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Bill Benjamin: My background stems from strategic alliances work among America’s largest corporations, where I secured sponsors for major events and media properties. But I saw the light when I became a first-time father — and wanted to protect my new, pure baby boy. How could I do work that mattered — work that could make a difference in the life of my child?

I believe in Healthy Child’s mission to inspire parents to protect young children from harmful chemicals. So I decided to focus my expertise on aligning with companies who are trying to do the right thing…companies that we deem worthy to be named “Trusted Partners” on our website. But what is a trusted partner? Trusted Partners are companies that meet or exceed Healthy Child’s stringent quality standards and business principles. These are companies that are making concerted efforts to produce, manufacture, and market products that we believe to be healthy choices. Trusted Partners also are required to make a monetary contribution (donation to our 501 c 3 non profit organization). This is a form of fundraising for Healthy Child — since we rely on donations from all sectors to help pay our staff, create innovative programs and continue educating and inspiring change.

Trusted Partners support Healthy Child’s mission and amplify our message. Partners help us reach beyond what we could do alone — their assets such as product packaging, advertising, even “shelf space” at retailers, all help to extend our message to consumers. And, just as our partners help promote Healthy Child, we clearly help promote them as well. While some have argued that we’re now in the business of advertising, most people appreciate our recommendations. In fact, for well over a decade we educated parents without offering product recommendations. Over and over parents begged us to help them choose what was safer at the store. Learning the science was one thing, but having clear recommendations they could trust was the real help many were looking for. Shop Healthy is the result of this demand – and it’s still in its infancy, so bear with us as we continue to evolve. Interestingly, Shop Healthy is one of the most heavily visited areas of our website.

Still, our efforts aren’t just about educating consumers regarding their purchasing choices. These partnerships also involve working with companies and helping them improve — especially since government isn’t keeping up with the pace of chemical regulation. Currently, it’s up to us (companies and individuals) to create a safer marketplace. Through our relationships with companies, we have access and influence to key decision-makers. Based on our own standards as well as the comments and concerns expressed by our community of parents (like you), we offer recommendations for making these companies and their products even better.

Not every partner is perfect, but we recognize when they are committed to change and making strides to be better. This, again, is a part of the evolution of our efforts. When we first began, we sought only products that were as close to perfection as possible. Yet, most of the time those products also cost significantly more. Parents expressed their frustration at the lack of choice and affordability of our product recommendations, so now we are expanding to include more options. Sometimes we are rewarding companies who do not meet the expectations of some of our savvier community members, but let it be known that we are committed to helping these companies improve. And, oftentimes they need our encouragement and our patronage (our purchasing power as consumers) to galvanize the change.

We can’t shop our way out of our problems. Healthy Child advocates for a reduction in consumption and policy changes, as well. But, clearly we can’t avoid the market altogether. We are striving to forge a new alliance between consumers and companies – a symbiotic relationship where we all benefit – a system where your voices matter, not just your purchases. So, please let me know — reach out to me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) — suggest great products; give me feedback; try products. Do you know companies that are doing good work, making strides at human and environmental health? If so, send a message to consumers (and other companies alike) that health matters, and they need to get on the bus or be left behind.

The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of Healthy Child Healthy World.

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