Our work is rooted in service to both people and planet, guided by values that shape everything we do: what we make, how we make it, and who we stand with. Sustainability, justice, and advocacy are not side projects. They are the foundation.
At World Centric, we live by Integrity, Community, and Excellence. Always striving to do better.
It started in 2004 with a single cup made from sugarcane waste. One small object in a world drowning in plastic, extraction, and excess. We knew a cup would not fix the system, but it challenged us to imagine one that could.
Doing the right thing, not the fast and easy thing. We can debate what “right” means. What we won’t debate is whether profit should override principle. It shouldn’t. That stance costs us. We accept that cost. Integrity means transparency about our limitations, refusing to greenwash our impact, and stating clearly: we are trying, we are learning, we are not there yet.
Two communities depend on us. We owe both our full effort. First, the grassroots organizations we support. They do frontline work addressing root causes of social and environmental crises. Our business exists, in part, to resource their work. Second, the people who work here. We do the internal work required to support growth, retention, and belonging. Not through perks or platitudes, but through creating conditions where people can do meaningful work and stay.
Never settling. Never getting complacent. Always striving to do better. Excellence is not perfection. It’s the discipline of continuous improvement. It’s asking whether our products actually advance circularity or simply participate in disposal culture with slightly better materials. It’s questioning whether our partnerships truly resource justice work or simply make us feel good. Excellence feeds integrity and community. Without it, our values become stagnant declarations rather than living commitments.
These certifications reflect our core values: integrity in how we operate, community in who we work with, and excellence in the standards to which we hold ourselves. We participate in coalitions advancing circular systems and supply chain equity. We submit to external audits, collaborate with industry partners on systemic packaging challenges, and maintain memberships that hold us accountable to measurable environmental and social standards.
B Corporations are for-profit companies certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
1% For the Planet is a global network of businesses that donate 1% of annual sales directly to approved environmental and sustainability nonprofit organizations.
The NMSDC advances business opportunities for Asian, Black, Hispanic, and Native American suppliers and connects them with corporate members.
The US Composting Council advances compost manufacturing, compost utilization, and organics recycling to support composting infrastructure nationwide.
The Green Sports Alliance promotes sustainability in sports by partnering with leagues, teams, venues, and events to reduce environmental impact.
EcoVadis assesses corporate sustainability performance across environmental, labor, ethics, and sustainable procurement practices through independent evaluation.