Co-Impact Sourcing: Source the Best and Help the Most

Happy New Year, and welcome back to Harvesters’ Corner. A common element throughout our previous posts has been the sourcing network known as Co-Impact Sourcing. This arrangement of growers, harvesters, and distillers is a vital link to the production of the essential oils which we have come to enjoy and appreciate. Today, I want to help you understand the hows and whys behind this fascinating supply nexus and the critical impact the oil purchases we make have on the individuals laboring to bring these wonderful products to life.

Why dōTERRA?

From the earliest days of the company, the well-being of the people raising the products which are sold as oils was in the front of the founder’s minds. During a video excerpt played at the beginning of the 2023 convention, Drew Wolfert, company Chief Financial Officer (CFO), stated “The whole entire foundation that dōTERRA was built upon and its supply chain is to end poverty throughout the world. It's the whole purpose of it. We give as much as we possibly can in all these different steps [to] all the farmers and distillers and you're helping these families to become so sufficient and it's life changing.” (1) The exciting part is learning how exactly these growers and harvesters’ benefit.

The three focuses of Co-Impact Sourcing

As of the end of 2022 dōTERRA was working with growers and harvesters in forty-five different countries to produce a total of 170 oils. Co-Impact Sourcing focuses on three specific aspects of the plants and products. These foci are At the Source, Environmental Stewardship, and Social Impact. Sourcing experts canvas the world looking for new sources for products. Their experience of the regions they are responsible for becomes an invaluable asset once a prospective product is identified. The knowledge “at the source” of the people and their lifestyle, as well as how the oil will be produced, enables the sourcing experts to identify how the health and safety of the workers can be improved. That also provides insights as to how the growing and harvesting process can be modified and improved and the environmental impact of the oils be decreased.

Environmental Stewardship

In our modern day and age, the importance of environmental stewardship becomes more critical daily, and our responsibility to be intrepid stewards helps drive the rationale behind Co-Impact Sourcing. Why is this important? dōTERRA’s “Co-Impact Sourcing” brochure provides the answer:

Copaiba Harvester tapping the copaiba tree for its sap

“Stewardship ensure the longevity of the natural resources and the environments in which the plants grow. They also help to minimize the impact of cultivation, harvesting, distillation, and transportation, as well as provide those involved in the supply chain with the knowledge and tools to reduce their environmental footprint. Projects also include efforts to propagate and cultivate wild-harvested species (reducing overharvesting pressure), preserve biodiversity, and manage the spread of invasive species.” (2)

At the Source

As stated before, dōTERRA works with growers in forty-five different countries, most considered low-income or under-resourced. As a result, the sourcing initiatives begun by the company creates economic development opportunities in these impoverished countries and provide tools to help families and growers to raise themselves out of poverty and become self-sufficient.

Lemongrass Harvester

“Because many of our essential oils are intentionally produced in low-income countries, dōTERRA is in a unique position to build and support ethical supply chains and fund social impact projects that benefit rural communities in need. Often, essential oil farmers, harvesters, growers, and distillers in underdeveloped areas are paid unfairly or taken advantage of, limiting their ability to escape poverty.” (2)

Consider, for a moment, the above statement, and notice the word intentionally. Taylor Mackay, Senior Director for Strategic Sourcing in Africa, illustrated this idea vividly during his Friday talk at the 2023 convention:

A couple on their farm in Kenya

“Millions of people in Kenya rely on agriculture as their primary source of income and have done so for generations. Together with our amazing sourcing partner, we work on supporting farmers at the bottom of the economy. They often have less than 5 acres of land and are frequently overlooked in favor of bigger farms that can produce more plants more quickly. It's a classic case of the big getting bigger at the expense of smaller producers who are really the backbone of Kenyan agriculture. We are steadfast in our co-impact sourcing principles.” (3)

He continued on to state, “Thanks to Co-Impact Sourcing we have seen many farmers grow farms from half an acre to two acres or more. This lets them take advantage of more growing seasons throughout the year and brings in a more consistent income, so our growth becomes their growth.” (4) Then he gave the following example:

“One of the very first growers dōTERRA partnered with [in Kenya] was a farmer named Charity, back in 2018. She was growing tea tree on a quarter of an acre. Since then we have grown to nearly 6,000 small-scale Farmers throughout Kenya and Tanzania who produce a total of nine different crops on more than 2,000 acres of land.” (5)

Prior to dōTERRA’s inception, the growers and harvesters dealt with third-party vendors. This often had the potential for the growers and harvesters in under-resourced regions to not be treated and/or paid fairly, thus severely limiting their ability to escape poverty. dōTERRA specifically developed Co-Impact Sourcing to ethically source oils and support livelihoods, help producers become self-sufficient, and promote economic development in their respective communities. Today, dōTERRA intentionally seeks out the small-scale grower and intentionally works to help them better themselves and their neighbors on fundamental levels.

Social Impact

Jared Auger with his son and three farmers in Kenya.

During the summer of 2023 Jared Auger, dōTERRA Vice President of the North American Region, and his son, Boston, accompanied a Co-Impact Sourcing trip to the African country of Kenya, where they could see first-hand the influence of Co-Impact Sourcing on the Kenyan people. Mr. Auger related several observations during a talk he gave at the 2023 Convention. His son, Boston, was “moved by the enthusiasm of the people at the local school. Their eyes were filled with dreams and aspirations. It was a testament to the hope that dōTERRA can bring,” (6) and provided a new perspective on education for the young man. More insights were yet to come. “Our aim on this trip was to actually connect with the farmers, the very heart of our company. So, we divided ourselves to cover as much ground as possible,” Mr. Auger stated.

“It was at one such plot that we met a man named Philemon…We expected his farm to be similar to the other farms. We expected 10-15 people. But what awaited us was an inspiring spectacle. Over 150 eager faces, young and old, waited in anticipation. They were a community united in hope and progress. Philemon, a 69-year-old widower, stood up. His voice echoed with strength and determination. His story wasn’t just about how dōTERRA changed his life, it was a call to action. It was a plea to his community to embark on their own journey of “Becoming.” [Note: the theme for the 2023 convention was “Becoming,” hence the repetition of the phrase from the various talks given during the event.] By dedicating a mere half-acre to Thyme, Philemon was not just cultivating a crop. He was nurturing hope and prosperity. He now has more than an acre dedicated, and has added Rosemary.” (7)

Without the dedication, hard work and diligence of people like Philemon, world-wide, we would not be able to enjoy the wonderful oils like we do. It is only fitting that their lives are changed

through their labors, just as our lives are changed through the use of the oils thus created. I personally feel that it is of special importance that their stories are heard, and we see how the lives on the other side of the bottle are impacted by what we do as we purchase the oils. Hence the genesis of Harvesters’ Corner.

To restate Drew Wolfert’s statement, “The whole entire foundation that dōTERRA was built upon and its supply chain is to end poverty throughout the world.” The numerous ways in which dōTERRA has a positive impact on lives increases monthly, if not daily. You can learn more by accessing the 2022 Pursuit Report here.

There are many oils available through dōTERRA, and each one has specific uses. Likewise, each oil has “behind the scenes” stories as well. Join us through the coming months as we continue sharing stories of how the lives of the growers, harvesters, and distillers are being changed for the better through your oil purchases. Are you interested in learning about how essential oils can help better your life? Please comment below. Do you already have a favorite oil, and want to try the dōTERRA difference? Click here to see what oils are available for purchase, and experience first-hand the difference that non-adulterated, pure oil gives. Are you interested in learning about a specific oil, and how the people sourcing it have benefited through Co-Impact Sourcing? If so, leave a comment below. Join us next time as we look into the Healing Hands Foundation, the support system dōTERRA uses to help growers and harvesters recover from disasters. You can also read my blogs on Vetiver, Wintergreen, and Cardamom to see firsthand how the foundation assisted Haiti, Nepal, and Guatemala recover from natural disasters. We’ll see you soon, here at Harvesters’ Corner.

Sources

1. dōTERRA Convention, September 2023, Thursday Session.

2. Co-Impact Brochure. Online <https://media.doterra.com/us/en/brochures/co-impact-brochure.pdf> Accessed 23 October 2023.

3. dōTERRA Convention, September 2023, Friday Session.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid.

7. Ibid.

8. All photos are from dōTERRA. Either from their web pages or the 2023 Convention

Disclaimer

All views on Harvesters’ Corner are those of the author. I am a Wellness Advocate with dōTERRA, and I use the essential oils daily. Any purchases made through my affiliate link may earn me a commission. The oils are not intended to treat or cure any illness.