environment

Fair Trade and Home Decor

Robert Borneff Marketing , , , 0 Comment
Fair Trade and Home Decor

In times when one food scandal chases the next one and when the news is covered with reports about miserable working conditions and accident disasters in various countries of textile and furniture manufacturing, consumers are increasingly unsettled.

The Movement

“Good” products are no longer measured by their attributes, but by the stories they tell and their socio economic footprint. Trust is not a given fact, but has to be developed continuously and through transparency companies can establish confidence among their customers.  What emerges is a new type of critical customer that knows his power in a world of sharing and social media. The closer a product is to the body, the more sensitive the customer reacts.

The movement of “Fair Trade” is growing globally. It is the need for certified products in which people can believe in. On the one hand,  because it is important where products and their components come from. On the other hand, it also matters that there was value added in the region of production. Environmental protection, resource efficiency and corporate social responsibility change the economic system in the long term. Growth in the future will be generated by a new mix of economy, ecology and social commitment.  Certainly this also opens a multitude of possibilities for cheating and the fake environmental promotion (Green washing).  That subject will be left for another post here on Jazzy Jobber.

The Opportunity

For a long time Fair Trade products were limited to crafts and coffee, but as the Wall Street Journal recognizes in an article in 2015, “Fair Trade becomes a Fashion Trend”. And by the way, it’s not just fashion, but also home decor.

For companies in the Home Decor industry working with fair trade products may be a way to be different from the competition. It also shows that the company cares about social standards and sustainability. This can lead to gaining new customers who appreciate the added value of Fair Trade products. Last but not least, Fair Trade is an interesting growth market and the demand for fair trade products is rising.

Sources:

  1. Fair Trade – Von der Nische zum Trend; Zukunftsinstitut 2016

https://www.zukunftsinstitut.de/artikel/fair-trade-von-der-nische-zum-trend/

  1. “Fair Trade“ becomes a Fashion Trend; The Wall Street Journal 2015

https://www.wsj.com/articles/fair-trade-becomes-a-fashion-trend-1436307440

 

Corporate Social Responsibility

Robert Borneff Marketing , , , 0 Comment
Corporate Social Responsibility

In one of my last posts (“Transparent Marketing”) I was talking about the importance of an open and honest business approach. To gain the trust and establish rapport with customer a business has to send truthfully and reliable messages to their customers.

In this post I want to show what influence the internal actions and policies of a company have on its public relations. I am talking about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

A couple of years ago it was more or less up to a company how it was acting and what values it was representing. Thanks to modern communication technology everyone stands in the spotlight. Customers are rewarding companies with more sales for their social responsibility. For example in our community Kroger supports local Non-Profits and the people appreciate that. On the other hand Lumber Liquidators almost collapsed over allegations it would use wood from illegal sources.

Companies that share the the concerns of their customers have a positive impact. And it’s not just big corporations with large marketing budgets that can promote their intentions of doing good. Also small local companies can benefit from supporting a good cause. Here are some examples:

  1. Acting responsible

Customers reward companies that practice good business culture. Being known as  a good employer for example also creates trust in customers. Companies which are thoughtful with their garbage and emphasize recycling show that the earth is important to them. This also counts for efforts to save water and energy.

Responsible companies also show that they care for their customers in offering products that are made out of environmentally friendly materials.

  1. Support the community

Customers like companies which are engaging in the local community and support organisations that provide provide assistance locally. Here are just a few organisations that appreciate support financially but also donated volunteer hours:

-Habitat for Humanity    -Refugees Centers   – SPCA         – Schools and Day Cares

  1. Support of organizations that promote sustainability and fair business culture

Here are four organizations in the furniture industry that stand for Corporate Social Responsibility .

The Sustainable Furnishings Council is a coalition of manufacturers, retailers and designers dedicated to raising awareness and expanding the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices across the home furnishings industry.

  • Better Business Bureau                  bbb.org

BBB helps people find and recommend businesses, brands and charities they can trust.

  • GoodWeave                                       goodweave.org

GoodWeave is helping children in the international rug industry by certifying child-labor-free rugs

  • Forest Stewardship Council           fsc.org

The Forest Stewardship Council sets standards for responsible forest management. A voluntary program, FSC uses the power of the marketplace to protect forests for future generations.

 

In this context in want to close with a quote of Warren Buffet:

Look for three things in a person: Intelligence, energy, and integrity. And if they don’t have the last one, don’t even bother with the first two.

 

Sustainable Living

Robert Borneff Lifestyle , , , 0 Comment

There is a lot of talk about sustainability in the past years.  What is sustainable?  And how do we measure it?  Is it really only about nature and endangered species?

As a forester I am following the discussion about sustainable forestry for more than 15 years.

A core question is: How can you responsibly use wood for construction, woodworking, furniture and even paper products, without damaging or destroying valuable ecosystems?

Wood is one of the few building materials that can grow back providing beautiful forests (unlike concrete, steel, Aluminum, plastic). If used locally, it has one of the lowest carbon footprints. And finally, if wood is not treated with dangerous chemicals, it can be easily reused and recycled.

Independent from the question of how to provide a reliable system that guarantees sustainable forestry it’s interesting to note that most people in our society are not directly connected with this subject. It’s about wild animals, swamps, nice mountains but not about daily life. I want to discuss here, how sustainable living has an influence on most people every day, no matter if they live in the city or in the country.

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