Corporate Sustainability in Practice: Benchmarking, Innovation, and Strategy at Tillamook
This summer, Roxy and Karina relocated to Portland, Oregon to join Tillamook’s Stewardship team where they gained hands-on experience in corporate sustainability. They were tasked with research and scientific communications work, helping the team translate technical findings into actionable insights. Their projects included benchmarking competitors and customers, evaluating renewable energy options for Tillamook facilities, and researching dairy cattle feed additives to reduce methane emissions.
A main goal of their fellowship was to understand how sustainability metrics and operational data are integrated into strategic planning and investment decisions. They identified both challenges— such as data limitations, gaps in industry reporting, and operational constraints— and opportunities, including adoption of innovative feed additives, renewable energy solutions, and shifts in reporting practices. Their work provided the Stewardship team with researchbased recommendations to advance sustainability initiatives and support informed decision-making.
Roxy and Karina’s Impact:
- Conducted benchmarking analyses of competitors and customers to assess sustainability strategies and improve scientific communications
- Researched renewable energy options for facilities and evaluated potential environmental and financial impacts
- Investigated existing dairy cattle feed additives to identify opportunities to reduce enteric methane emissions in Tillamook’s supply chain (Scope 3)
- Delivered final presentations with recommendations to Tillamook’s Stewardship team
