With 2020 now nearly in our rear-view mirrors, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the ups and downs brought on by a very unique year. While this was one of the busiest years for our company and for the natural products industry, that was not the case for all businesses across the globe. We are profoundly humbled and gracious for the shared successes of the industry that we are a part of. Verdure, and myself, owe an immense thank you to each and every one of our business partners, customers, team members, advocates, and cohorts for the continued support throughout this year. Verdure Sciences would not be the company it is today without each and every one of you, and for that I am extremely grateful!

We recognize that 2020 was a particularly difficult year for everyone around the globe through a variety of circumstances and unique situations. Though we were faced with many challenges, such as shutdowns, shipping delays, industry adulteration concerns, limited supply, and increased demand, our industry on a whole saw extraordinary growth as the world took a greater interest in healthy living. We are thankful for our existing partnerships that allowed us to overcome so many unforeseen challenges and maintain our existing partnerships with even greater pride, sustained transparency, and mitigation over our supply chains.

The impact of a global pandemic (COVID-19) was, and continues to impose, challenging times for not only everyone’s work schedules, but their home lives as well. We felt it was of utmost importance to share our successes wherever possible and really impart a greater impact on the lives of those with whom we most closely work with through increased philanthropic efforts to help those within our organization and within the communities in which we operate.

Early on, we implemented remote working for nearly everyone in the office, upgraded virtual communication channels, and doubled down on access to our VPN. We provided our team with cloth face masks, locally sourced fresh meat, and home-delivery groceries to aid in relief efforts. We also implemented virtual social team building through salsa lessons, trivia, and snack breaks to keep everyone in positive spirits. The adaptability, flexibility, and persistent enthusiasm of the entire team continues to help all of us at Verdure maintain a positive outlook for the coming year.

In addition to our beloved team, Verdure provided COVID-19 relief support for Noblesville Relief and donated supplies to various locations worldwide in efforts to support vendors and the local communities our business operates in. We continued to provide education, medical care, secure buy-back programs, and support living wage for the cultivators, farmers, and harvesters of our botanical raw materials.

Though we are thankful for so much, it is our customers that have made the biggest impact, and for you, we are most grateful. We are excited for the coming year and hope to experience the joys and success with each of you!
Cheers to the year ahead!

-Ajay

A few notable mentions for charitable donations and philanthropic efforts from Verdure that we hope will spark enthusiasm and encourage the same from each of you in your local communities:

1. Donation and employee awareness to human trafficking (modern day slavery) via Operation Underground Railroad Abolitionist Club: https://ourrescue.org/about
2. Support for autism awareness and children’s health through Damar Services of Indiana
3. Contributions for the Boys and Girls Club
4. Donation to Opportunity International to empower individuals, mainly women, to become economically self-sufficient and thriving entrepreneurs
5. Donation to Indiana India Business Council
6. COVID-19 supplies and resources to various locations worldwide (USA, India) in an effort to support employees, vendors and the local community from masks, sanitizer, and thermometers, to food and monetary donations
7. 2020 Hunger & Supply Drive for the Shepard Community Center
8. Local monetary and IT donations to schools (ipads and notebooks donated to schools to assist with learning from home) and performing arts organizations (CMS, Enpointe, IRT, ISI, IMA)
9. Local water conservation donation (rain barrel purchases & donation)