Craig Sams

Sustainability focused businessman, Craig Sams, has pioneered innovative strategies for successful products that are environmentally conscious. Best known as one half of the duo that founded Green & Blacks, Craig has been at the forefront of organic production and resource conservation for more than five decades. A testament to his commitment, Craig remains a sought-after advisor, tasked with educating big brands on being more environmentally aware. As a speaker, Craig combines his insights from successful business ventures with extensive experience in sustainability to ensure corporate clients are left with actionable and futureproofed strategies.

Gaining prominence within the corporate sphere in the early 90s, in 1991 Craig Co-Founded Green & Blacks with his wife, Jo Fairley. With a focus on quality produce, ethically sourced, Craig developed the first product to carry the Fairtrade mark and the first organic chocolate product. Ahead of the curve in his visionary business leadership, Craig’s dedication to providing a chocolate bar that was guilt-free, for the workers and the planet, has been him hailed as an authority in sustainability. Despite selling Green & Blacks to Cadbury in 2005, Craig has remained an essential advisor in the role of President and continues to champion fair trade, Maya Gold, award-winning standard products from the brand.

Throughout his life, Craig has always had a passion for organic growing, and in his personal life has reflected such values in growing his own vegetables, using ecologically balanced practices, and reducing food waste. His earliest business was a macrobiotic restaurant called Seed which quickly grew by demand into other areas including retail and manufacturing, to the brand Whole Earth Foods. He also published a book on his expertise called ‘Seed, the Journal to Organic Living’ which was one of the first of its kind. Craig has since published a further three books on organic living and his career experiences, with titles including The Little Food Book: You Are What You Eat, and Sweet Dreams – The Story of Green & Black’s.

As a respected authority, Craig has held such positions as the Chairman of the Soil Association, and Slow Food UK. Currently, Craig is the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Carbon Gold Ltd which aims to improve soil quality through biochar, and he is a director for beverage brands with a similar ethos to his own. A passionate advocate for greater sustainability, as a speaker, Craig empowers businesses to be more responsible, and futureproof their success with ethical policies and practices.