Our Principles
Ético is a new business initiative that brings together agricultural cooperatives, charities, and consumer companies to work toward one common goal – to raise the quality of life for those who most need it. We know that good business requires quality goods, trusting relationships, efficiency, information and commitment – and we put all of those together to create real results for producer communities. Consumers demand traceability for the products they consume and many are demanding fair trade. We take those demands even further and have created a truly ethical and integrated business model. Ético brings together the entire supply chain from producers to consumers for a variety of products through shared ownership, quality assurance, traceability and collaboration.
Innovation and Equality
Ético's dedication to innovation and equality is reflected in our careful sharing of information, by creating joint analysis of costs, and by building long term trusting relationships with all our stakeholders. We bring cooperatives, companies and organisations together from across the globe to work together for business and development success. Cooperative and charitable stakeholders who share the sustainable vision of the company are invited to purchase shares, creating a pathway for small farmers to have ownership over another link in the supply chain. Our partner cooperatives and British registered charity Social Business Network are the founder shareholders in Ético. Social Business Network lends its charitable status to increase the social and environmental impact of the trade through collaboration with academics, gender equality experts, and reputable sustainable development organisations. Other stakeholders include, importers, distributors, retailers, financiers, consumers as well as educational, environmental and development charities.
Ético maximizes stakeholder value with the same discipline as many companies aim to maximize shareholder value. In our work, value may be monetary, social, environmental or cultural.
Ético is an attractive proposition to financial institutions and commercial companies. Our success depends on accessing competitive financing for business operations and attractive markets for the goods sold.
The profits obtained by the business operations of the company are re-invested or channeled back to those in most need in the supply chain through the charitable stakeholders and cooperatives. This provides a social and or environmental dividend for operations.
Ético maximizes stakeholder value with the same discipline as many companies aim to maximize shareholder value. In our work, value may be monetary, social, environmental or cultural.
Ético is an attractive proposition to financial institutions and commercial companies. Our success depends on accessing competitive financing for business operations and attractive markets for the goods sold.
Our Mission
To bring together into one trading and investment entity stakeholders who believe in working together to improve social, environmental, cultural and economic sustainability, in innovative and transparent company dealings.
Our Values
° To support smallholders as an alternative to large-scale production and transnational companies.
° To protect and improve the environment.
° To strengthen communities and respect for culture and traditions.
° To acknowledge the importance of the spiritual values held by people of different world faiths.
° To recognize the value of the unpaid work that women do for family production.
° To facilitate empowerment through support for farmer owned democratic cooperatives and associations.
° To provide high quality goods and services to be exchanged at prices that enable a better quality of life for all those involved.
° To take a long-term view of development and maintain transparency wherever possible.
° To support certified organic and fair trade products.
° To maximize stakeholder value, understanding value not just in economic terms.
° To strive for innovation and provide opportunities to "learn by doing".
° To protect and improve the environment.
° To strengthen communities and respect for culture and traditions.
° To acknowledge the importance of the spiritual values held by people of different world faiths.
° To recognize the value of the unpaid work that women do for family production.
° To facilitate empowerment through support for farmer owned democratic cooperatives and associations.
° To provide high quality goods and services to be exchanged at prices that enable a better quality of life for all those involved.
° To take a long-term view of development and maintain transparency wherever possible.
° To support certified organic and fair trade products.
° To maximize stakeholder value, understanding value not just in economic terms.
° To strive for innovation and provide opportunities to "learn by doing".
Gallery
Farmers in Nicaragua ploughing their field with oxen to plant sesame. © Ético
Sesame field in El Sauce, Nicaragua. © Ético
Sesame is an annual crop that forms fragile seed pods that require hand harvesting. © Ético
The farmers cooperatives and Ético ensure the higest quality storage and traceability for our products © Ético
View of Achuapa, sesame and coffee growing region of Nicaragua. © Ético
Ético is a pioneer of the Recognition of the Unpaid Work of Women, generating resources to empower women in agricultural communities. © Ético
Coffee is a valuable crop for many small farming families in Northern Nicaragua. © Ético
Ético Chair Alber Tucker and founding director Nick Hoskyns (back row 3rd and 4th from left), with trade, development and academic partners.Photo Credit George Selwyn. © Ético
Ético Gender Advisor Catherine Hoskyns. Photo Credit George Selwyn. © Ético
Ético's Founding Director Nick Hoskyns addressing trade partners and ethical investors in London, July 2013. Photo Credit George Selwyn. © Ético
Atty Ali, Operations Manager, representing Etico & Del Campo @ Biofach 2013. © Ético
