Whole Foods

When I was thinking about an organization which i interact with it often, the first thing that crossed my mind was Whole Foods. I like their environment and how easy is to find variety of goods in that store, also, it is very convenient to find them wherever you go.

Something I found out about Whole foods was how they are trying to aware the costumes where their product come from, this is a social responsibility with their costumes. They also export their good from all different places, giving it such a unique perspective.

Another interesting fact about Whole foods is their Team Member Volunteer program, people can learn about the products suppliers source for sale, experience the culture and history of another community learned about the transformative power of microcredit and many other benefits.

One thing that I would like to point it out, is that Whole foods products are held to a sustainable standard not just by its ingredients, but the impact it has from sourcing to disposal. they have a strategy to prevent and divert food from entering a landfill, which includes donating millions of pounds of perishable and nonperishable foods to food banks and food rescue agencies across the US.

In conclusion, Whole Foods positioned itself to their costumers that they are worried and aware of sustainability, otherwise, if we think about all those varieties and exporting and importing those products, the  ships and transports them from far distances result in environmental pollution.

Whole Foods

When I was thinking about an organization which i interact with it often, the first thing that crossed my mind was Whole Foods. I like their environment and how easy is to find variety of goods in that store, also, it is very convenient to find them wherever you go.

Something I found out about Whole foods was how they are trying to aware the costumes where their product come from, this is a social responsibility with their costumes. They also export their good from all different places, giving it such a unique perspective.

Another interesting fact about Whole foods is their Team Member Volunteer program, people can learn about the products suppliers source for sale, experience the culture and history of another community learned about the transformative power of microcredit and many other benefits.

One thing that I would like to point it out, is that Whole foods products are held to a sustainable standard not just by its ingredients, but the impact it has from sourcing to disposal. they have a strategy to prevent and divert food from entering a landfill, which includes donating millions of pounds of perishable and nonperishable foods to food banks and food rescue agencies across the US.

In conclusion, Whole Foods positioned itself to their costumers that they are worried and aware of sustainability, otherwise, if we think about all those varieties and exporting and importing those products, the  ships and transports them from far distances result in environmental pollution.

One of my favorite stores is Zara. This store is a clothing and accessories retailer that managed its projects to spread its products globally. ZARA, a brand of the Inditex Group, is a vertically integrated retailer, which means that they control the design, manufacturing, and distribution of all its products worldwide. Their market targets women, men, and children of almost every age. The firm, being a fast fashion industry, sets its objectives to protect society and environment by introducing eco-stores, recycling processes, and energy saving appliances. In fact, their core values support their contribution to the sustainable development of society and the environment in which we interact. However, the company was pointed out by several ethical issues.

In order to be a sustainable company, sustaining activities without adding problems to the environment, Zara created a program called “closing the loop”. This program consists of creating a life cycle for their products where resources are used so efficiently that no waste is created. In other words, it is to make sure that no textile items get dumped into landfill, which causes pollution and is bad for the environment. The process consists in collecting, reusing, and recycling old garments. This is when their customers drop off their pieces of old clothing or accessories to their stores and the company sends them to the recycling factories. The garments usually undergo a process called ‘repair, resale or recycle’. In addition, to show the public that its social responsibility is essential, and how dedicated they were to this program, ZARA collaborates with non-profit organizations, recycling companies, textile manufacturers and recycling technologists.

An organization being socially responsible, and sustainable leads to success, but at the same time ethical issues can lead to negative consequences. Zara, according to some websites’ evaluation, is acting unethically in many fields. For instance, their Code of Conduct for Manufacturers and Suppliers states that they follow the strict laws of “working hours are not extensive” and “wages are paid”. However, in 2017 some news was spread that young workers in Istanbul were being forced to work extensive hours without being paid their wages or compensated. Another ethical issue arose when a report by the Clean Clothes Campaign stated that ZARA sourced products from Chinese factories that sandblasted jeans, even though ZARA promised to end the practice. Also, Zara’s Animal Welfare Policy bans fur, and angora in their clothing products, but the company still uses wool, leather, and exotic animal hair. This caused ZARA to be questioned for their policies which also caused the change of the brand image in customers eyes. In fact, many people stopped buying their products as they felt deceived.

A company the more transparent it is the more successful, trusted and loved it is. Based on some research, I would recommend, in order to avoid unfavorable situations and critics, that the firm, Zara, should avoid ethical issues such as misleading customers, and be more socially responsible. Since the company’s products are highly demanded by its customers, they should introduce 100% eco fabrics components in their clothing and abandon polyester, cotton, and linen in order to reduce pollution. They definitely should act ethically and avoid violating the Code of Conduct by introducing new key management initiatives in order to not only succeed at any cost but to make employees feel comfortable and happy at the workplace. Rewarding employees based on their productivity could be beneficial for both the company and employees.

In conclusion, Zara being a very expanded organization reached major countries with its products. Ethical issues were recognized in the past years during the company’s operation. Unethical actions come to the surface having a negative impact on the firm. However, Zara created a program to protect the environment showing social responsibility. Is very hard to deal with so many things being a big company such as Zara, but it is very important to not ignore rules in order to succeed.

One of my favorite places to shop for clothing is Madewell. I love the neutral color palate they go for and how there are many conveniently located stores in the city.

Something I realized from the very beginning is how dedicated Madewell is to reducing their carbon footprint. There are always posters in their stores recommending customers to trade in their used denim and jeans. You can also buy used denim on their online store where they recently launched a resale program called Madewell Forever. I also feel confident buying new jeans from them because they partner with Fair Trade USA, so I know the denim is sustainably sourced.

On Madewell’s website, they share yearly reports on how and what they did. In their 2021 report, which is 44 pages long, they share how they were named “Corporate Equality Index- Top Place to Work” by the Human Rights Campaign for their third year in a row. In this same report, they also boast their upcycled partnerships, where they help keep the excess fabric in use. These long, detailed reports demonstrate their transparency with not only their employees but their customers!

I don’t feel as guilty shopping at Madewell as I would at other mainstream fashion stores, such as Shien or H&M. They focus on better-quality, longer-lasting clothing, with lower prices than their sister brand, J-Crew. Of course, Madewell still has a long way of improvement to go, and they acknowledge that. In their 2021 report, they share how they want to have 100% sustainable packaging by 2025. They also pledged to go carbon neutral by 2030.

If I was able to make a recommendation in their goal to reduce their footprint and have a more sustainable business, I’d tell them to stop using wool, leather, and animal hair in their accessories and designs. Leather and the toxins used for tanning cause extensive pollution. I don’t think it’s necessary to use animal skins and hair in this day and age when businesses have access to lots of naturally grown resources.

Overall, Madewell focuses on reducing its carbon footprint and helping customers have access to more sustainable fashion while also staying trendy and relevant.

As someone who is always on the go with little free time, online marketplaces are a go to resource I rely on for everyday products. Around three years ago I ran into an ad for Grove Collaborative, a one stop shop for everyday products that have been ethically sourced to be sustainable, eco-friendly and cruelty free. They allow their consumers to do their part in helping our environment without having to do to the heavy lifting.

Grove Collaborative’s marketplace includes household cleaning supplies, ethically sourced beauty and personal care products and my personal favorite, the latter for children too! Grove is on a mission to become 100% plastic free by 2025, they partner with likeminded small companies to better expand and pursue their efforts. They’ve created program like “Beyond Plastic” and making returning their recyclable products directly to them convenient and will even send you a prepaid label to do so.

Their quest is one I personally admire and being a consumer for only three years, I’ve watched them enter mass market stores like Target and grow their message through educating their buyers with articles and advertising. I’d love to see more pressure applied on all companies, consumer products and audiences with more marketing campaigns and seminars on how to effectively source and make better choices outside of their platform.

The company truly allows its consumers to feel as though they’re contributing to the cause, which they are because the environmental change starts small, at home, with us and our everyday choices. Grove Collaborative is based on ethical and social responsibility and I’m eager to see where they go.