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Core Values Blog Geddy’s Mom Proudly Honors Small Business, Big Hearts Philosophy JPMA interviewed Sarah Shell, Co-Founder of Geddy’s Mom, about the company’s outstanding commitment to JPMA’s Core Values and the importance of providing trustworthy products to parents. Here’s a snapshot of why Geddy’s Mom was selected as the recipient of the JPMA Core Values Small Business, Big Hearts Impact Recognition Award: Q: What is most important to Geddy’s Mom as it relates to corporate social responsibility? A: Education is at the core of Geddy’s Mom. We are a research-based company, a team of two doctors who studied the short term and long term results of the devastating injury that children can sustain from USB chargers. And we do not expect parents to know what we have learned. It is therefore our duty to empower parents with facts. And arm them with ways to mitigate dangers to their children. This is where our dedication to safety advocacy is most important. Be it with our safety products, or with information shared on social media and newsletters, we advocate to better provide a safe environment for children. Raising awareness of the dangers of USB chargers was and continues to be our focus – we continue to push for the gold standard electrical safety in the home. After robust education comes user experience. As a mom of little ones, I am a customer of this industry and treat my customers as I would like to be treated. With care and an understanding that there’s always more behind the scenes (especially for exhausted parents)– so a little bit of kindness goes a long way. We pride ourselves on the quick and gentle resolution of an unhappy customer. In these few instances, we have found two things work best: The first is initiating a conversation, which is beneficial to both us and them. This in and of itself has often led to a happy customer, whether they keep our product or return it. The second thing - when our product simply doesn’t satisfy them – we employ a pay-it-forward initiative. It’s a win-win for us and the customer, and a win for the environment. We simply ask them to pass the product forward to someone who they believe would put it to good use – and sending them a quick refund in the meantime. Q: How does Geddy’s Mom create a welcoming environment for the industry and parents alike? A: Geddy’s Mom is a nationally certified woman business enterprise (WBENC). We are not only woman-owned but woman-empowered in an industry dominated by men selling primarily to women. We are actively involved in the woman-owned business community and go to great lengths to work with other woman-owned companies with the goal of promoting and growing our place here. As a company, we embrace equality at all levels. My company speaks to my values as a woman, a mother, a friend of the LGBTQ+ community and a member of a culture often targeted by radicals. Safety, comfort, equality and acceptance in all that a child is and all that they are surrounded by - is at the core of our public voice. And if you follow us on social media, you will notice that we do not shy away from this voice. As you can imagine, now is a moment of unity for mothers, regardless of political, religious or social backgrounds. Mothers of the world are in tremendous pain right now., and as a mom-owned company dedicated to the safety of children, we have a heightened sense of responsibility – so on our social media, you will find we stand loud and proud for humanity. Q: How do you ensure consistently good manufacturing practices? A: Geddy’s Mom is exclusively made in the USA. We go to great lengths to work with engineers and manufacturers who actually care about the greater good that our product serves. That means any product failure inevitably means a child may be put in harm’s way. Which is why we are so incredibly hard to please when it comes to our contractors. We have our quality control protocols in place at the manufacturing plant, but we also have secondary quality control at our HQ – before any new production lot heads for customers, we do a secondary QC internally. We are especially diligent when working with a new team in order to set standards. Additionally, with every order, we require a material certification that ensures the material is safe. Geddy’s Mom recently joined forces with a 100% employee-owned manufacturing plant in the US for our Watch Your Mouth safety cover production – We were really excited about this because, aside from the great product they make, each employee is actually an owner, so they have a stake in the welfare of their company. This means they care about the success of their company, which for us translates to greater care and concern taken in the production of our product. If we succeed, that success inevitably transfers to their retirement plan. It also means there’s a company-wide effort to maintain quality standards and practices, communication and transparency. Q: How does Geddy’s Mom ensure trustworthy, accessible products to help parents safely care for their children? A: When it comes to baby proofing, a product should have two goals. The first: to keep a child safe. The second: to do so in a way that is simple and efficient. One cannot supersede the other. If it does, the result is either an unsafe product, or a product that is so unpleasant to use that it is quickly neglected. Either scenario results in an unsafe environment. Every detail of our product is the result of extensive research. The primary concern we have in our development process is mitigating a danger without causing another. There is incredible value in researching safety standards; not just to stay within them, but also to understand the basis of them. Once that structure exists, the user experience must be considered. Ironically, baby proofing products fall between the cracks of standards and certifications. There is no certification body in place for the majority of baby proofing devices, and finding official standards are quite difficult. At Geddy’s Mom we do a lot of digging to find ourselves safety guidelines to work within. In addition to collaborating with renowned engineers in the fields of medicine and electricity (where safety standards are in place), and within the framework of electrical safety standards and materials standards, we are able to carve out guidelines for our product development and testing. Material plays a large role in the safety of these products. From being able to support a living hinge, or withstand flexural forces, our material must also be safe for its purpose around children and heat exposure, must be certified safe with every production run, and must maintain its characteristics over time, all the while showing desirable esthetics. After all the above is achieved and we have a product that we are proud of, we immediately send it out for judgement by awarding bodies. Parents consider awards from specific sources a sign of trust and comfort. The Geddy’s Mom products have earned a ridiculous number of awards – many of which were the result of critical judging panels. We look forward to the critiquing of our products from respectable leaders in the industry like JPMA and PTPA. We most recently received the 2023 JPMA Innovation Award in safety, which holds great significance to us, and our customers. Q: In your mind, what is your impact on the industry and parents? A: We are still small so our impact is marginal, but growing steadily. We never lose sight of our primary focus: making modern day homes safer for children. But as a company grows, so does its greater responsibility. We are so honored to have received the JPMA Core Values Award – the plaque hangs in our office and is a constant reminder that while we are seen for the good things we seek to do, we have the responsibility on building on these values and constantly striving to do better. Because it matters. Naturepedic Offers Safer, Healthier, Cleaner Sleep for the Whole Family by Kayla Romanelli, Lead Content Writer, Naturepedic Published August 23, 2023 Like many stories, Naturepedic’s began small. In 2003, Board Certified Environmental Engineer Barry A. Cik was researching crib mattresses for his very first grandchild and couldn’t find a single option made without questionable chemicals, harmful waterproofing, potential allergens and hazardous flame retardants. Barry knew that he had to take action and create a safer crib mattress for his family and for families everywhere – and thus, Naturepedic was born. Today, the business has grown to offer certified organic mattresses and sleep accessories for kids (and parents, too!), and the mission remains the same: safer, healthier sleep. Safer, Healthier Designs Naturepedic believes that safer sleep starts with a safer mattress. Families can rest easy knowing that their Naturepedic mattresses offer the comfort of naturally occurring materials like certified organic cotton and wool, without questionable chemicals, polyurethane foam or flame retardants. The brand sources their materials according to strict environmental and labor standards, too. In fact, Naturepedic doesn’t use any materials that are not allowed by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) in any of their products. Naturepedic’s baby and kids collections offer safety features that go far beyond the materials. Both collections are manufactured without common allergens like latex across the board, and options made without wool are available for both baby and kids as well. Naturepedic crib mattresses adhere to CPSC guidelines for firm support and snug fit, with reinforced edge support for climbing toddlers, too. And seamless non-toxic waterproofing made with food-grade PE derived from non-GMO sugarcane prevents liquids from penetrating crib mattresses, protecting little ones from mold and bacteria growth for a safer, healthier, cleaner sleep. In addition, Naturepedic provides enhanced breathability options with an innovative approach that supports airflow without sacrificing hygiene or organic integrity. For kids, Naturepedic offers an award-winning mattress designed specifically for the potty-training days, as well as a firm, comfortable and supportive mattress that will last into the teen years. Better for People and Planet Organic sleep isn’t just safer and healthier – it’s more sustainable. Organic farming practices involve less pollution, soil erosion and energy usage; the lack of pesticides begets better soil quality and prevents chemical runoff into local water sources; and farming without GMOs generates more variety among plants, promoting biodiversity. In an effort to provide more transparency regarding its environmental efforts – something Naturepedic values – the brand publishes an annual sustainability report to share its progress, numbers and goals for the future. Naturepedic is also a proud 1% for the Planet partner, donating one percent or more of its annual profits to environmental causes and organizations. Naturepedic’s advocacy efforts don’t end there. Naturepedic is committed to fighting against toxic chemicals in consumer products to protect both people and planet, which means working alongside like-minded organizations working to make the world safer, healthier and more sustainable. The brand partners with kids health organizations like Kids for Saving Earth, Child Cancer Prevention Initiative and Children’s Environmental Health Network; organizations fighting against toxic chemicals in consumer products, including Only Organic, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners and The Organic Center; humanitarian and sustainable efforts such as Women’s Voices for the Earth, Humble Design and Green America; and so many more. From the Naturepedic Family to Yours Barry founded Naturepedic alongside his sons, Jeff and Jason, and the business is still family owned and operated today. “From our family to yours” is a major tenet of the brand’s messaging, and Naturepedic goes to great lengths to help its customers shop with comfort, convenience and confidence. From free shipping, free returns and risk-free sleep trials to customizable mattresses, vegan options and latex-free designs to education regarding topics in the organic, non-toxic and ecological spheres, being a part of the Naturepedic family is about so much more than just purchasing an organic mattress. It means being part of a community. Looking Forward Naturepedic is honored to receive the JPMA Core Values Best in Class Honorable Mention in 2022 from JPMA for its exemplification of the JPMA core values: customer care, diversity, equity and inclusion, integrity in manufacturing practices, philanthropy, safety and sustainability. The brand looks forward to its continued partnership with JPMA, working together toward safer, healthier, better products for babies and children. Regal Lager: A True Leader in Philanthropy Regal Lager, a distributor of high-quality baby and children's products, has always been committed to making and selling safe products and giving back to the community. Since launching in 1991, Regal Lager has partnered with amazing industry organizations and passionate non-profits to spread awareness to consumers about product safety, donate products to those in need, and raise much needed funds to help continue the hard work of our dedicated non-profit partners. In addition to product and monetary donations, over the years Regal Lager has helped non-profits make valuable connections with media and potential sponsors, and Regal Lager employees have even volunteered as registered CPST Techs at the local Safety Village Foundation to help install and check car seats to ensure children are properly restrained in vehicles. Regal Lager is very passionate about Safe Sleep. We have been longtime supporters of First Candle, a charity dedicated to reducing SIDS and providing bereavement support to parents through early miscarriage, pregnancy loss, and infant loss. We are part of First Candle's Safe Sleep Guardian Campaign and have pledged to only show images of babies sleeping in safe sleep environments on our websites, social media profiles and all marketing materials. We are currently partnering with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies and First Candle on their Let’s Talk Community Chats initiative that brings new parents together with doulas, lactation consultants and other caregivers to offer families education and support around safe sleep and breastfeeding, free of charge. In 2020, we released a custom rainbow swaddle in honor of rainbow babies, where we donated $5 from every purchase to First Candle, which totaled over $100,000. In 2021, we partnered with nationally syndicated radio show, The Bert Show, to donate 1,000 swaddles to Helping Mamas, a non-profit that provides essential baby items and period products to families in need. In 2022, we partnered with a local organization called Charlie's Army to provide products to pregnant moms-to-be during birth classes with a local hospital. Additionally, each and every year we donate thousands of products to numerous deserving organizations including Good+ Foundation which works to pair essential goods with innovative services to under-resourced families; Delivering Good, an organization who provides people impacted by poverty and tragedy with new merchandise to offer hope, dignity and self-esteem to at-risk children, families and individuals; and Harper Smiles, a non-profit dedicated to spreading awareness about child safety hazards both inside and outside of the home, especially with furniture tip-over prevention. We also participate in JPMA Safety Month every year to help educate today’s parents about juvenile product safety. We were honored to receive the JPMA Core Values, Recognition in Philanthropy Award in 2022 from JPMA for our contributions to the well-being of babies and young children as an active member in our community. It has been an honor to be part of JPMA throughout our years in business, both serving on the board and being members. Family is the best way to describe what Regal Lager does—we started off as a very small family-owned business and have grown into a larger family business. Throughout our growth over the past 30 years, serving families through our quality brands or helping families in need, family is always at the heart of what we do. Boppy’s Priorities for Outstanding Customer Care Includes Great Products, Personalized Responses, and a Knowledgeable Customer Service Team The Boppy Company is honored to be the recipient of the JPMA 2022 Core Values Impact Award in Customer Care. For over 30 years, Boppy has helped millions of parents feed their babies with the iconic and award winning Boppy® Original Nursing Support, formerly known as the Boppy® Nursing Pillow. With decades of company history, millions of products on the market and 250+ years of combined parenting experience from Boppy employees, the company understands how to deliver great customer care to expectant and new parents. It Starts When Products are Developed Personalized Reponses are Key Knowledge Provides Support Happy Boppy Customers “I NEVER fill out reviews . . . But I got to interact with Rachel from Boppy and am Totally impressed with this company’s service. I messed up my order and it was so easy to find a number and e-mail for customer service, leave a message and was responded to a hour or so !! Rachel swopped in and fixed MY mess and will forever have me suggesting this company!!” – Lori W. “I cannot thank you enough for all you are doing for us! This is just absolutely incredible. Most people think I am being dramatic when I talk about how important Logan’s Boppy is to him, or when I talk about how we don't know what we will do when it is no longer repairable. It honestly means a lot that someone understands how important this is.” – Melyssa R. Customer care is an evolving part of any business, and it is hard to measure. But when reviews like the ones above come through, Boppy knows they have the right priorities when it comes to taking care of customers. Chicco’s 3 Pillar Sustainability Initiative Results In a Positive Impact on People and the Environment Chicco is honored to receive the JPMA 2022 Core Values Impact Award in Sustainability for efforts to reduce the impact of our business on the environment. Sharing an eco-conscious ideology, Chicco is committed to creating reliable, easy-to-use baby products while prioritizing environmental impact. The Chicco Sustainable Parenting Initiative supports our commitment to act responsibly, respecting people and the environment, with an outlook to future generations. We know that parenting is about more than simply being parents; it is also about taking care of the future. Through the three pillars of our Initiative—Sustainable Product, Social Commitment and a Responsible Value Chain, Chicco is constantly working to deliver the best products, all the while considering our environmental impact and improving our community. Sustainable Products for a Positive Impact on People and the Environment Chicco Sustainable Products feature Clear, Comfort and Clean fabric innovations. Clear products are developed with innovative textiles that eliminate the need for chemical treatments added to the fabrics, all without compromising safety or comfort. Whether it’s through the use of organically grown materials or the implementation of innovative fabric construction, Clear products are designed to be gentler on the planet and children. These innovations include ClearTex®, our innovative fabric that’s free from added flame retardants while still meeting federal flammability standards, and products that feature 100% organic cotton fabrics. Learn more about sustainable product features from Chicco here. Chicco also offers an array of GREENGUARD Gold Certified car seats, bassinets, playards and strollers. When a product bears the badge of GREENGUARD Gold Certification, consumers can be assured it went through rigorous third-party testing to ensure low levels of chemical off-gassing. This is one more way we care about not only the safety of children but also the purity of the air they breathe. Social Commitment to Promote Employee Well-Being and Community Connections Part of our sustainability strategy is our Social Commitment efforts, which include fostering an environment of health and wellbeing for our employees and cultivating strong community connections. At Chicco, we know our products are the best when our employees are at their best. We take pride in our employees and the work they do. Chicco offers a well-rounded benefit program to ensure our employees are taken care of in and out of the office. From summer hours to maternity leave, we encourage a good work-life balance. Yearly company outings encourage employees across all departments to work together and build strong relationships. Additionally, Chicco provides a Volunteer Day to each employee every year to foster local volunteerism. Employees have volunteered with a variety of organizations, from local soup kitchens to foreign medical fields. Responsible Value Chain to Positively Impact Social, Environmental and Economic Scenarios Our Responsible Value Chain focuses on third-party certifications to ensure environmental stewardship throughout our supply chain. Chicco works with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified factories, showing our commitment to environmental management systems and innovative business practices. We also strive to incorporate sustainability through the entire value chain that positively impacts our supply chain partners and the environment. Chicco continues to be committed to developing products that ensure safety, durability and ease-of-use for a positive impact on people and the environment. Ergobaby Takes Great Strides To Ensure Differences are Represented, Celebrated, Valued, and Respected by Michele Ferren, Senior Director of People & Diversity, Ergobaby Ergobaby is honored to be recognized as a JPMA 2022 Core Values Impact Award recipient for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Alongside JPMA, we are focused on ensuring our work environments are welcoming and differences are represented, celebrated, valued, and respected. At Ergobaby, we believe that the bonds nurtured in early childhood foster a life of love and connection that can transform our world, and supporting a global society that is resilient, empathetic, anti-racist, and inclusive starts with having a community where all people can thrive. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Ergobaby is employee-led with the mutual support and sponsorship of executive leadership. Together, we strive to educate, learn, share, and most importantly, act responsibly together. Start with Core Values When we broadened our efforts in diversity and inclusion at Ergobaby, we firmly rooted the work in our core values - five short, but extremely impactful values from which we approach everything at Ergobaby. We particularly leaned into curious learning and valuing each other. Our employee-led DEI committee identified key areas to focus our work including business practices, communication, education, people and policy. Between our core values and focus areas, we had a firm foundation to build our DEI framework. For us, our DEI work has been much more than creating a workplace that allows employees to be themselves at work without fear, as that should go without saying. Our DEI journey has been about dreaming bigger and not only being proud of our products but the way we work – doing our part to better the world for future generations so that, as we say, “love carries on.” The Power of Imagery We recognize that the importance of diversity in our imagery and storytelling positively impacts how we and others see the world. We embrace differences in families, age, color, race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, and many other characteristics that make people unique. We are passionate about the stories we share and how we share them including packaging, photography, videos, our blog, and social media. One example is how we portray body types. One of the most amazing things about babywearing is that it is for every baby and every body type. We thoughtfully design for body positivity in our products and showcase that in our marketing. We believe caregivers and babies of all shapes and sizes should feel comfortable and confident when using our products and we demonstrate it visually. A Culture of Diversity & Inclusion In addition to being rooted in core values and demonstrated in marketing, we recognize our DEI practices must wholeheartedly be part of our culture. This past year, Ergobaby earned certification as a Great Place to Work. Our efforts in diversity and inclusion earned the highest ratings given by our employees in the area of justice - being treated fairly regardless of gender, race, age or sexual orientation. Weaving DEI best practices into culture takes more than policy - it takes education, communication, encouragement and accountability. We openly share our values and DEI philosophy with customers, distributors, retailers, vendors, candidates, and employees. With regards to learning and creating an open atmosphere, our executive leaders have been trained on DEI topics including having conversations about identities and experiences, unconscious bias, power, and privilege, allyship, and leading with DEI best practices. This past year, Petty Rader, Chief Growth Officer & Chief Legal Officer earned her credential as a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE)® with a plan for other employees to earn credentials. Ergobaby provides access to DEI learning resources to all employees in complex topics such as intersectionality, inclusion, types of biases, and how to challenge bias at work and in their personal lives. Love Carries On For 20 years, Ergobaby has been helping families bond, grow and thrive. Because of one woman’s dream to design a product to keep her baby close and safe, we grew into a company that has helped countless families on their parenting journeys. Over the years, we have applied our expertise in many categories for baby including carriers, strollers, nursing pillows, sleep products, and now the Evolve Home Collection, which features bouncers and highchairs. Diversity in talent and perspectives has enhanced our ability to innovate and introduce products and education to support parents in the joys and jobs of raising young children. We are incredibly proud of our community and the way we work, and we look forward to many more decades of adventure and bonding to come. To learn more about Ergobaby’s DEI efforts, you can view the Brand Impact Report: Ergobaby Brand Impact Report 2021/2022. Long-Standing JPMA Member Colgate Mattress Proves It’s Published January 11, 2023 JPMA interviewed members of the Colgate Mattress team about their commitment to safety, being a valuable participant in JPMA’s Certification Program, and the importance of providing trustworthy products to parents. Here’s a snapshot of why Colgate Mattress was selected as a recipient of the JPMA Core Values Impact Recognition Program: Q: Colgate Mattress has been a member of JPMA for many decades and a participant in JPMA’s Certification Program since 2020. How do you benefit from the Certification Program as it relates to consumer engagement/connection, program credibility, brand competition, and discounted testing costs? A: Colgate Mattress is honored to be recognized as the first participant ever welcomed into the JPMA Certification Program in the Full-Size Crib Mattress program. By using the JPMA Certification Seal, we communicate to our customers that our product has met the strictest safety standards in today’s marketplace. JPMA helps parents feel confident in choosing safe products for their babies—a mission we support with all of our company’s core values of integrity, loyalty, and honesty. – Richard Wolkin, Colgate Mattress Vice President Q: As part of the JPMA Certification Program, how do you take advantage of the compliance/support in navigating regulations? A: No topic is more near and dear to our hearts than the safety of children. That’s why our family has always chosen to use non-toxic barrier fabrics instead of harsh fire-retardant chemicals, as we aim to give parents peace of mind. The main purpose of JPMA Certification for consumers is to remove the safety-related guesswork from the buying decision. Colgate Mattress products not only meet but exceed federal flammability standards. Each crib mattress is put through a stringent testing program, ensuring a safe night’s sleep for parents and baby. As a founding member of JPMA, we’re proud to be recognized alongside other industry leaders in safety that have attained JPMA Certification. Since 1955, we’ve set out to provide parents and caregivers with the very best quality and safest crib mattresses made in the U.S. – Alan Wolkin, Colgate Mattress President Q: What’s your philosophy on safety? A: For three generations, Colgate Mattress has had unmatched standards to produce the highest-quality products and provide the most restful sleep so that parents can have peace of mind. We take pride in the durability, quality, and safety of our crib mattresses, which is one of the most important purchases a parent will make. A crib mattress is much more than a sleep surface—it’s a growth and development center. We believe in American ingenuity, craftsmanship, and integrity. To some, they are a lost art, but to us, they are simply our way of life. We care deeply about the proper development and safety of your child and stand behind every product we make. Our philosophy is simple: It’s what’s on the inside that counts. – Brent Wolkin, Colgate Mattress Operations Manager Q: What other certification programs do you participate in, and why is it important to your company to certify your products? A: Our family has always chosen to use non-toxic barrier fabrics instead of harsh fire-retardant chemicals to give parents peace of mind while not only meeting but exceeding federal flammability standards. All Colgate Mattress products are GREENGUARD® Gold certified, CertiPUR-US® certified, and CPSIA compliant. GREENGUARD Certified products must meet stringent chemical emission requirements. The CertiPUR-US® program is a voluntary testing, analysis, and certification program for flexible polyurethane foam. We use this third-party certification to ensure that our products address the unique sensitivities of children. Handcrafting the firmest crib mattresses is also very important to us. Newborns develop rapidly over the first two years, which is why our Colgate Mattress crib mattresses are designed to cater to an infant’s growth. During sleeping periods, an infant needs a firm, flat, even surface to maximize his or her development. This is particularly important when the infant becomes more active in the crib. They need a firm surface to provide the resistance as they begin to push up, turn, and eventually stand in the crib. – Alan Wolkin, Colgate Mattress President Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add about your safety practices or specific initiatives your company has undertaken? A: The Colgate Jumper, or CJ as he is affectionately known around our factory, is a revolutionary testing machine that simulates in eight hours what an insomniac toddler can do to a mattress in three years. Click here to see him in action! Colgate Mattress invented the CJ machine as nothing previously existed to define the safety and durability of crib mattresses. So, we created this technology and patented it in order to conduct our own safety testing with every new mattress model we put out. The invention and integration of CJ into our product development process reiterates our ongoing commitment to safety and to developing durable products. –Dennis Wolkin, Colgate Mattress Chief Operating Officer ABOUT COLGATE MATTRESS |
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We champion safer products for babies and peace of mind for parents.
