A Native American proverb states, “When all resources, food, wildlife, trees, fuel, are destroyed; man will not be able to eat money.” Today, an increasing amount of individuals are unable to ignore the growing concerns over our environment and social responsibilities.

A trend has emerged among entrepreneurs as well as consumers, an eco-ethical consciousness, being sustainable while at the same time remaining socially responsible. In business, this concept translates into a safe and honest workplace and a product or service that is not only fair to employees but to the environment as well.

Consumers are no longer focusing primarily on price, style and quality; they are now considering the way a product was made, how employees are treated and the impact of their purchases on the planet. As a society, we have come to realise that we cannot sit around and wait for issues at the forefront of the eco-ethical battle such as climate change, depleting natural resources and fair trade, to resolve on their own.

Both consumers and corporations have become aware of their power to consume according to their values. As David Suzuki, Canadian science broadcaster and environmental activist, once said, “Our personal consumer choices have ecological, social, and spiritual consequences. It is time to re-examine some of our deeply held notions that underlie our lifestyles.”

Big businesses have been slow to catch onto the trend; for example Walmart and Levi have recently introduced organic cotton into their product lines, while companies such as Endangered Species Chocolate Co. have been around since 1994. Their organic chocolate gives ten percent of profits toward saving endangered species. Large companies tend to deluge into bureaucratic measures and try to win approval in order to turn their companies around, which is why we are familiarized with smaller businesses taking the eco-ethic reins.

Hopefully, for the sake of our planet and our own existence, the idea of being eco-ethical will not only be a trend, but a movement that will set a standard for all future companies to follow and improve upon.

Stay tuned to Part II of The Eco-Ethical Entrepreneurship Trend, coming this week.

Image: Limahuli Garden of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens, photographed by Randolph Femmer; courtesy of NBII

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