At the onset, Sustainable Development Goals are a set of superbly ambitious and transformational vision. These 17 goals are global and are meant to bring peace and prosperity to the planet and its people. All the member states commit to work tirelessly for the implementation of the same.
At Ethic Attic, we have always believed our work to impact people and planet, hence always trying to make and stock products that are people and planet friendly. We have been believers of Fair Trade which are interlaced itself with the sustainable development goals.
Today, we look at three of our product lines and how we connect and contribute to Sustainable Development Goals.
One of the points about SDG1: No PovertySDG Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
This says: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance
How are we contributing to this?
- We work directly with artisans and craftsmen, thus avoiding any middlemen who could take away the share of deserving wages of the maker.
- Our production units are often women-empowerment projects, run under Fair Trade standards. These women belong to economically-challenged backgrounds and given training and employment.
- We encourage and propagate use of handloom and crafts to our clients and give transparent them access to the craft and craftsmen. Our clients are well-informed about where the products are made, who makes them and how they are made.
Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its formsSDG Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
How are we contributing to this?
- Being certified as Fair Trade, one of the ten principles is “No child labour, No forced labour”. Child labour is fairly easy to understand while the term “forced labour” is often not understood in its full sense. Forced labour refers to situations in which persons are coerced to work through the use of violence or intimidation, or by more subtle means such as accumulated debt, retention of identity papers or threats of denunciation to immigration authorities.
- All our weavers, producers and makers are paid fair wages and work in fair working conditions. Fair pay means provision of socially acceptable remuneration (in the local context) considered by producers themselves to be fair and which takes into account the principle of equal pay for equal work by women and men. Fair Trade marketing and importing organisations support capacity building as required to producers, to enable them to set a fair price.
- We also ensure positive developmental impacts for our artisans through workshops, awareness and promotions of Fair Trade. Also, we have been fortunate to take our artisans on Fair Trade marketing platforms globally.
SDG Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. This goal talks about substantially reducing waste through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. The Agenda says: by 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
How are we contributing to this?
- Through our sustainable concept store, we thrive to encourage use of reusable products and reduction of waste. We offer a range of alternatives for single use disposable daily essentials.
- We conduct workshops, talks and awareness programmes talking about how to adopt a sustainable and zero waste lifestyle.
- We have implemented these practices in building our store too. All our furniture is made from recycled pinewood crates, our carry bags are made of recycled newspaper by lovely folks of Spastics Society and our tags are out of paper made from cotton waste.
We are determined to protect the planet from degradation, including through sustainable consumption and production, sustainably managing its natural resources and taking urgent action on climate change, so that it can support the needs of the present and future generations.
We pledge ourselves to support all these goals and we are grateful to all our customers who have been in one way or the other agents of change and contributed to this agenda heavily.
Stay Sustainable! Save the planet! Because we have no Planet B!