JOIN THE MOVEMENT! OUR GOALS: Build a Coalition of companies and Natural Product Allies who support Raising the Minimum Wage. Build Awareness and support for a smart, fair and incremental approach to local, state and federal minimum wage. Encourage Partners to sign the Business for a Fair Minimum Wage federal statement supporting at least $12 by 2020. Donate Proceeds in advance of the election to The Fairness Project to ballot campaigns and other initiatives. Commit Marketing Resources to communicate your company s position on the issue and integrate messaging into a fall consumer engagement & education campaign with other like-minded companies.
THE NATIONAL LANDSCAPE The federal minimum wage has been stuck since 2009 at $7.25 an hour - just $15,080 a year for full-time work. Today s minimum wage has less buying power than it had in 1950, and a 1/3 less than in 1968 (in 2016 $).* The federal minimum wage would be nearly $11 if it had kept up with the rising cost of living since 1968.* 75% of Americans -representing all demographics support raising the federal minimum wage.** Average CEO pay is now 895 times that of the federal minimum wage; the median wage has stayed flat for decades while executive pay has exploded. *BUSINESS FOR A FAIR MINIMUM WAGE **HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES
WHY SUPPORT A FAIR MINIMUM WAGE? Raising the minimum wage makes good business sense. Workers are also customers. Raising the minimum wage boosts sales at local businesses as workers buy goods and services they could not afford before. Nothing drives job creation more than consumer demand.* When a person working 40 hours a week can t cover the basic costs of living, there s something deeply wrong with our economic system. Raising the minimum wage is about reducing inequality, but it is also about restoring the true value of work. Every American's hard work should be rewarded. Paying workers fairly isn t just the right thing to do, it s what makes our communities and businesses thrive: happy employees means lower turnover and higher productivity, and workers who make more, spend more, which puts money back into the economy, rather than forcing them to get by on public assistance programs. SOURCE: *BUSINESS FOR A FAIR MINIMUM WAGE
PURCHASING POWER VARIANCE OF $10.60/HR RANGES FROM $8.65-$13.59 Higher COL, Lower PP Lower COL, Higher PP SOURCE: THIRD WAY
THE FAIRNESS PROJECT Partnered with The Fairness Project to help raise funds to support state-wide ballot initiatives in CA, DC and Maine. The Fairness Project is committed to promoting the use of ballot measures each election cycle to help millions of working families take action to improve their lives.
HOW DOES WORK? Encourage and bolster ballot initiatives focused on reversing economic inequality. Provide strategic resources and services to support campaigns. Create a national platform.
CAMPAIGN MAP Key Minimum Wage Increase Initiatives Across The Country $12.50-$14.75 by 2022 Oregon $9.25 to: Rural - $12.50 in 22; Suburban- $13.50 in 22; Portland - $14.75 in 22 $13.50 by 2020 Washington $9.47 to $13.50 in 20 (Seattle to $15 by 17-22) $12 by 2020 Maine $7.50 to $12 in 20 + tipped $15 by 2021 New York $9 to $15 in NYC by 12-31-18; $15 in LI and Westchester by 12-31-21 $12.50 Upstate by 12-31-20 $15 by 2022 California $10 to $15 in 22 Small Businesses by 23 $12 by 2020 Arizona $8.05 to $12 in 20 $12 by 2020 Colorado $8.31 to $12 in 20 $15 by 2020 Washington D.C. $10.50 to $15 in 20 + tipped
COLORADO AND DC- NOMINAL VS. CBO $16 $15 $15.00 $14 $13 $12 $11 $10 $9 $10.50 $10.50 $8.31 $12.50 $12.22 $9.31 $9.09 $13.25 $12.65 $10.20 $9.74 $14.00 $13.05 $11.10 $10.35 $13.66 $12.00 $10.92 $8 $8.31 $7 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Colorado Nominal Colorado CBO District of Columbia Nominal District of Columbia CBO SOURCE: THIRD WAY
WASHINGTON STATE - NOMINAL VS. CBO $14 $13.50 $13 $12 $11.50 $12.00 $12.29 $11 $11.00 $10.75 $10.98 $11.19 $10 $9.47 $9 $9.47 $8 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Washington Nominal Washington CBO SOURCE: THIRD WAY
LIVING ON MINIMUM WAGE CALCULATOR thefairnessproject.org
BUSINESS FOR A FAIR MINIMUM WAGE A national network of business owners, executives and business organizations that believe a fair minimum wage makes good business sense. The key group bringing pro-raise businesses into minimum wage campaigns and media. Founded in 2006, we educate, strategize, organize and publicize business support for fair minimum wage at federal, state & local levels. Participating businesses & business groups include: Major brands like Dr. Bronner s, Ben & Jerry's, Eileen Fisher, Earth Friendly Products, Seventh Generation, Organic Valley, New Belgium Brewing, Amy s, Beanfields, Badger & Alter Eco, for example; Business organizations like the American Sustainable Business Council, Green Business Network & Greater NY Chamber of Commerce; Thousands of small businesses across the country like Cambridge Naturals, Pi Pizzeria and MOM s Organic Market.
BUSINESS FOR A FAIR MINIMUM WAGE FEDERAL SIGN ON As business owners and executives, we support gradually raising the federal minimum wage to at least $12 by 2020. It s good for business, customers and our economy. Today s outdated minimum wage has far less buying power than it had in the 1960s. Stuck since 2009 at $7.25 an hour just $15,080 a year the minimum wage impoverishes working families and weakens the consumer spending at the heart of our economy. Sign on here: Bit.ly/BFMW12
OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT THROUGH BFMW Business sign-on statements BFMW online lists are the go-to place for media, policymakers, advocates & general public to see pro-raise businesses Media: Opportunities to talk with reporters and get your story into national and local press (print, TV, radio, online) Op-eds, Letters to the Editor and Video Press events with elected officials like business tours and news conferences Roundtables with business leaders and high-level policymakers Testimony at federal, state and local hearings Public speaking: Making the business case at conferences, minimum wage campaign events and other public forums Legislative outreach: Visiting lawmakers and lobby days Social media features and storytelling; retweets of our members stories & publicity from @MinimumWageBiz CREATING VARIED OPPORTUNITIES, PLUGGING YOU IN, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO MAXIMIZE YOUR IMPACT!
BFMW MEMBER EXAMPLE: DR. BRONNER S
BFMW MEMBER EXAMPLE: CAMBRIDGE NATURALS
BFMW MEMBER EXAMPLE: EARTH FRIENDLY PRODUCTS
WON T RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE DESTROY JOBS? Rigorous studies of actual minimum wage increases have shown that raising the minimum wage does not cause job loss (e.g., Institute for Research on Labor and Employment) Large meta studies (studies of studies) have found little or no discernable effect on employment." Source: Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) In the group of states that have raised their minimum wage in recent years, job growth has been higher than in states where the minimum wage did not go up. Source: CEPR and Integrity Florida For an overview of research on employment and business trends, see Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, Research Shows Minimum Wage Increases Do Not Cause Job Loss Source: Business for a Fair Minimum Wage; The Fairness Project
WHAT TYPE OF WORKERS ARE MOST AFFECTED? DOESN T RAISING JUST HELP TEENAGERS? Most low-wage workers are adults. 89% of the workers who would be affected by raising the federal minimum wage to $12, for example, are at least 20 years old. Source: Economic Policy Institute Many workers younger than 20 are working to pay for necessities, afford higher education or contributing to their family income. Everyone deserves a living wage. A large share of low-wage workers are employed in the food, retail, hospitality, service and agricultural industries. They are disproportionately African- American and Latino. Source: Business for a Fair Minimum Wage; The Fairness Project
WON T RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS? Businesses affected by minimum wage increases will see cost savings from lower employee turnover and benefit from increased productivity, morale, product quality and customer satisfaction as well as increased consumer purchasing power. This will substantially or completely offset the increase in payroll. Consumers may pay a marginal amount more for certain goods and services. Volatile energy and food prices have much more routine cost impact on businesses and consumers than minimum wage increases, which are generally phased in gradually over a number of years on a set schedule. Source: Business for a Fair Minimum Wage; The Fairness Project
BILLS IN CONGRESS Pay Workers a Living Wage Act (S.1832 & H.R.3164) Introduced in Congress. Phases in a $15 minimum wage by 2020, then adjusts it yearly to increase at the same rate as the median hourly wage. The tipped minimum wage will be gradually eliminated. SPONSORS: SENATOR BERNARD SANDERS (I-VT), REP. KEITH ELLISON (D-MN) 5 Senate co-sponsors, 48 House co-sponsors Raise the Wage Act (S.1150 & H.R.2150) Introduced in Congress. Phases in a $12 minimum wage by 2020, then adjusts it yearly to increase at the same rate as the median hourly wage. The tipped minimum wage will be gradually eliminated. SPONSORS: SENATOR PATTY MURRAY (D-WA), REP. BOBBY SCOTT (D-VA) 33 Senate co-sponsors, 174 House co-sponsors
IN THE MEDIA
WON T RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE IMPACT SMALL BUSINESSES MORE THAN IT WILL LARGE BUSINESSES? No, It s large chains that are more likely to pay employees bottom of the barrel wages. Raising the wage minimum wage will help level the playing field for smaller, independent businesses that invest in their workers and are more rooted in their local communities. Source: Business for a Fair Minimum Wage; The Fairness Project
RETAILER SPREAD $12.00
DR. BRONNER S Dr. Bronner s wages start at $17 for full-time workers We cap executive compensation at five times the lowest paid position We dedicate all profits not needed for operating our business to support and advance progressive causes We became a Benefit Corporation in July, 2015 and are a certified Bcorp We created a Living Wage statement Our second annual Sustainability Report can be downloaded here: bit.ly/allonereport_2016
LIVING WAGE POCKET GUIDE SOURCE 1: ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE 2. U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS INFLATION CALCULATOR 3. NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION 4: AFL CIO EXECUTIVE PAY WATCH
LIVING WAGE POCKET GUIDE SOURCE 5: NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT LAW PROJECT, CENTER FOR ECONOMIC AND POLICY RESEARCH, INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT, BUSINESS FOR A FAIR MINIMUM WAGE
RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE NOW!
LIVING WAGE STATEMENT
I-92 CASE STUDY Dr. Bronner s and 27 partner brands raised $2.5 million in 2014 to support Oregon s GMO labeling initiative (I-92) to fight the Grocers Manufacturers Association (GMA).
SPECIAL GMO LABEL
RETAILER PROGRAM Manufacturers collaborated with 60 natural food stores in Oregon to support Yes on 92, through: Education stations In-store signage Deals on select products Turn-key social media Campaign support kits were built and distributed to participating natural food stores. Campaign kits included: T-shirts & buttons Window decals, end cap signs, shelf talkers, bulk bin & freezer door signs Pocket guides Pledge cards & pledge card drop box Coupon books
I-92 RETAILER ACTIVATION
I-92 RETAILER ACTIVATION
I-92 EVENT PROGRAMMING Branded camper van toured retailer stores, festivals, farmers markets, events Founder/CEO video appeals Collaborated with Patagonia Portland, OR to create in-store signage National brand Alter Eco with campaigned branding Collaborated with Capella Markets to produce T-shirts for all staff
SALES LIFT Dr. Bronner s experienced significant sales lift running an off-shelf promotion communicating GMO Labelling support in 2013 and 2014. Forecasted sales lift by brands was donated upfront to support ballot initiatives. NO CAMPAIGN WASHINGTON GMO CAMPAIGN OREGON GMO CAMPAIGN NO CAMPAIGN OCT 2012 OCT 2013 GROWTH OCT 2013 OCT 2014 GROWTH OCT 2015 GROWTH NORTHWEST $40,528 $87,280 115.4% $87,280 $113,416 29.9% $87,163-23.1% TOTAL REGIONS $668,271 $932,878 39.6% $932,878 $1,170,012 25.4% $912,553-22.0% SOURCE: SPINS
FAIR PAY TODAY CAMPAIGN Integrate all communication platforms where possible to tell your consumers why Raising the Wage is important Add Fair Pay Today messaging to packaging Event, retail and sponsorship programming integration Integrated social media, web and company E-blast communication Create CEO/Founder video appeals Generate press releases, Op-Eds Lobby Drive consumers to donate to The Fairness Project to help fund ballot initiatives
DR.BRONNER S SPECIAL LABEL
ON-PACK MESSAGING
PRODUCT STICKERING
NEXT STEPS 1. Confirm participation to FairPayToday@drbronner.com 2. Sign-on to the Business for a Fair Minimum Wage federal statement at www.businessforafairminimumwage.org 3. Dr. Bronner s, Business for a Fair Minimum Wage and The Fairness Project will create a Fair Pay Now Download Resource Center where you will be able to download your Communications Toolkit 4. Dr. Bronner s will coordinate a Retailer Communication and Participation Strategy to encourage coalition build which will outline marketing support for retailers via a turnkey retailer-specific toolkit. 5. Dr. Bronner s will coordinate state-specific marketing opportunities with a donation drive to The Fairness Project
CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION! FairPayToday@drbronner.com Holly@businessforafairminimumwage.org Alissa@businessforafairminimumwage.org Ryan@thefairnessproject.org