreach services for owners and the food buying community, while perpetuating the store and its policies."

That statement guides the work of the staff and board. In addressing what items to stock, the General Manager consults the store's Purchasing Policy, an internal store document that must reflect board-defined Ends. (Ends are the governance version of a "mission statement.". See the Winter 2010 newsletter for more information on policy governance.) The board does not directly approve this document, but exercises its control over the GM by monitoring the ways his purchasing decisions meet the co-op's Ends.

Although stocking decisions are made by staff and are not in the purview of the board, the board still felt that a response to the petition was warranted. To that end, the board requested the GM to report at the January 2010 meeting on progress towards addressing the concerns raised. The discussion continued during the January meeting with the restatement of the importance of the Ends as a guiding document.

Most issues raised by the petition have now been addressed. The appropriate department heads have been looking at the non-food products in the store, and thoroughly researching alternatives. Open Harvest is now able to offer rechargeable batteries and paper with recycled content to its customers. Plastic bags are now collected in the store for recycling, and new biodegradable packaging is being used in many departments in the store. Other items of concern have been removed from the shelves. For a small fee, the store was also able to add a bin for anyone to bring in non-rechargeable batteries for recycling. In addition, each department manager is now developing departmental purchasing policies following the Ends. The board has been assured that product research will be ongoing. The board looks forward to these and other developments that will improve the store for everyone.