AUSTIN, Texas (April 9, 2002) Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFMI), the world's largest organic and natural foods supermarket, will receive a Regional Excellence award from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), The WILD Foundation and the host sponsor Animal Planet for its 2001 “Fish For Our Future” educational awareness campaign directing consumers to make the best environmental choices when purchasing seafood.
Whole Foods Market, in addition to five other companies, will be honored for launching advertising campaigns and promotions featuring wild nature while supporting wilderness and wildlife, at the Third Annual WILD Awards event on Earth Day, April 22nd, at the Millennium Hotel UN Plaza in New York City.
“It is a tremendous honor to receive a WILD award for acting on our mission and what we truly believe in, which is seeking out and promoting sustainable products,” said Margaret Wittenberg, Vice President for Governmental and Public Affairs. “As a retailer passionate about sustainability, we were proud to partner with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to launch the educational awareness campaign nationwide about over-fishing and how individual consumers can help to make a difference. This award encourages us to continue educating consumers to make informed environmental choices when purchasing seafood.”
Whole Foods Market's “Fish for Our Future” campaign was a month-long celebration of Wild Alaska Salmon, the first North American species to be certified as a sustainable species by the MSC. An educational in-store and media relations awareness campaign was launched to educate consumers on how to make a difference to save marine stocks with their buying power. It also helped to send a clear message to the fishing industry that those fisheries practicing sound management will be rewarded in the marketplace. In addition, a portion of the sales during the month of several Whole Foods Market private label products was donated to the MSC.
Other recipients of the WILD award include Patagonia (Lifetime Achievement Award); Delverde and agency Roncaglia & Wijkander (International Excellence); Weyerhaeuser Company and agency Dailey & Associates (National Excellence); Larry Kopald (Joseph R. Daly Award for Excellence in Communication for Nature); and businessman Robert B. Haas (Special Recognition in Business, Personal Commitment, and Nature Conservation).
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the environmental conscience and voice of the UN. The WILD Foundation is a non-profit wilderness and wildlife education and advocacy organization and has worked worldwide for 28 years to provide environmental education, advocacy, and social programs to help sustain irreplaceable values of wild nature. Founded by Sali Randel and Maggie Bryant in 1999, The WILD Awards: Advertising with Integrity for Nature, rewards companies and their advertising agencies for “giving back” to the wild nature featured in their advertising and promotions.
