Common Good - A BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions Film

Our patterns of consumption connect us to people and places all over the world. The BBC StoryWorks Commercial Production’s new film, Common Good—which we took part in—tells these stories, focusing on businesses showing up to the belief that we can and should make those connections meaningful catalysts of positive impact. 

To tell our story, Guatemalan cardamom farmer, Joselito Chen, takes us all the way back to the very beginning: Mother Earth. For generations passed and—he hopes—to come, his family has been growing cardamom.  “I grew up with cardamom,” he says.  These plants aren’t just his crop; they’re his family members. But, like most labors of purpose and passion, this one is difficult and is being made harder by rapidly changing farming conditions. Factors like drought and years of monoculture paired with increasing global demand means trying to extract more from less-productive land.  

With cardamom being one of our largest volume ingredients, our responsibility to positively impact this industry felt clear. We’ve made a three-year, $120,000 commitment to partnership with Nelixia, who, through technical, educational, and material resources, supports cardamom growers in migrating from monoculture farming to agroforestry practices. The theory behind this work, in short, is that biodiversity is regenerative: of the land’s fertility and of generations-old ways of life.  How do we know for sure that this work is having the intended impact? We visit the farms. We build community with the stewards of the land, learning from them, and following their lead on preserving the quality of our treasured ingredients.  

Whether we grow tea ingredients or simply enjoy drinking them, we believe that having a reciprocal relationship with Mother Earth creates cycles of abundance that provide resiliency and stability for all of us. Every box of Yogi Tea contributes to the movement we’re creating towards a more sustainable, equitable world. And we—all of us in the community of Common Good-focused businesses —are grateful for your support. 

Check out the full film here.

This story represents one of many in our years-long history as a certified B Corp. Learn more in our Annual Sustainability Report.