Tillamook County Creamery Association Announces B Corporation® Recertification

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Tillamook County Creamery Association

Mar 07, 2024, 11:30 ET

The dairy cooperative is recertified with a 7.5-point score increase from 2020

TILLAMOOK, Ore., March 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) is proud to announce that it has successfully recertified as a B Corporation® (B Corp™), reinforcing the farmer-owned dairy co-op's dedication to its six Stewardship Commitments. TCCA was initially certified as a B Corp in 2020.

Tillamook County Creamery Association Announces B Corporation® Recertification

Every three years, companies must go through a rigorous recertification process to maintain their B Corp certification, which measures a company's performance in five impact areas – governance, workers, customers, community and the environment. The recertification process includes responding to more than 250 questions involving significant data analysis and documentation. For TCCA, recertification also included an extensive verification process, auditing visits to the TCCA production plant, offices, and Creamery facilities in Tillamook, and confidential employee and staff interviews.

A score of 80 or higher qualifies a business for B Corp certification. TCCA recertified with an improved score of 94.1, an increase of 7.5 points from the initial certification in 2020. The median score for the 50,000 businesses that have completed the assessment is 50.9. The most significant score increase for TCCA's recertification is under the "Environment" category. The co-op's Climate Action Plan, packaging goals, facilities, and farm stewardship-related projects drove this increase. TCCA also continues to score high in the "Employees" category due to the co-op's generous pay, benefits, and learning & development programs.

"At TCCA, we are committed to making progress toward delivering on our stewardship commitments. Meeting the high standards set by B Corp validates our recent stewardship efforts and the work that our farmer-owners began over a century ago," said Paul Snyder, Executive Vice President of Stewardship, TCCA. "This recertification is especially important as we continue to grow nationally and deepen our relationships with fans across the country."

The B Corp label is growing in popularity with consumers and has become a powerful driver of purchase. Among those who know about B Corp certification, about 67 percent say it makes them much more likely or somewhat more likely to buy the product, which is a 10-point increase since 2019.¹ The B Corp seal is prominently displayed on Tillamook products to give consumers a quick sign that the product meets high social and environmental performance standards.

B Corps are for-profit companies that use the power of business to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy. The B Corp community is growing exponentially. When TCCA was first certified, there were just 3,600 companies certified in total. Now, there are currently more than 8,200 Certified B Corps in 162 industries and 96 countries around the world.

About Tillamook County Creamery Association

Founded in 1909 as a farmer-owned cooperative, Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) achieved the distinction as a Certified B Corporation® (B Corp™) and prides itself on its commitment to bringing to market the most consistent, best tasting, highest quality dairy products possible. Guided by the belief that everyone deserves real food that makes them feel good every day, Tillamook's® internationally recognized, award-winning cheese, as well as exceptional ice cream, butter, cream cheese spreads, yogurt, sour cream and frozen meals, are made with unwavering values that never sacrifice or compromise quality for profit. TCCA is owned by a group of farming families, primarily based in Tillamook County, Oregon. TCCA operates production facilities in Tillamook and Boardman, Oregon and employs more than 900 people throughout the state. The Tillamook Creamery is the largest tourist attraction on the coast of Oregon and one of the most popular in the state, attracting more than one million visitors each year. For more information on TCCA and Tillamook, visit Tillamook.com.

¹ The Hartman Group, "Sustainability," 2021

SOURCE Tillamook County Creamery Association