In total over the last five years, Dr. Bronner's spending on social and environmental causes and charities has roughly matched our total after-tax income, and we intend to keep doing so as circumstances allow. Total compensation of executives is capped at five times that of our lowest-paid position.
Employees annually receive 15% of salary paid into a retirement/profit-sharing plan, up to 25% of salary as a bonus, and a no-deductible PPO health insurance plan for themselves and their families.
The over 30,000 words spread across all the soap labels were Dr. Bronner's life work of searching every religion and philosophy for "Full Truths" that can be summed up in two beautiful sentences:
- CONSTRUCTIVE CAPITALISM IS WHERE YOU SHARE THE PROFIT WITH THE WORKERS AND THE EARTH FROM WHICH YOU MADE IT!
- WE ARE ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND WE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER AND SPACESHIP EARTH!
In following these principles, the Bronner family dedicates profits to "Human Projects" all over Spaceship Earth - from fresh water wells in Ghana to orphanages in Haiti and China; from helping organic farm projects to donating over 1,200 acres of land to the San Diego County Boys and Girls Club.
In sharing with our workers, we annually give profit-sharing and bonuses totaling over $10,000 per employee for warehouse positions.
Major causes and focuses right now include fighting for organic integrity in personal care, recommercialization of industrial hemp in the US, and promotion of “Fair Trade” certification of product supply chains to ensure fair wages and prices are paid.
Dr. Bronner would be happy to know the business is running better and more socially responsibly than ever.