The CPG brand’s guide to The Purpose Pledge

Welcome back to The Natural List podcast, your place for what’s new and what’s next in the CPG industry! This week, host Adrienne Smith interviews Les Szabo, chief strategy and impact officer at Dr. Bronner’s and Michael Ham, president and founder of Wild Orchard Tea Company, about the newly launched Purpose Pledge. According to the pledge, the Purpose Pledge is a collaborative initiative anchored in ten clear commitments that embed purpose into company governance, operations and supply chains. It brings together an ecosystem of companies and allied support organizations in a shared, accountable community, where members learn from one another and measure progress publicly and transparently. The Purpose Pledge launched in 2026 with 16 companies and aims to reach 25 by the end of the year. Along with these companies, 7 “commitment catalyst” brands joined to help mentor and guide Purpose Pledge companies through this journey. Les joins us from Dr. Bronner’s, the brand behind the Purpose Pledge, while Michael shares his first-hand experience of being one of the first 16 brands to enter the cohort. No one person, or brand, can make it through the CPG industry alone, and that couldn’t be more true for mission-driven brands. Listen now for a heartwarming and informative episode about brands making a positive impact on the planet--together. Watch here or on YouTube. Prefer audio only? Join us on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Thanks for listening! Thank you to our sponsors Om Mushroom Superfood and Bimbo Bakeries USA! In this episode: 0:14 – Thank you to our sponsor Om Mushroom Superfood. 1:15 – Welcome to our guests, Chief Strategy & Impact Officer at Dr. Bronner’s, Les Szabo and Founder and President of Wild Orchard Tea Company, Michael Ham. 2:02 – What is the Purpose Pledge? 4:00 – What are some of the 10 commitments that fall within the pledge? 5:58 – Les highlights that the Purpose Pledge is not a certification; it’s a commitment and a learning community, and there is no cost to join. 7:00 – The Purpose Pledge is only for companies with agricultural-based supply chains, where Dr. Bronner’s sees the most impact can be made. 8:12 – Michael shares about his experience as one of the first Purpose Pledge companies and why he chose to join. 11:20 – Michael underscores the importance of governance to help buoy purpose-driven brands in the long-term. 12:13 – How does the Purpose Pledge support smaller mission-driven companies as they scale? 14:40 – The Purpose Pledge is holistic and that’s what makes it so transformative. 15:42 – Thank you to our sponsor Bimbo Bakeries USA. 17:55 – How does the timeline and progress tracking work for brands in the Purpose Pledge? 22:05 – Progress trackers are available for consumers to view for accountability. 24:00 – The Purpose Pledge aims to create an “ecosystem of support” with 25 brands in 2026, plus 7 commitment catalyst brands. 28:54 – Michael shares about how impactful the group of companies in the Purpose Pledge is, large and small. 34:00 Learn more about the Purpose Pledge on their website.