We are Good Market Approved!

• Prioritize: 

  We prioritize people & the planet in our decision making

• Purpose: 

  Our purpose or mission statement includes social and environmental goals

• Communicate: 

  We communicate about how we benefit people & the planet to customers, workers, suppliers, and the general public

• Measure: 

  We measure what matters. We monitor our benefit to people & the planet and share the results at least once a year

Ownership

• We are registered as an organization

  • Private Company: We are owned by one or more private shareholders

• Shareholders: 

  We have a purpose-driven shareholder structure

Revenue

• Self Sustaining: 

  We have a strategy for financial sustainability

• Reinvest: 

  We reinvest all profits to expand social or environmental impact. We do not issue dividends

Environment

Product Impact

• Environmental Benefit: 

  Our products and services were developed to directly benefit the environment.

  • Waste reduction

  • Local focus with low carbon footprint

  • Awareness, education, and action

• Sharing: 

  We provide a service that contributes to a sharing economy

  • Redistribution of used second-hand products

Operations

• Supplies: 

  We use environmentally responsible supplies in all our facilities

  • No disposable plastic shopping bags

  • No plastic drinking straws

  • No disposable plastic water bottles at any facilities or events

  • Washable and reusable cups, dishes and cutlery

  • Air dryers, cloth towels, or cloth napkins to reduce paper towel and napkin waste

  • Natural biodegradable cleaning supplies

  • Office paper and office supplies made from recycled materials

  • Sustainably sourced promotional materials. No signs made from polystyrene or polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

• Waste Sorting: 

  We have a solid waste management plan and separate our solid waste at all facilities

  • Paper and cardboard recycled or composted

  • Fabric and textile waste recycled

  • Plastic waste recycled

  • Glass waste recycled

  • Metal waste recycled

  • Biodegradable waste composted

  • Batteries, paint, light bulb, and other hazardous waste sent to specialized waste management service

• Energy Reduction: 

  We have taken steps to reduce our energy use

  • Energy efficient equipment

  • Energy efficient CFL or LED bulbs

  • Passive heating and cooling design

  • Insulation

  • Programmable thermostat, timers, or occupancy sensors for heating and cooling

  • Carbon neutral web hosting

• Energy Monitoring: 

  We monitor and record our energy use and have reduction targets

• Renewable Energy: 

  We use renewable energy in our operations

  • Solar heating

• Transport Energy: 

  We have taken steps to reduce our use of fossil fuels for transport

  • Priority given to local suppliers and markets

  • Virtual meeting technology used to reduce travel requirements

  • Low-impact transport options (e.g. public transport, sea shipments) used for transport, supply chain and distribution

• GHG Emissions: 

  We monitor and record greenhouse gas emissions

Customers

Purpose

• Affordable: 

  We focus on providing products and services that are accessible to low-income groups

• Basic Needs: 

  We focus on meeting basic needs with our products and services

  • Clean drinking water

  • Sanitation and waste services

• Disadvantaged Customers: 

  We focus on providing products or services specifically for disadvantaged groups

  • LGBT+

  • Ethnic minorities

  • Religious minorities

Service

• Responsive: 

  We have systems in place to rapidly respond to customer questions and feedback

  • We respond immediately 24-hours a day

• Customer Relationships: 

  We have services that extend customer relationships beyond a single transaction

  • Loyalty programs for regular customers

  • Subscription or membership service

  • Take-back, recycling and disposal

Health & Choice

Transparency

• Transparent Pricing: 

  Our pricing is public and transparent with no hidden costs

• Cost-Based Pricing: 

  We adjust our prices based on costs. We pass on savings to customers

Workers

Inclusion

• Women: 

  We provide equal opportunities for women and actively remove barriers to participation

  • More than 80% of our workers or members are women

  • More than 80% of our leaders and technical specialists are women

• Mothers: 

  We have taken special steps to accommodate and support pregnant and nursing mothers

• Discrimination & Harassment: 

  We have policies and procedures to prevent, report & respond to discrimination and harassment

Participation

• Ideas: 

  Our systems enable workers or members to share ideas, feedback, and suggestions

• Influence: 

  Our systems enable workers or members to influence organizational decision making

  • Own workspace

  • Special events

  • Work planning

  • Strategic planning

  • Procedures and policies

  • Hiring and compensation

  • Resource allocation

  • Leadership positions

• Information: 

  We share information with workers or members at all levels

  • Social and environmental impact reports

  • Annual financial reports

  • Division budgets and financial reports

  • Organizational budgets and financial reports

  • Salary and compensation details for all workers

Suppliers

Sustainable Sourcing

• Sustainability Criteria: 

  We have social and environmental criteria for suppliers and service providers

  • Mission Locked: We prioritize social enterprise and not-for-profit suppliers and service providers

  • Local: We prioritize local suppliers and service providers

  • Small-Scale: We prioritize small-scale suppliers and service providers

  • Living Wage: We ensure suppliers and service providers pay at a rate that provides a living wage and sustainable livelihood

  • Working Conditions: We ensure that suppliers and service providers maintain safe and healthy working conditions

  • Environmentally Responsible: We ensure that suppliers and service providers follow environmental best practices

• Visits: 

  We visit suppliers and service providers to ensure they meet social and environmental standards

• Disadvantaged Supplier: 

  We preferentially select suppliers and service providers from disadvantaged groups

  • Women

  • LGBT people

Fair Trade Relationships

• Relationships: 

  We maintain fair trade relationships with all suppliers and service providers

  • Long-Term: We maintain long-term relationships with suppliers and service providers

  • On-Time Payment: We ensure that suppliers and service providers are paid at the agreed time

  • Fair Price: We pay prices that cover all costs and support socially and environmentally responsible operations

  • Contribution: We support projects by suppliers and service providers

  • Investment: We invest in suppliers and service providers

• Ethical Practice: 

  We focus on innovation, creating value, and supporting other purpose-driven organizations. We do not engage in anti-competitive or unethical practices.

  • Exclusive Agreements: We do not restrict suppliers or customers from selling to or buying from others

  • Copying: We do not copy competitors

  • Dumping: We do not sell products at a loss to force competitors out of the market

  • Price Fixing: We do not collude with competitors to fix prices

  • Libel: We do not spread false information about competitors

Transparency

• Promotion: 

  We highlight our suppliers and service providers in our promotional materials

Community

Impact

• Good Citizen: 

  We comply with all applicable laws and pay all required taxes

• Social Benefit: 

  Our products and services were specifically developed to contribute to society. We provide broader social benefits that go beyond the benefits to individual customers

  • Social inclusion

  • Human rights

Local Economy

• Local Economy: 

  We focus on contributing to the local economy

  • Local Customers: We focus on serving local customers. More than half of our revenue comes from customers that are within 200 km of our headquarters or main production facilities

  • Local Ownership: We are locally owned. More than 75% of our investment comes from within 200 km of our headquarters or main production facilities

  • Local Suppliers: We prioritize local suppliers and service providers. More than 75% of our suppliers and service providers are within 200 km of our headquarters or main production facilities

  • Local Raw Materials: We use local ingredients and materials. More than 75% of our raw materials come from within 200 km of our headquarters or main production facilities

  • Local Investment: We do our banking with local institutions or community development banks that reinvest in the community

Engagement

• Community: 

  We engage with the local community

  • Volunteer: We help our workers or members volunteer and engage in community service

• Networks: 

  We participate in membership organizations and networks working for social or environmental change