One of the statements from B Corp that I consider especially powerful is, “the absence of transparent standards…makes it difficult for all of us to differentiate between a ‘good company’ and just good marketing”. In the textile industry this is sadly true with the trend toward “green” apparel. Recently, an article in The Financial Times was headlined: “Gene modified cotton from India tagged as organic cotton”. Not only is gene modified cotton not organic, it is destructive. Tests have proven that pollen can travel up to 50 meters, which means this cotton can also contaminate non-gene modified fields. Working with Helvetas, the Swiss Aid and Development Organization, hessnatur has been monitoring cotton seeds since 2005. To us, labeling gene modified cotton as organic is outrageous.
This is not the only example of “green-washing”. Many companies call their apparel “eco” because it is natural. Or they use an organic fabric and blend it with a synthetic and refer to it as “sustainable”. Creating green fashion requires transparency and commitment. The fibers must be grown at certified organic farms, they can’t be blended with synthetics or bleached with chemicals. Organic farming also means organic premiums for workers, because ethical standards mean you pay workers a living wage. By being organic and fair we are also protecting the health, safety and human rights of workers. Transparency demands that we are equally accountable socially and environmentally.
As a market leader in organic apparel and fair trade practices in the apparel industry, hessnatur believes that there is only one way to do business and that’s the right way. B Corp states, “ the existence of shareholder primacy…makes it very difficult for corporations to take employee, community and environmental interests into consideration when making decisions.” The importance of changing priorities from shareholder value only to stakeholder value also requires creative thinking and a dedication to life beyond our individual selves, whether it’s future generations or people in far-distant places.
At hessnatur, we are fortunate. We inherited our mantle of commitment. We were founded by an environmentalist – not a traditional businessman. In order for us to continue the dream and determination of Heinz Hess requires us to think outside the box of business as usual and inside the box of humanity. It’s that simple, but certainly not easy, especially in difficult economic times. We entered the U.S. market on the worst business day in many years, in September 2008. But our decision to bring the message and the products of hessnatur to a larger market equates with our desire to become a B Corp company. We believe that those of us who choose to be truly “good companies” can learn from each other and, hopefully, create a new level of standards that will change not only how business is done, but also change the perception of what it means to be good.
Wolf Luedge, CEO hessnatur, in Burkina Faso at the hessnatur organic cotton farming project in this photo, wearing a hessnatur organic cotton tee, designed by Miguel Adrover and produced at Grameen Knitwear -- subsidiary of the Grameen Bank, founded by Dr. Muhammad Yunus
Recent Comments