4 Steps to become an ethical consumer

Contributed by Bekah Whitney

4 Foolproof Steps: Picking companies whose goals align with your values.

Step (1) Educate yourself about ethical practices and products and why it matters

Step (2) Determine your long and short term goals and values for your project. Planning is the key to unnecessary buying  

Step (3) Look at the different types of aid provided by each company.

Step (4) Utilize a professional design team that can help you maximize your efforts. 

Now let’s really dive in a little more. as it relates to you, the consumer. 

Step 1: Educate Yourself – Ethical consumerism and why it matters.

Ethical consumerism is purchasing items that are made by companies with practices and procedures in place that offset the negative effects of production. Companies that refuse to employ children, do not test products on animals, use environmentally friendly practices, and/or donate to people in need are some examples. When you give your money to companies that are dedicated to changing the world, you are directly promoting their cause.

As a consumer in today’s world, one is faced with numerous opportunities when purchasing. Consumers get to decide what is important to them when buying a product. Let’s say I’m moving into my dream home and the first item I want to purchase is a big comfy chair to read on in front of my giant windows overlooking the ocean. I have the opportunity to find the “perfect” chair with a quick Google search. I can select the cheapest, the most stylish, or the highest quality chair. I also have the ability to choose which company I want to support. I can pick the most popular, environmentally friendly, or ethically sourced brand. In the end, which item I purchase is determined on which values I hold as a priority. To help me narrow down the selections I can look to consumer reports.

When discussing ethical consumerism, 40% of polled consumers reported that they purchased a product based on a company’s social responsibility. (1) “There is a new dimension to civic duty that is growing in America—it’s the idea that we can serve not only by spending time in our communities and classrooms but by spending more responsibly. Consumers are starting to put our money where our ideals are.” (1) People want to  donate time, money or support for worthy causes and companies have a responsibility to take on the challenge of meeting this demand. 

Companies, especially corporations, have the power and resources to make large world impacts. Sustainably responsible owners and employees find causes that align with their values and make them a part of their company culture. When a consumer purchases a product from their company, they know they are supporting that cause. At Abigail-Elise Design Studio, our values are to positively influence the well-being of others and we make sure we choose products that serve that purpose. 

Step 2: Determine your own values and how they relate to purchasing.

Let’s go back to the example of the chair. There are so many different options to choose from as well as so many different companies with different values. So which is best? It may feel overwhelming but the answer can be quite simple actually! 

Write out a list of your morals and values. Decide which are the most important and make your final decision. The whole point of being a consumer is to find products that you will enjoy and make your life better that will be a good investment for the long term. Make sure the product you choose is something you really want and you aren’t settling for less on every level. Don’t be in a hurry to just get “stuff”. Create a plan, research and then take action. 

Step 3: Learn about the different types of aid companies provide.

Now it’s time to dive into the ways companies support humanitarian efforts! When looking at company websites it is hard to tell who does what mainly due to the fact. Humanitarian aid data is hard to measure (3). There can be many challenges with analysing this kind of data because not all work being done is easy to measure and compare. It can be overwhelming looking at several company pages and figuring out who does more. 

To help you understand we have listed out different types of Humanitarian Aid below to help you navigate and compare companies websites a little easier. 

Employment Based Aid 

“Employment-based aid seeks to provide sustainable systems of revenue to individuals in impoverished communities”(1). Employment creates liberation from dangerous work, creates opportunities for people to grow their skills and creates personal accomplishment. “Contrary to aid that provides one time giving or assistance on individual projects, employment-based aid provides continual and consistent humanitarian relief through regularly earned salaries.” (1) Jaipur Living is an example of a company that creates employment based-aid by employing untouchables in India. Visit their site to learn more about all the amazing impact they are making.

Tangible Goods-Based Aid  

Tangible Goods-Based Aid provides goods that are intended to relieve struggling individuals through the direct distribution of physical items such as clothing, water, and medicine.(1) These items can help increase health, education and community development. The Romo Group is a company that contributes to humanitarian efforts in Democratic Republic of Congo. They have helped build over 60 new schools, provided workshops for teachers, and provide a clean, disease free environment.

Monetary-Based Donation

“Monetary-Based Donations provide finances to pre-existing organizations to support a number of profound causes.” (1) This model may seem like a lazier approach to some, but donating money to an organization that is already set up and has an impact is huge. Trying to start from scratch can waste a lot of time and money that organizations that are humanitarian at their core can do so much good with. Accent Decor is one of our favorite partners who donates to organizations such as, Doctors without Borders, Feeding America and others. 

More Important Information 

So where do environmental causes fit with humanitarian goals? Many of today’s humanitarian crises combine economic, social, political, and environmental conflict, warranting the label “complex crises” (2). Therefore supporting the environment is considered an act of humanitarianism. Some examples that pertain to these types of practices are as follows: avoiding harmful chemicals, not exploiting child labor, environmentally sourcing products, etc. Greenington makes furniture only from bamboo, which is a very sustainable resource. Surya, who is one of our favorite partners, does not employ child labor and actually has a goal to eradicate child labor from the carpet industry in India which is, inspiring and worth noting. 

 

 

Step 4: There’s always the option to utilize a professional interior designer.

Whether it’s a client who likes to be green or a company that needs to make sure all their products are to a certain standard, requests for ethical products are not unique for designers. In fact many of the companies I have listed in this article do not sell to the general public and can only be obtained by a professional. 

Let our team at Abigail-Elise Design Studio take out the research and guess work for you. We are equipped to create your home with ethically sourced products, eliminating countless hours of research on your end.

Now it’s Time to Go Out and Create your Dream Environment.

Congratulations, you now know about ethical consumerism and why it matters. You have made a list of your morals, in order of importance, and a list of qualities your products must possess to fully enjoy them. You have educated yourself about the different types of humanitarian aid that a company can provide. Now it’s time to build a culture in your space that fits your lifestyle and values with or without help from a professional designer or design team.

If you love the ideas we’ve shared and are ready to start designing your next project give us a call 970.485.5228 or email wendy@aeinteriorsinc.com. We’re open and ready to start today!

Articles Sourced

1.  Hannah Lynch. “FASHION AS HUMANITARIAN AID” https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1353&context=honors
2.  Megan Schumann. Alex Haseley. Frank Clary. “Why supporting humanitarian aid makes business sense” https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/05/more-businesses-are-making-it-their-business-to-address-humanitarian-crises/
3.  Janice K. Kopinak. “Humanitarian Aid: Are Effectiveness and Sustainability Impossible Dreams?” https://sites.tufts.edu/jha/archives/1935