“We have neglected what science now sees as the foundational human superpower – of cooperation and collaboration – that has in fact always powered our species’ advance.” – Krista Tippett
When Terry Youk and I interviewed Dr. Tieraona Low Dog for our documentary, Numen: The Healing Power of Plants, she talked about the medical model by describing a visit to a doctor’s appointment:
“You can’t have relationships that are meaningful in six and eight min office visits. You cannot. Physicians aren’t happy with it either. In six minutes, if a patient comes in, tells you their problem and you have six minutes to fix it, what is your treatment going to be? Diet? Breathing exercises? Stress management? The use of herbal formulations? Or a drug? I mean which fits the model?”
The same can be said for the herb industry and sourcing. Each herb has different requirements for growing, harvesting, drying, and processing. They are sourced from different parts of the world which face different environmental, economic, and, increasingly, political challenges. Often one or two people are responsible for sourcing anywhere from thirty to several hundred ingredients.
What fits the model?
Deep, long-term relationships with suppliers you know by name and visit every few years? Or buying through an ingredient supplier or broker who can handle everything for you? For most companies, what actually fits the model is buying through brokers which can offer limited or no visibility into where the herbs are from and how the plants and people have been treated.
At the Sustainable Herbs Initiative, we talk about shifting from those transactional relationships to ones built on trust and respect. But that shift isn’t overnight. It costs time and money upfront, and it can be challenging to know how to begin.
The SHI Toolkit 3.0 self-assessment is a great place to start. It helps you clarify where you stand today, what’s working and what’s broken in your current relationships, and what actually matters to you going forward. The self-assessment is chapter 3 of the SHI Toolkit 3.0, but it’s designed as an entry point. Once you map where you stand, you’ll be able to then plan how to address everything from fair pricing to supplier relationship health.
Download the assessment. Fill it out with your team. See where the real barriers are and make a plan to address them.