ANAHEIM, Calif. — In 2016, attendees at Natural Products Expo West asked for ways to join the fight against climate change.
Organizers at Informa Markets’ New Hope Network, which produces the event, realized that since tackling these challenges was so important to the brands they serve, it was imperative to give them the assistance they needed to make a difference.
The result was the formation of the Climate Collaborative, a nonprofit that provides resources for those in the natural products space who want to take direct action on climate change.
Since 2017, one of those resources, Climate Day, has primarily taken place at Natural Products Expo West.
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“We created Climate Day for all of those committed companies that were engaging with the nonprofit. We made Natural Products Expo West the meeting place for climate leaders within our industry to come together every year, celebrate achievements and get the latest education on which parts of our supply ecosystem have the most impact on climate mitigation,” Jenna Fitch, Senior Director of Community and Conference Content at New Hope Network, said. “It stemmed from this need in our industry to collaborate on a challenge that is much too big for any of us to tackle alone.”
According to Fitch, Climate Day was an inspiring experience for attendees — and a great way to start Natural Products Expo West 2026, which was held at the Anaheim Convention Center March 3–6.
On March 3, Climate Day allowed show attendees to learn about the latest research in effective climate mitigation actions, listen to inspiring keynote speakers and participate in workshops covering different tools companies can use for their climate action efforts.
Climate Day also debuted the Climate Leaders Awards Luncheon, which recognized industry movers and shakers making great sustainability strides.
People left feeling empowered by the information they received and ready to incorporate it into their own sustainability efforts alongside their peers in the natural products industry.
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“Everyone seems very committed to collaboration and [to be] really looking to our community to support each other, to learn from each other and to help each other succeed,” Fitch said. “We’re all working towards a similar goal of more accessible, healthy products that have a lesser climate impact. Coming out of Climate Day, people felt very supported and really appreciated that aspect of the day and programming.”
This support is only going to continue as more professionals seek guidance to boost the sustainability of their operations. In addition, Climate Day is a reflection of Informa’s own green goals.
“We are very committed as an event company to minimizing our environmental and social impact, or having a more positive environmental and social impact wherever we host events,” Fitch added. “This is an important part of our strategy and [so is] making sure that our community feels supported, and that they have educational resources onsite, as well as resources they can take home with them to build into their businesses throughout the year. We’re always trying to think about how to develop content and formats that meet attendee expectations.”
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