Registration is now open for the 2026 SHI Learning Lab.
These Learning Labs provide the foundation for the collaborative work that is the heart of SHI. We explore how to bring the values at the heart of herbal medicine—reciprocity, respect for the aliveness of plants, relationship—into the work of sourcing and producing products made with these plants.
Key Questions
For stakeholders in the botanical industry, this virtual Learning Lab will explore:
- How can medicinal plant sourcing enhance global wellbeing?
- How do we cultivate true respect for plants, people, and planet?
- What systemic changes are necessary?
- How can we collaborate to drive meaningful transformation?
Outcomes
This Learning Lab offers professional development for those working in the herbal products and dietary supplement industry and develops a foundation for the relationships that are the heart of ongoing collaboration within the herbal products industry. Participants will leave with:
- Relationships with a community of peers for ongoing collaboration and problem-solving
- A framework, process, and practices for assessing and implementing sustainable and ethical practices within your company
- New ways of thinking about what we do and why we do it, including metrics and assessment tools for evaluating sustainability in medicinal plant supply chains
- Access to case studies and tools from past SHI initiatives that can be adapted to your context
- Space for personal reflection about the role you want to have in the future of the industry
Participants will also receive access to session recordings and a resource library for 90 days following the program.
Facilitators
The series will be co-facilitated by SHI Director Ann Armbrecht and Julie Arts, a senior Faculty member and consultant with the Presencing Institute, which offers a model of awareness-based systems change that works at getting to the root causes of systemic change and identifying key steps to address those issues.
This Learning Lab is an excellent opportunity to bring in more employees of current SHI member companies and for potential new SHI members to experience the work we are doing.
“Several members of the Banyan Botanicals team have participated in the SHI Learning Lab, and we have all found it invaluable to our work. The Learning Lab fosters clarity in our respective roles, encourages us to operate with deeper integrity, and helps us articulate and live into our core values. It also creates a meaningful space to learn from others in the industry and apply those insights in our day-to-day work. Perhaps most importantly, it brings us together and provides a unifying thread within an increasingly complex botanical industry.”
—Tyler Wauters, VP of Herbal Affairs at Banyan Botanicals
Structure
4 virtual sessions (please commit to attend at least 3 sessions and to make up any you miss)
- The Learning Lab includes 8 hours of live sessions
- Dates: Jan 27, Feb 3, Feb 17, Feb 24
- Time: 11am – 1pm ET, meet via Zoom