Celebrating 5 Years of Dr. Bronner’s International Giving Program

This blog was written by Aph Ko, Public Relations Project Specialist at Dr. Bronner’s and Movement Media, and was originally published on drbronner.com. View it here. 

In 2019 Dr. Bronner’s launched the All-One International Initiative, a global philanthropy project founded by company President Michael Bronner and Public Relations Director, Ryan Fletcher. After years of work together developing the company’s international markets and promoting Dr. Bronner’s “soap and soul” around the world the two realized that more was needed to help elevate the “soul” side of the company outside of the United States.

Under the banner of “Global Mission, Local Impact,” All-One International was designed to provide the company’s international distributors around the world an outlet to make a positive impact in their markets on company-aligned issue areas. At the same time the program would help international customers more easily understand the ethos of the brand, while knowing their dollars were contributing to community betterment and social change locally. In the U.S., Dr. Bronner’s has existed in the cultural imagination as an iconic, soulful, counterculture body care brand for decades, often known for activism and charitable work. This new initiative would help ensure that Dr. Bronner’s mission and core values were more visible, and our impact more tangible, abroad.

Through All-One International, one percent of Dr. Bronner’s sales to participating international distributors, are given to local organizations working in support of social justice, environmental sustainability, and animal advocacy. Dr. Bronner’s and our local partners support organizations that work on a range of issues like racial justice, homelessness, plastic waste reduction, regenerative organic agriculture, farmed animal sanctuary projects, as well as creative media projects that seek to highlight the cruelty inherent in the factory farming industry. Further, All-One International is a participatory grant making program that involves multiple stakeholders in the decision making and organizational processes involved in making donations and building relationships with our partner organizations.

We were so proud to mark five years of the All-One International Initiative with the conclusion of our 2023 giving last year. Further, we are thrilled that the initiative will continue to bolster the work of diverse organizations working across multiple modes of advocacy. The All-One International Initiative was piloted in 2019 in Germany and the UK. Dr. Bronner’s initially supported only three organizations with a budget of $10,000. Jump forward to 2024 and Dr. Bronner’s has donated over $1,000,000 to 70 organizations in 20 countries in total since the initiative began.

The creation of the All-One International Initiative was driven by Dr. Bronner’s President Michael Bronner’s passion for supporting our international distributors in publicizing the company’s mission. When asked to share some thoughts on the initiative’s five-year milestone, Michael said: “Since the inception of our company, Dr. Bronner’s has always worked to be an engine for positive and meaningful social change. It is our mission to use our company to fight for and financially support our core causes, not only in the U.S., but across the globe. We are proud to have been able to provide over one million dollars since 2019 to effective and dynamic organizations around the world working to make progress for animals, people, and the planet. The All-One International Initiative embodies the ethos of my grandfather’s All-One! message and actualizes the vision he had about uniting and fighting for what’s right.”

As someone who has supported this project on a daily basis for the past two years, it has been such an honor to interact with powerful, impactful, and humble activists, organizers, and organizations that have used Dr. Bronner’s support to continue creating tangible change in their local communities. I really appreciate the funding model we practice through this initiative, and how it centers the needs of the organizations and local communities. Conventional international philanthropy is a hotly contested subject. There are powerful critiques of the ways in which conventional practices of international philanthropy have reinscribed unfortunate hierarchies of power and have replicated existing corrupt and rigged social and economic systems that prevent a humane and honest distribution of wealth and resources. The All-One International Initiative serves as a guide and template for progressive international giving practices that revolve around the needs of the local community.

Through the process of reviewing funding applications from the organizations we have supported all over the world, in collaboration with our international distributors and my colleagues at Dr. Bronner’s,  I have gained a deeper understanding of Dr. Bronner’s “All-One!” mission. “All-One!” isn’t a statement or declaration that seeks to flatten out our differences or erase diversity, it’s a recognition that there are familiar themes and patterns that emerge in our lived experiences that connect us, and we must all be united in a common fight to do what’s right if we want to peacefully coexist and thrive.

For example, last year I reviewed a funding application for Homedoor, a brilliant organization that works on issues of homelessness in Japan. Directly afterwards, I read the funding application for Emmaus, Brighton, & Hove, an organization that is supported under the All-One UK initiative that works to stop poverty and homelessness at the root. I immediately noticed that even though Homedoor and Emmaus, Brighton, & Hove are located on different continents, there are still compassionate people working to fight against similar issues like homelessness in their local communities. I felt a similar moment of synergy when I read the funding applications from Edgar’s Mission, a farmed animal sanctuary in Australia, and Freedom Farm Sanctuary, a farmed animal sanctuary in Israel. I felt this powerful pull to bring these organizations and stories together in one space so that we can truly see the “All-One!” spirit in action.

It’s easy to zoom in on an All-One International chapter to see how the organizations and their efforts for social justice, environmental sustainability, and animal advocacy are all making tangible impacts in their local communities; however, once you zoom out and examine the organizations working to improve social and material conditions all over the world, you start to realize that each All-One International chapter represents one star in a larger constellation of change.

Some of the frontline organizations that Dr. Bronner’s has supported are making history. For example, In April 2024, Animal Justice, Canada’s only national animal law organization, successfully defeated much of Ontario’s ag gag law in court – a law that would have silenced whistleblowers and journalists who go undercover to document abuses in animal industries. The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, an organization supported through All-One Israel and led by Dr. Tareq Abu Hamed, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2024. The Arava Institute works to educate future leaders who can meet the Middle East’s environmental challenges with innovative peace-building solutions to ensure a sustainable future in the region. Oogachaga, an organization supported through All-One Singapore, is Singapore’s most established community-based nonprofit organization working with LGBTQ+ individuals, couples, and families since 1999. This is just a small glimpse into the impact these organizations are making in our global community. We have so many incredible nonprofit partners through the All-One International Initiative!

At a time where there is so much uncertainty in the world, where conflict after conflict dominates the headlines, and where the fracturing of our communities is broadcast and put on display for public consumption on almost all social media and television channels, we hope that the organizations supported by the All-One International Initiative provide you with a sense of pride, unity, and hope for the future…and even hope for the present. Most importantly, we hope that you see how the “All-One!” spirit cuts through borders, languages, time zones, and cultures and offers new territory where we can all be global citizens who dare to work together to take care of the planet, to honor the dignity of animals, and to love each other as people who all deserve to exist.

Below is a list of each chapter that has participated in the All-One International Initiative, whether they participated in the initiative for one year, or all five. For each chapter you will find a highlight from one organization, and a list of the other organizations that have received support. Thank you to my colleagues abroad, Dr. Bronner’s International Distributors who anchor each of these All-One International Chapters in their respective locales, and thank you to Lilia Letsch, my colleague on Dr. Bronner’s PR Team who I work with on the day to day management of this program, along with all of the awesome members of Dr. Bronner’s International Sales and Marketing team. As I mentioned, this effort is a participatory grant making program, and there are many stakeholders, including Dr. Bronner’s senior leadership, and the Bronner family who make it all possible.

Most of all thank you to all the Dr. Bronner’s customers all over the globe who purchase our products, ultimately, we couldn’t do this without each of you!

AUSTRALIA

• Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network is the first Indigenous youth-led climate organization in Australia, and Dr. Bronner’s is honored to support their work as they have grown to become an officially recognized nonprofit organization.
  • Other organizations supported:
    • Eat Up
    • Edgar’s Mission
    • Voiceless

AUSTRIA

• Through the animal advocacy organization Verein Gegen Tierfabriken, Dr. Bronner’s has supported the ongoing work of the volunteer-run Animal Paradise shelter, which has been rescuing farm animals and providing them with a safe home for over 30 years.

CANADA

• Dr. Bronner’s supports the work of Groundswell Community Justice Trust Fund who distribute much needed funds to grassroots organizations that would otherwise struggle to gain access to grant funding, covering issues such as queer Indigenous education initiatives, disability justice, resistance to fossil fuel pipelines, migrant detainee support, Indigenous seed and food sovereignty, and much more.
  • Other organizations supported:
    • Black Lives Matter Canada
    • Indigenous Climate Action
    • Rivershed Society of B.C.
    • Animal Justice
    • Regeneration Canada
    • Coextinction

FRANCE

• Since 2021, Dr. Bronner’s has supported Assiettes Végétales in creating partnerships with large catering companies to train chefs and increase the percentage of plant-based meals being served at university and school campuses in France. In 2023, their initiative resulted in serving meat-free options across campuses to a total of 2.7 million diners each day.
  • Other organizations supported:
    • Notre Affaire à Tous
    • La Vie Active

GERMANY

• Germany was one of the two (the UK being the second) countries in which Dr. Bronner’s piloted the All-One International Initiative in 2019. One of the organizations supported at the inception of the initiative is PROVIEH, a leading farmed animal advocacy organization in Germany. Dr. Bronner’s has supported their powerful work to transform the food system as well as their educational programs for children to ensure they have the tools and knowledge to make sustainable, compassionate, and informed decisions about their diets and lifestyles.
  • Other organizations supported:
    • The German Association for Agroforestry (DeFAF)
    • Weekendschool Deutschland
    • People, People, People
    • Transformation Haus und Feld
    • Together For Future
    • Polli & the Plastic
    • Nepada Wildlife

ICELAND

• The Icelandic Vegan Society is an organization that protects the welfare and rights of animals and promotes the positive environmental and health impacts of a green lifestyle. Dr. Bronner’s supported their popular Veganuary events, as well as their annual vegan festival.

INDONESIA

• Berbagi Sarapan is an organization that provides nutritious meals throughout multiple cities to those in need. Dr. Bronner’s supported their meal production and distribution efforts during the pandemic when many people were unable to work.

IRELAND

• VOICE Ireland is an environmental charity that empowers individuals and local communities to take positive action to conserve natural resources. VOICE is the NGO expert in Ireland on waste reduction and circular economy. Dr. Bronner’s provides support for their impactful work in plastic waste reduction.

ISRAEL

• The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies is a leading environmental education and research institute in the Middle East. They aim to meet the region’s environmental challenges with richer and more innovative peace-building solutions. Dr. Bronner’s has supported the Arava Institute’s research into growing argan regeneratively in the region.
  • Other organizations supported:
    • Freedom Farm Sanctuary

ITALY

• Through Sea Shepherd Italy, Dr. Bronner’s has supported the ongoing work of patrolling the Plemmirio Marine Protected Area where Sea Shepherd defend monk seals and their habitats. After almost a decade of patrols, monk seals have finally returned to the area. They were missing for more than 60 years prior to Sea Shepherd’s presence.

JAPAN

• Homedoor is an organization that provides assistance to people experiencing homelessness. Dr. Bronner’s has supported their efforts to purchase a hotel that was transformed into a housing shelter.
  • Other organizations supported:
    • Shizen
    • Furusato Farmers
    • UNISK
    • National Organic Agriculture Promotion Council

KOREA

• Sihwa Lake Sustainable Partnership works to restore and preserve Lake Sihwa, an ecosystem that has historically been heavily damaged by industrial impacts. Dr. Bronner’s has supported their cleanup activities as well as their citizen bird monitoring project in the Sihwa Lake migratory bird habitat. Sihwa Lake serves as a habitat for endangered wild animals. The population of migratory birds has increased since the inception of this project.
  • Other organizations supported:
    • The Beautiful Foundation
    • Project Moon Bear
    • G Foundation
    • Korean Animal Rights Advocates (KARA)
    • Korean Animal Welfare Association
    • Korean Federation for Environmental Movement
    • Hallym Burn Foundation

MEXICO

• Sbelal Kuxlejalil is an organization that advances ecological initiatives aimed at Tzeltal women in Chiapas. Led by indigenous women, the organization promotes the self-sufficiency of families and indigenous communities through regenerative agriculture and the use of environmentally friendly eco-technologies. They also train women to take on community leadership roles. With Dr. Bronner’s support, Sbelal Kuxlejalil officially became a nonprofit organization and continues to work closely with over 200 women and their communities.
  • Other organizations supported:
    • Reinserta
    • Hurakaan
    • Igualdad Animal

NETHERLANDS

• Soil Heroes is working to increase recognition and understanding of regenerative agriculture in the Netherlands and around Europe. They work to restore healthy biological soil processes. Funding from Dr. Bronner’s has supported a research project with a strong focus on biodiversity and supporting wild ecosystems and species within regenerative farming practices.
  • Other organizations supported:
    • Sea Shepherd Global
    • S.P.E.A.K.

PANAMA

• Costa Recicla is a nonprofit organization that promotes environmental education through responsible waste management. They work to make their responsible waste management programs accessible to marginalized communities in urban areas who do not always have access to environmental education or resources. Dr. Bronner’s has supported Costa Recicla’s Mobile Clean Point service, where they use a truck to collect trash while educating local communities about properly managing their waste.
  • Other organizations supported:
    • Prospera

SINGAPORE

• Kampung Senang is a wellness and eco-conscious organization that promotes green and healthy lifestyles. They provide compassionate care for people in need while inspiring collective responsibility for sustainability. Dr. Bronner’s supports Kampung Sengang in their efforts to expand their urban vegetable and herb farm for local seniors.
  • Other organizations supported:
    • Oogachaga
    • Centre for a Responsible Future

SWEDEN

• Djurens Rätt is the most prominent animal rights nonprofit organization that works within Sweden and the European Union to advocate for animals in captivity, including farmed animals. They run many impactful campaigns relating to factory farming, increasing animal welfare standards for animals, and encouraging a transition towards plant-based options.
  • Other organizations supported:
    • Plogga

SWITZERLAND

• Hof Narr is a farm animal sanctuary that is providing leadership in the TransFARMation movement in Switzerland and internationally. They provide vegan campaigns, animal equality education, sanctuary tours, and more. They have rescued over 2,000 animals and have welcomed over 15,000 people onto their farm as visitors. So far, they have helped 40 farms transition to cruelty free farming methods.

TAIWAN

• The Taiwan Environmental Information Association (TEIA) is a nonprofit organization committed to ensuring humans coexist harmoniously with nature. Dr. Bronner’s supports their Reef Check Program, a 15-year non-stop effort that monitors the health of Taiwan’s reefs.
  • Other organizations supported:
    • Taiwan Animal Equality Association (TAEA)
    • Environmental & Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST)

UK

• Emmaus Brighton & Hove is an organization that provides accommodations and social enterprise occupation opportunities to formerly unhoused individuals. They are dedicated to fighting the root causes of poverty. Dr. Bronner’s funding has provided general support as well as helping with the renovation and redesign of their communal companion spaces.
  • Other organizations supported:
    • Surge
    • Ecohustler
    • City to Sea
    • Less Plastic
    • Compassion in World Farming
    • UK Youth Climate Coalition

Learn more about the organizations supported through the All-One International Initiative here.