Pharmavite, the makers of Nature Made vitamins and supplements, recently partnered with One Step Closer, a nonprofit with a mission in the natural products industry to advocate for equity in the health and wellness industry.
 
Through One Step Closer’s project, the J.E.D.I. (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Collaborative, which was founded this year, Pharmavite will support the project’s efforts to address social justice issues in the areas of culture, consumers, and commodities.
 
As the first vitamin and supplement brand to join the collective, Pharmavite will donate $100,000 over three years while exploring additional opportunities to use its voice in support of J.E.D.I. Collaborative’s efforts to advance social justice. The partnership entails thought leadership discussions among member companies, as well as peer networking, and participation in One Step Closer’s CEO Circle.
 
“Over the past year, the ongoing social injustices against the backdrop of a global pandemic brought into sharp focus the need for us to be even more of a leader in ensuring that diversity, inclusion, and belonging are achieved in the vitamin, mineral, and supplement industry,” Jeff Boutelle, CEO of Pharmavite, said. “We listened closely to our employees of color and our entire staff who clearly told us they expected Pharmavite to leverage its voice in new and impactful ways, and that’s why we’re so proud to support J.E.D.I. Collaborative’s critical work. We believe that diverse teams are the best teams and that it’s a business imperative for our organization – and the industry – to reflect the diversity of the consumers we serve.”
 
“We are delighted to work with Pharmavite to increase Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the industry,” Lara Dickinson, executive director and co-founder of One Step Closer, said. “Supplement companies have a huge opportunity to increase their own resilience while supporting racial justice and better health for everyone. We need the leadership of Pharmavite and others to manifest this change.”