On "A Brush With Death: 5 Minutes On...," we spend 5 minutes providing listeners with quick insights
into various funeral trends, products, events, organizations, and goings-on.
About the Segment: In this segment, host Gabe Schauf is joined by Darren Crouch, President of Passages International. Darren provides a concise overview of what Passages International is all about and their mission to lead the funeral profession in sustainable, eco-friendly death care options.
Gabe and Darren discuss the rapidly increasing consumer interest in green funeral services and how shifting values are directly impacting the decisions families make in the arrangement room. Darren also highlights the specific role Passages plays in meeting this demand, offering innovative solutions like biodegradable urns and meaningful, earth-friendly options for cremated remains.
If you're looking for a quick, insightful look into the future of sustainable funeral service and how your firm can adapt to modern consumer focus, this 5-minute spotlight is for you.
Click here to learn more about Passages International
About Darren: Darren Crouch is the Co-Founder and CEO of Passages International, Inc., a global leader in eco-friendly funeral products and innovative memorial solutions. A recognized thought leader in the funeral profession, Darren has spent more than two decades advancing sustainable practices and helping funeral providers adapt to evolving consumer values. His insights on funeral service, sustainability, and changing memorial traditions have been published in The Director, The American Funeral Director, Funeral Business Adviser, The Cremationist, and ICCFA Magazine. He has also been quoted by major media outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.
Darren is a frequent speaker at national and international industry events, including the NFDA International Convention & Expo, ICCFA Convention, and the CANA Symposium. His leadership has helped position Passages International at the forefront of environmentally responsible funeral innovation. In 2022, Passages International was named a finalist in Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards in the Enduring Impact category. In 2025, Darren was recognized as a TIME100 Climate Leader, an honor highlighting influential individuals driving meaningful global progress on climate solutions.
Continuing his commitment to innovation in memorialization, Darren also launched Etern.life, a digital platform designed to help families permanently mark and share meaningful locations where a loved one’s ashes have been scattered.
Darren holds a BSc (Hons) from Manchester Metropolitan University in Manchester, England. He is a member of Vistage and currently serves as President of the Green Burial Council.