In this episode of Beauty + Impact, we found ourselves just nodding, agreeing and loving EVERYTHING our guest was putting out there! We’re so excited to spill the green tea with Julia Collins, Founder and CEO of Planet FWD and Moonshot Snacks. Planet FWD is the leading carbon management platform which helps brands understand and reduce their carbon footprint and have created their own 100% carbon neutral food product, Moonshot Snacks, which uses ingredients from farmers that use regenerative agriculture practices. There were so many nuggets of gold in this episode with Julia! Fun fact – 94% of Americans snack every single day! No doubt about it - snacking is big business - actually a US $605 billion big business. With 70% of consumers in North America believing it's important that a brand is sustainable or eco-friendly, it’s never been more important for organizations to be truly sustainable and contribute to the global net-zero targets. In this jam-packed episode, you’ll hear: About regenerative agriculture and what it means and the way forward as we tackle net-zero Differences between mainstream sustainability and regenerative sustainability How and why Julia started Planet FWD and Moonshot Snacks The history of regenerative agriculture from Indigenous ways of protecting the land to farming practices in India and how it is making a comeback Why you DON’T need big budgets to be a sustainable brand – first step is just deciding to be climate friendly! How the beauty industry can step up, take note and implement regenerative agriculture practices The power communities of color have to champion sustainability and be voices in the climate change conversation If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag Ashley and Jasmine @Beautyandimpact and our guest, Julia Collins @juliaecollins. About Planet FWD: Planet FWD is the leading carbon management platform for consumer brands. Leveraging the largest LCA database for agricultural products and advanced value chain modeling, we make it easier to take climate action. About Julia Collins: Julia Collins is a serial entrepreneur who realized food was her calling as a young girl in San Francisco where it was the epicenter of her community. She’s spent her career building food companies, helping to launch and grow brands such as Mexicue, Murray’s Cheese Bar and Harlem Jazz Enterprises, the company responsible for the award-winning restaurant, The Cecil. She later went on to co-found Zume Pizza where she became the first Black woman to co-found a unicorn company. When she became a mother, she knew she needed to find a way to bring delicious food to people in a way that helped heal the planet for everyone including her son. Julia founded and leads Planet FWD, a company on a mission to tackle climate change by making it easier to bring climate-friendly products to market and support other brands to be carbon neutral through their software platform for regenerative agriculture. Along with Planet FWD, she is the instigator of the first climate-friendly snack brand, Moonshot. In addition, Julia sits on the advisory council for Launch with GS and the Food for Climate League board, serves on the All Raise operating committee, and is an EIR for Cleo Capital. She is an active angel investor focused on funding female entrepreneurs and BIPOC founders. She also co-founded When Founder Met Funder (WFMF) in 2019 to address the fact that Black women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the US, yet they receive a negligible percentage of overall venture funding. This annual event by All Raise offers a unique opportunity for Black female founders to connect with investors and fellow founders in Silicon Valley and beyond. Links of things mentioned...

Hey cousins! In our third episode of Beauty + Impact we are spilling the green tea with the formidable powerhouse that is Babba Rivera, Founder and CEO of https://ceremonia.com/ (Ceremonia), a clean hair brand rooted in Latinx heritage. Babba was born and raised in Sweden by Chilean parents and now lives in New York. She’s worked in fashion and tech, before being headhunted by rideshare company, Uber in Sweden. In 2016 she was listed in Forbes “30 under 30” at the age of 25, but there is no resting on her laurels here. Instead, Babba saw an opportunity to share with the world a clean hair brand grounded in her Latin heritage and a chance to use her voice to educate consumers on what is sustainable. We picked Babba’s brain to find out how she launched Ceremonia (while also becoming a first-time mom!), how she raised VC funding, the challenges she faced as a woman of color in start-up land, and get very candid about the environmental difficulties of launching a new product to market - from packaging to ingredients, to supply chain - there is a lot to think about! In this episode you’ll hear: How Ceremonia came about and began filling a gap in the clean hair market and the inspiration behind the brand How Babba launched her business baby, Ceremonia at the same time as birthing her real baby, and combined motherhood with founderhood The challenges and opportunities that the Covid pandemic has presented when launching a new brand The issues that women and people of color have when it comes to getting VC funding The role media can play to present successful founder stories from women of color and how this supports more women of color entrepreneurs Environmental challenges that a new founder might have when launching a new product Why big beauty brands need to take environmental action to create lasting change for consumers The difference between American and Swedish approaches to sustainability and how sustainable living is ingrained from early childhood in Sweden How sustainable living is a natural and integrated part of many immigrants’ lives out of necessity If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag Ashley and Jasmine https://www.instagram.com/beautyandimpact/?hl=en (@Beautyandimpact) and our guest Babba Rivera https://www.instagram.com/babba/?hl=en (@Babba ) About Ceremonia: https://ceremonia.com/ (Ceremonia) is a clean hair care brand rooted in Latinx heritage. Ceremonia is on a mission to empower a confident natural that feels as good as it looks. We’re manifesting modern day rituals, stemming from rich culture, that feed your hair from the roots and beyond, because hair wellness is the key to unlocking the best hair days. Our hair ritual celebrates the longevity of healthier hair through unparalleled formulas that make a real impact. About Babba Rivera: Babba C Rivera (previously known as Babba Canales) is an award-winning founder with experience working in fashion and tech in Stockholm, Berlin, and New York. Babba is listed in the 2016 Forbes’ list of the top “30 Under 30” in the field of marketing and advertising and was named Sweden’s ‘top talent’ of 2016 by Veckans Affärer, one of the country’s largest business magazines. Babba's work has been featured and profiled in major magazines, newspapers, television programs, podcasts, and various other print and digital media. With a reputation as one of the most dynamic and accomplished young innovators and leaders in the increasingly important area of digital brand marketing and Direct-to-Consumer brands, Babba has launched her own DTC beauty brand https://ceremonia.com/ (Ceremonia), a clean haircare brand rooted in Latinx heritage. Links of things mentioned in this episode:...

Welcome to Part 2 of the first episode of the Beauty + Impact Podcast with your hosts Ashley Renne Nsonwu and Jasmine Pennamma Hill! On our maiden podcast episode, we speak to the wonderful Boma Brown-West, Director of Consumer Health at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Did you know the U.S legislation regulating cosmetics has not been updated since 1938! The beauty industry has come a long way since then but the law has not kept up. So what does it mean when brands don’t legally have to list all the chemicals on their product labels and what does this actually mean for clean beauty? Together with Boma, we unpack some of the challenges the clean beauty industry has, how women of color can educate themselves more and what consumers can do to influence change. We also take a deep dive into the issue of racial disparity when it comes to clean beauty and personal care products for women of color - a subject matter close to our hearts. In Part 1 and 2 of this episode you’ll hear: What is clean beauty and what is the official definition? Hint: It’s not so clear! About the Clean Beauty Justice initiative which highlights the racial disparity between women of color and white women when it comes to clean beauty products What consumers can be doing to educate themselves on beauty and personal care products What the challenges are preventing safer and environmentally clean beauty products for women of color EDF’s Roadmap to clean beauty for retailers The negative health impacts toxic beauty and personal care products can have, including on reproductive health and early onset puberty How women of color are being left behind by the clean beauty industry Ways women of color can take back control and influence the beauty industry to step up and provide accessible and affordable clean beauty products If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag Ashley and Jasmine https://www.instagram.com/beautyandimpact/ (@Beautyandimpact) and our guest Boma @environmental_defense_fund About Environmental Defense Fund: We began in 1967, as a scrappy group of scientists and a lawyer on Long Island, New York, fighting to save osprey from the toxic pesticide DDT. Using scientific evidence, our founders got DDT banned nationwide. Today, we’re one of the world's leading environmental organizations. In the U.S., Fortune magazine called our board one of the country's most influential nonprofit boards. And science still guides everything we do. About Boma Brown-West : Boma has over 15 years’ experience in working with businesses to improve product sustainability. She currently leads Environmental Defense Fund’s work with companies to eliminate toxic chemicals from consumer products, packaging and food. This includes getting major brands and retailers to set ambitious chemical policies, increase transparency and invest in safer ingredient innovation. Boma also works to eradicate the toxic disparities in products offered to different consumer segments, primarily calling on beauty brands and retailers to set public safer chemicals commitments that explicitly promote equity and significantly reduce the toxic disparity in beauty products marketed to women of color. Links of things mentioned in this episode: Clean Beauty Justice Beauty and personal care products marketed to women of color often contain more toxic ingredients than products marketed to white women. As a result, women of color face greater exposure to toxic ingredients used in beauty and personal care products. This is unacceptable. Website: https://www.cleanbeautyjustice.org/ (https://www.cleanbeautyjustice.org/) Clean Beauty Roadmap for Retailers A framework for championing a credible, authentic and transparent clean beauty program...

This is Part 1 of 2 from Boma Brown-West Welcome to the first episode of the Beauty + Impact Podcast with your hosts Ashley Renne Nsonwu and Jasmine Pennamma Hill! On our maiden podcast episode, we speak to the wonderful Boma Brown-West, Director of Consumer Health at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Did you know the U.S legislation regulating cosmetics has not been updated since 1938! The beauty industry has come a long way since then but the law has not kept up. So what does it mean when brands don’t legally have to list all the chemicals on their product labels and what does this actually mean for clean beauty? Together with Boma, we unpack some of the challenges the clean beauty industry has, how women of color can educate themselves more and what consumers can do to influence change. We also take a deep dive into the issue of racial disparity when it comes to clean beauty and personal care products for women of color - a subject matter close to our hearts. In Part 1 and 2 of this episode you’ll hear: What is clean beauty and what is the official definition? Hint: It’s not so clear! About the Clean Beauty Justice initiative which highlights the racial disparity between women of color and white women when it comes to clean beauty products What consumers can be doing to educate themselves on beauty and personal care products What the challenges are preventing safer and environmentally clean beauty products for women of color EDF’s Roadmap to clean beauty for retailers The negative health impacts toxic beauty and personal care products can have, including on reproductive health and early onset puberty How women of color are being left behind by the clean beauty industry Ways women of color can take back control and influence the beauty industry to step up and provide accessible and affordable clean beauty products If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of yourself listening to the episode on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag Ashley and Jasmine https://www.instagram.com/beautyandimpact/ (@Beautyandimpact) and our guest Boma https://www.instagram.com/environmental_defense_fund/ (@environmental_defense_fund) About Environmental Defense Fund: We began in 1967, as a scrappy group of scientists and a lawyer on Long Island, New York, fighting to save osprey from the toxic pesticide DDT. Using scientific evidence, our founders got DDT banned nationwide. Today, we’re one of the world's leading environmental organizations. In the U.S., Fortune magazine called our board one of the country's most influential nonprofit boards. And science still guides everything we do. About Boma Brown-West : Boma has over 15 years’ experience in working with businesses to improve product sustainability. She currently leads Environmental Defense Fund’s work with companies to eliminate toxic chemicals from consumer products, packaging and food. This includes getting major brands and retailers to set ambitious chemical policies, increase transparency and invest in safer ingredient innovation. Boma also works to eradicate the toxic disparities in products offered to different consumer segments, primarily calling on beauty brands and retailers to set public safer chemicals commitments that explicitly promote equity and significantly reduce the toxic disparity in beauty products marketed to women of color. Links to things mentioned in this episode: Environmental Footprint of E-commerce Article: https://business.edf.org/insights/why-the-e-commerce-supply-chain-has-a-big-environmental-footprint-and-how-companies-can-reduce-it/ (https://business.edf.org/insights/why-the-e-commerce-supply-chain-has-a-big-environmental-footprint-and-how-companies-can-reduce-it/) Vegan Beauty Product Spotlight: Ami Colé Mascara...

Hey beauties, welcome to the Beauty + Impact podcast. In this little introduction episode, we want to share a little bit about who we are and how this podcast can help you be a more conscious beauty shopper. Because let's be honest, making ethical beauty choices can feel complicated and you might not know where to start. But no worries, we got you - the Beauty and Impact podcast can be that starting point for your journey. In this episode you’ll hear: More about Ashley and Jasmine and WHY we started this podcast What this podcast is all about - beauty and sustainability are just two of the themes How the beauty industry is interchangeably linked to our health and to sustainability A sneak peek about our first interview for episode 1 In this podcast, we’re going to break down how to cut through the noise, confusion, and misinformation about what’s being sold to you as a marketing gimmick just to get your coins. We hope you’re ready because we’re about to spill ALL the green tea on beauty and sustainability! If you enjoyed this intro and it inspired you in some way, then don’t forget to subscribe so you can be the first to know when we drop a new episode. Have you got a burning question about beauty or sustainability? Then DM us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/beautyandimpact/ (@Beautyandimpact), we’ll love to hear from you. About Ashley Renne Nsonwu and Jasmine Hill: Ashley Renne Nsonwu is an environmental activist who teaches people how to live a sustainable and vegan lifestyle. She’s a mom of one little boy and is passionate about making a positive difference for the future for her family and being a voice for people of color when it comes to educating and providing them sustainable shopping choices. Jasmine Hill is a skincare industry insider with over 10 years in digital strategy working with clinical skincare brands, dermatologists, and estheticians. She’s a mom of two and wants to create change within the beauty industry that she has built a career around. Connect with Ashley Renne Nsonwu and Jasmine Hill: Website: https://www.beautyandimpact.com/ (https://www.beautyandimpact.com/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beautyandimpact (https://www.facebook.com/beautyandimpact) IG: https://www.instagram.com/beautyandimpact/ (https://www.instagram.com/beautyandimpact/) Twitter: https://twitter.com/Beautyandimpact (https://twitter.com/Beautyandimpact) Ashley: https://www.instagram.com/heyashleyrenne/ (https://www.instagram.com/heyashleyrenne/) Jasmine: https://www.instagram.com/jasminepennamma/ (https://www.instagram.com/jasminepennamma/)