Our Role as Responsible Global Citizens

We are committed to helping to provide a sustainable environment for future generations.

Responsible Floral Sourcing

1-800-Flowers.com sources its direct-ship flowers from farms in the U.S. and abroad that follow socially and environmentally responsible practices as certified by industry-leading organizations, such as Rainforest Alliance, GLOBALG.A.P., Fair Trade, and others.

These certifications help verify that farms are protecting the environment by reducing waste, minimizing the use of fertilizers and pesticides, and prioritizing energy efficiency.

We typically visit our partner farms multiple times a year to verify they are following environmentally sustainable best practices and promoting fair and safe working conditions. In addition, all 1-800-Flowers.com plant suppliers maintain Phyto-sanitary certifications.

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Sustainable Agriculture

Our Harry & David brand has been growing Royal Riviera® Pears on its orchards in Medford, OR, since the 1920s. Farming and stewardship of the land is at the heart of the business, with these heirloom pears and exclusive Oregold® Peaches grown on more than 1,700 acres across the Rogue River Valley. We make it a priority to maintain agriculture best practices.

We reduce the need for chemical pesticides. Leveraging an integrated pest management program helps us achieve a balance between beneficial and harmful pests and organisms in our orchards.

Rows of blossoming orchards on a sunny day

We reduce pollutants in the air. We minimize the use of heaters and instead leverage 100+ wind machines to blend available warm air above the orchard and increase orchard temps as a first response.

An open field with thin, tall, white weather stations and mountains in the background

We maximize water efficiency. Harry & David uses weather stations to track real-time soil moisture data, so we can allocate water with precision and accuracy, minimizing waste.

A bee getting nectar from a white flower

We care for the ecosystem. Harry & David has worked with seasoned beekeepers for over a decade to supply as many as 1,500 hives to pollinate our orchards in Medford. We also support beekeepers in between seasons. Our fallow land provides safe forage and access to water to support hive health throughout the year. This gives the beekeepers the opportunity to build up their colonies prior to the harsher winter months and be ready for the next season.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

To support the e-commerce volume of more than a dozen brands in the floral, food, and gifting space, the company maintains several distribution centers and manufacturing sites.

Our largest volume of recyclable material is corrugate, which comes into the facilities as packaging for raw materials and leaves through recycling programs.

In 2021, the company tracked recycling for 5.3 million pounds of corrugate.

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Two boxes of Cheryl's Cookies on a conveyor belt

A spread from the Harry & David catalog showing peaches and pears

A printing machine at PersonalizationMall.com printing an order that will be transfered onto a product

A box of seven large pears, with one in gold wrapping, from Harry & David

Cheryl’s Cookies evolved an efficient and practical program to reuse corrugate back-and-forth between its separate baking and shipping facilities. Cookie cases are reused to transport cookies back and forth between the locations at least five times.

Our catalog print facilities for Personalization Mall, Harry & David, Cheryl’s Cookies, Wolferman’s Bakery, Stock Yards, and The Popcorn Factory have recycling operations for scrap metals, cardboard, pallets, shrink-wrap, printing plates, and ink.

Hazardous materials such as solvents and inks are reclaimed for recycling or reuse. Low volatile organic compounds and alcohol-free fountain solutions are also utilized, and computer-to-plate technology is the standard plating process.

Harry & David has made great headway in reducing its use of foam – which had traditionally been used to ensure its famous pears were delivered safe and sound to gift recipients. Since 2015, we have been replacing foam with recycled paper padding, filled with recycled macerated paper.

Clean Energy at Obetz

Our Obetz, OH, distribution center is 100% powered using wind energy. This avoids more than 5.6 million lbs. of CO2 greenhouse gas annually – equivalent to more than 6 million miles driven by an average passenger vehicle or saving 3,005 acres of U.S. forests in one year.

Paper

We are focused on decreasing our paper use more and more every year. Harry & David leads the way with a 31% decrease in overall catalog paper purchased since 2016.

When we purchase corrugate to ship our Harry & David, Cheryl’s Cookies, Wolferman’s Bakery, Stock Yards, and The Popcorn Factory products to consumers, or when we purchase printer paper for those offices, we work with paper and corrugate suppliers that agree to strict environmental criteria.

Responsible Sourcing

Wood fiber generally must come from forests managed for sustainability, with no paper containing wood fiber from endangered old growth or endangered forest ecosystems, and paper must be made of at least 10% post-consumer waste.
Suppliers must have measurable targets to increase the quantity of fiber from third-party certified forests.
A certified “Chain of Custody” procurement system is required of manufacturers to ensure accurate reporting of the origin of wood fiber.

Reducing Ecological Impacts

Paper suppliers must limit the use of chemicals and herbicides and use compounds with low ecological impact.
Paper suppliers must participate in the EPA's Climate Leader program (or similar programs with comparable targets) to reduce emission of greenhouse gases and measure and record progress.

Supporting Reforestation

Paper suppliers must re-forest every acre of land harvested in compliance with sustainability certifications from organizations such as the Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forest Initiative.