There’s presently a movement in North America encouraging consumers to consider where their products and purchases are coming from, who makes them, and whether the company producing and distributing them is socially conscious. People are beginning to realize that they can vote with their wallets and as a result, many are choosing to support local companies, environmentally-friendly initiatives, and enterprises spearheaded by women. When you buy from these startups and entrepreneurs, your money goes much farther than it would with a large corporate player, as that revenue gets funneled back into the company more directly, empowering employees and closing the gender employment gap in tandem.
Case in point: when you buy from Value-based businesses run by women, you contribute to building their expertise, experience, education, financial success, and you promote their liberation. You also enable them to hire more women in the future for whom they can act as mentors, training and grooming them for leadership. The more diversity there is in executive and managerial positions, the greater variety of perspectives on business will emerge, helping the global economy to thrive. Women offer a different lens through which to view business yet only in several countries around the world do they take part in leading roles.
What happens when people put their faith in women and their entrepreneurial ideas? Take Toni Desrosier’s success story, the founder of Abeego beeswax wrap. In 2016, she was nurtured and funded by 500 Radically Generous Women, providing her with the tools and resources to help her business gain momentum. She later appeared on the hit show Dragon’s Den which gave her necessary exposure, helping her to launch her products into the mainstream. With a whole team of women behind her, the company works to reduce waste by offering an alternative to plastic wrap – one that is all natural, biodegradable, and sustainable in its consumption of energy throughout production.
What consumers love about it is that it works, allowing produce to breathe the way it would in its own peel or skin, keeping it fresher for longer periods of time and tasting better, too. What’s more, is it lasts some time with proper care – customers have been able to reuse their beeswax wrap for up to a year. Whether you’re a minimalist, a socially conscious Millennial, eco-minded, or simply invested in women’s empowerment, introducing such products into your kitchen is not only a practical move but an impactful one. Buying products from value-based businesses empower them to succeed and pave the way for future businesses to thrive.
By being more mindful about how you spend your dollar and ensuring the company profiting from your purchase has a mandate or mission you can stand behind, you’ll be well on your way to putting thought into action. Conscious consumerism is simpler than you might think — it just means cultivating an awareness of what a company stands for before you make a purchase. Through conscious consumerism, you’ll be taking the steps to help make the aims of these value-based — and culturally valuable — businesses a reality.
