We could yesterday read that WWF together with Pesticide Action Network (PAN) and Solidaridad released a report mention Swedish IKEA and H&M as some of the best in the world for sustainable cotton business even if WWF find room for further improvement. The top brand singled out in the report was IKEA, C&A and H&M and WWF wrote that these enterprises are showing how “cotton sustainability is good for business” and they further also wrote; “sourcing more sustainable cotton has never been easier so there is no excuse for companies not to offer more responsible products to customers.” IKEA and H&M have been working close to WWF for a long time and you can read more about their cooperation here.
Fair Trade and sustainable business models is very important to the consumers of Scandinavia and Northern Europe. This is sometimes a problem for small producers as certification and training are not free of charge but it can also be a business opportunity. We have been mainly looking at agribusiness in East Africa and can see great product quality but also fair trade and sustainable thinking even if it is not formalized and certified. Many whole sellers and retailers also demand double certification from their producers, Fair Trade and Organic Farmed. This is not easy even if partners in Europe are prepared to pay premium price for the right product. The solution is many times larger cooperatives and more public private partnerships (PPP). This is what we recommend to solve the financial and technical problems being an approved supplier to the large buyers in Europe.
We are a partner owned business consulting firm that works with international business development. We help companies establish and grow in new markets and work with both the commercial and legal side of international trade and business. We do not only limit ourselves to offer good advice only, we will help you grow by more business by helping you generate new sales and business. Don’t hesitate contact us to discuss sustainable business to and from Scandinavia.