What makes us tick?
We know we can't change the world, but that doesn't mean we can't try
to change the small part that we can influence. We believe that the
best way to help people develop is by doing business with them.
Peepultree fosters
a more equitable and sustainable system of production and trade that
benefits people, their communities and their environment.
We encourage the production and development of cultural products based
on the traditions of local craftsmen and artisans, adapted for Western
markets. In this way we hope to promote artistic talents in ways that
preserve cultural identity.
By paying a fair market
price we encourage high quality workmanship and enable producers to
invest in good quality tools and materials, and by buying direct from
the producers of the goods, we cut out the middlemen, enabling a
greater percentage of the retail price to go to the craftsmen and
women. A fair market price for goods benefits everyone, it does not
mean that products cost the consumer more.
Our aim is to provide equal employment opportunities, particularly for women and other disadvantaged groups. peepultree
is committed to providing fair wages, good employment opportunities and
work practices. We provide technical assistance concerning market
opportunities, trends and consumer feedback about their products. We
encourage literacy and numeracy for all workers as well as training in financial and business management.
We also aim to provide producers with sufficient funds to cover basic
costs during production, either through deposits or pre-payment, and in
certain circumstances direct loans. For their part our suppliers, will
do everything in their power to facilitate our business, as a friend
would do. We link low-income producers and consumer markets and hope to
educate consumers about the importance of purchasing fairly traded
products which support living wages for workers in the developing
world. Fair trade increases profitability for producers, allowing them
to grow their business and create more jobs.
We seek to bring security to the lives of the people and groups we work
with, through the development of long-term business relationships (and
friendships). In this way, we hope to provide an environment in which
the producers and workers can create healthy and safe working
conditions in which they gain the necessary skills and knowledge to
develop their businesses, communities and lives.
At peepultree we aim for Ethical Trade
Ethical sourcing is
an important and effective means of bringing benefits to workers in the ‘Global
South’ – Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. It is having a real effect on large companies
in the United Kingdom, encouraging them to look at all their trading
activities.
Ethical Trade is
based around non exploitation and the code set down by the Ethical Trade
Initiative, the code includes:
- no forced labour
- freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining
- safe and hygienic working conditions
- no child labour to be used
- living wages to be paid
- no excessive working hours
- no discrimination
- no harsh or inhumane treatment
Most of our products
come from many different suppliers in India and are sourced direct from manufacturers by us. Wherever possible we deal direct with local
craftsmen and women who use materials from renewable sources and fashion them
with regard for the environment.
The craftspeople we
deal with are masters in their respective arts and we ensure that all monies go
directly to them, their families and their employees and not to middlemen or
agents. In many cases profits go towards
improving the living environment for these people, such as helping to provide schooling for their
children.
When looking for suppliers we are careful to avoid those who employ
children or do not offer safe working conditions to their employees. To
see some of our suppliers at work please visit the "Our Suppliers" page
where you can view pictures of their working conditions.
At peepultree we
continuously strive to:
- improve product quality and the working conditions of our suppliers
- invest in the development of their family run businesses and the welfare of their workers/families
- pay a price to our suppliers that covers the cost of sustainable production and living
- make advance payments to our suppliers
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