Since it began ten years ago, Dr. Bronner’s animal advocacy funding program has helped to fuel policy change, establish many new organisations and initiatives working for change. During this time, our company has sought to help shift the cultural discourse around ethics, food systems, agriculture, and how humans relate to other animals, especially those used for food.
The work of diverse organisations we support address a broad range of issues within the scope of animal advocacy. This includes promoting plant-based and vegan lifestyles and advocating against factory farms, as well as passing laws against the cruel and inhumane treatment of animals and supporting ocean conservation efforts through direct action.
By the end of this year Dr. Bronner’s will have contributed $300,000 in funding in 2023 and more than $4 million since 2013. Recipients this year include Animal Outlook, Black Veg Society, Farm Forward, VINE Sanctuary, Sea Shepherd, and Sistah Vegan Project. Together, the groups funded by Dr. Bronner’s represent different modes of advocacy for animals, from raising awareness of cruelty to offering alternative ways of relating to animals that reflect compassion and respect not exploitation and extraction.
CEO of Dr. Bronner’s Mike Bronner states: “We approach animal advocacy work as an ecosystem of myriad efforts and strategies, with many paths toward one goal—a better world for all animals.”
See below for a timeline for Dr. Bronner’s support of animal advocacy, starting in 2013:
2013
• Inception of Dr. Bronner’s Animal Advocacy Program.
• Company begins relationship-building and provides funding to Animal Outlook. (formerly Compassion Over Killing) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
2014
• Animal Advocacy Program officially begins.
• More than $100,000 donated.
• Dr. Bronner’s eligible products become Vegan Certified.
• Dr. Bronner’s CEO David Bronner joins the Farm Animal Protection Council of HSUS.
• David Bronner is a guest on the podcast, “Our Hen House” to discuss vegan body care and Dr. Bronner’s progressive business practices.
2015
• More than $250,000 donated.
• Dr. Bronner’s publishes a free consumer education guide, “Eating with a Conscience.”
• Company partners with Sea Shepherd to support Operation Sleppid Grindini to save Pilot Whales from slaughter in the Faroe Islands.
• Dr. Bronner’s provides funding for award-winning documentary film Cowspiracy.
2016
• More than $750,000 donated.
• Dr. Bronner’s is among the first funders of the Good Food Institute and the Plant Based Foods Association – supporting the launch of both organisations to help grow and protect market for alternatives to animal products.
• Dr. Bronner’s supports the ‘Yes on 3’ campaign in Massachusetts to end battery cages of egg-laying hens, and cruel confinement for calves raised for veal, and pigs. Ballot measure passes.
• Dr. Bronner’s begins partnership with Farm Forward to support film adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer’s 2009 book, “Eating Animals.”
• Dr. Bronner’s joins Farmed Animal Funders to increase fundraising efforts to dismantle confined animal feeding operations.
2017
• More than $1.3 million donated.
• Dr. Bronner’s purchases Sea Shepherd Germany’s first vessel, MV Emanuel Bronner, to defend wildlife in the Baltic Sea.
• 40th Anniversary of Sea Shepherd. Dr. Bronner’s expands partnership with Sea Shepherd and produces special, limited-edition ‘Protect Our Oceans’ soap label for 4 oz Peppermint Castile Liquid Soaps, intended for donation and education purposes.
• Dr. Bronner’s published an interview with Bruce Freidrich, co-founder of The Good Food Institute, on the All-One Blog.
• Dr. Bronner’s begins program to serve free, vegan, and organic lunches daily to all on-site employees.
2018
• More than $2 million donated.
• Dr. Bronner’s supports Prop 12 in California, The Prevention of Cruelty to Farm Animal Act. Ballot initiative successfully passes.
• Dr. Bronner’s creates a special, limited-edition label for its 4oz Almond Castile Liquid Soaps, that declares, “End Factory Farming!” intended for donation and education purposes.
• Dr. Bronner’s supports the launch of Regenerative Organic Certified, which asserts important animal welfare standards for farmed animals.
• Dr. Bronner’s supports the launch of Encompass, a new organisation working to highlight racial equity as an integral component to animal advocacy. An interview with Encompass founder Aryenish Birdie is published on the All-One Blog.
• Dr. Bronner’s publishes an interview with Erica Meier of Animal Outlook (formerly Compassion Over Killing) on the All-One Blog.
• Dr. Bronner’s partners with Compassion in World Farming, along with the Rodale Institute, Patagonia, and other allies to form the Regenerative Organic Alliance, and create Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC).
2019
• More than $2.5 million donated.
• Dr. Bronner’s features an interview with pattrice jones, Executive Director of VINE Sanctuary, on the All-One Blog.
2020
• More than $3 million donated.
• Launch of the All-One International Initiative, which includes seven new international partnerships with animal advocacy organisations outside the U.S.
• Dr. Bronner’s launches its first Regenerative Organic Certified vegan product: Regenerative Organic Coconut Oil.
• David Bronner is a guest on the podcast “Our Hen House” to discuss veganic regenerative organic agriculture.
2021
• More than $3.5 million donated to date.
• Dr. Bronner’s launches new vegan food product, Magic All-One Chocolate.
• VINE Sanctuary launches the Pride Month Vegan Challenge, with support from Dr. Bronner’s.
• Dr. Bronner’s supports Animal Justice’s legal challenge to Ontario’s ag gag law, following their successful efforts to help defeat a federal Canadian ag gag bill aimed at silenced animal agriculture whistleblowers, undercover journalists, and animal advocates.
2022
• More than $4 million donated.
• Prop 12, The Prevention of Cruelty to Farm Animal Act in California is upheld in ruling by Supreme Court.
• VINE Sanctuary launches the new podcast, “In Context” with support from Dr. Bronner’s.
• Dr. Bronner’s leads a matching campaign to support VINE Sanctuary, raises a total of $150,000 along with LUSH, Sara Murray, Stray Dog Institute, and others.
• Dr. Bronner’s co-produces the award-winning documentary film Coextinction.
• The company becomes a presenting producer of the award-winning documentary film Coextinction.
• Mike Bronner is a guest, alongside documentary filmmaker Gloria Pancrazzi, on the podcast “Our Hen House” to discuss the film Coextinction.
• Farm Forward’s campaign against humane washing exposes the deceptive marketing of animal products.
• Dr. Bronner’s funds joint effort by Sea Shepherd Greece and Sea Shepherd Italia to launch the Monachus Defense Campaign for the protection of the Mediterranean Monk Seal.
2023
• 10th anniversary of Dr. Bronner’s Animal Advocacy Funding Program.
• More than $4.3 million donated.
• Dr. Bronner’s launches limited edition “Protect Orcas!” special retail label on 32oz Castile Liquid Soaps sold throughout Canada, to support the film Coextinction.
Over the last ten years, Dr. Bronner’s has supported the following organisations and efforts (among others not listed here):
Animal Equality (Mexico); Animal Justice (Canada); Animal Outlook; Black Veg Fest; Black Veg Society; Black Vegans Rock; Coextinction; Compassion in World Farming (US & UK); Factory Farming Awareness Coalition; Farm Forward; Good Food Institute; Humane Society of United States – Farm Animal Protection Program; Nepada Wildlife; Our Hen House; Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary; project FANG: Animal Rights Prisoner Support; Reducetarian Foundation; Sea Shepherd Global; Sistah Vegan Project; SÜPRSEED (SÜPRMARKT); VINE Sanctuary; Wild Orca; Women Funders in Animal Rights; and YEA Camp.
To see a near comprehensive lists of animal advocacy organisations supported each year, please view Dr. Bronner’s All-One Reports, published annually since 2015.
Dr. Bronner’s is a family business committed to honouring the vision of our founder Dr. E.H. Bronner by making socially and environmentally responsible products of the highest quality, and by dedicating our profits to helping make a better world. “All-One!”