Mission, Vision and Core Values
PCO’s Vision:
A world where agriculture systems prioritize health, ecological balance, fairness and care.
PCO's Mission:
To uphold and advance organic principles and practices through certification, advocacy, and technical support.
PCO’s Core Values:
Our core values serve as a guide for how PCO works and makes decisions every day. Through our Core Values we recognize the interdependent relationships between all our stakeholders: certified clients, supporters and members, PCO staff and contractors, partner organizations, and the community and environment.
We keep people at the center of every action, interaction, and decision. We do this by:
- Caring intensely about our stakeholders and their ability to succeed.
- Showing deep respect for human beings inside and outside our company and for the communities in which they live.
- Listening well and seeking to understand before reacting.
- Being empowered to provide proactive solutions.
- Communicating in a clear and timely manner.
We promote restorative practices that improve the world for future generations. We do this by:
- Providing sensible enforcement and understanding how that impacts people, the environment, and the organic industry.
- Creating a network of support by connecting stakeholders to resources.
- Being an advocate for PCO and the industry – building trust in organics from the inside out.
Embrace transparency and integrity in all our work. We do this by:
- Embracing humility, owning mistakes, and honoring commitments.
- Actively welcoming and giving constructive feedback.
- Fostering a participatory workplace through inclusive discussion and decision making.
PCO strives to promote a work culture that promotes caring, purpose, and results.
At PCO, we recognize our role as an organic certifier within the larger agricultural system and we are committed to supporting and advancing just relationships with each other and the environment. PCO is committed to a world where certified organic agriculture is part of the solution. We are working toward a healthy environment for everyone.
Just as the organic movement was born of shared understandings and relationships amongst those committed to a vision, PCO will need the input and support of many voices to make meaningful impacts in the organic space. Organic is more than a set of standards. We see the organic movement as a web of relationships. Thank you for being a part of that relationship.