This December we explain how from cooperativism we promote responsible consumption that is friendly to the surroundings, the environment and society in general
We are on the threshold of the Christmas holiday, a time of year marked by high consumption, but do you know what you are buying and from whom you are buying it?
From cooperativism we promote an action that puts people and the environment at the center, but not only when developing our activity, but also when we have to buy or hire services. For this reason, this December, we want to close the campaign for the International Year of Cooperatives, decreed by UNESCO to recognize the capacity we have to build a better world, by making known how we promote responsible consumption.
Responsible and ethical consumption is essential if we want to generate more equitable, egalitarian and sustainable societies. In this context, first of all, it is necessary to promote those projects that are born from the territory and their profits remain in the territory, that is, for the people and the local community. This helps us to improve the local economy and to socially and economically transform the reality of the people who live there.
On the other hand, in a world marked by the climate emergency, it is also important to know the environmental impact of the product or service we acquire. For this reason, from the cooperative perspective we promote responsible purchasing that has the lowest possible environmental impact.
Both things enable us to generate more sustainable societies both from the community level to break economic gaps and from the environmental sphere to promote more environmentally friendly action.
How do we do it at Suara Cooperativa?
At Suara Cooperativa we have a purchasing policy oriented towards responsible consumption, so we prioritize the acquisition of products and services that are green, ethical, social and local, whenever this is viable. For this reason, we give priority to consumers in the social economy, as reflected in our sustainability report.
In this context, last year we made responsible purchases from around 160 entities or organizations, of which a hundred were foundations or entities in the social economy, forty were cooperatives and another twenty were specialized centers where people with different abilities work.
For example, from Abacus we purchased office supplies, which is also our report design provider; from the Altem foundation and work center, we offered catering services in the Empordà area; La Fageda, food services; the Acció Planetaria DSR Association, ontology services for people treated in child protection services; the CIPO Cooperative and Special Work Center, document recycling and destruction services; the Human Factor Foundation, professional services for people management; the TAC Osona Special Work Center, gardening services; and the Trèvol cooperative, courier services.
We have also had other relevant collaborations with special employment centers for the job placement of various people such as GRUPDEM, SCCL, Suara Inserció in the field of logistics and laundry services, as well as MANSOL PROJECTES, S.L, in home repair tasks for the SAD.
These are just some examples of how to promote responsible purchasing from the business sphere, but ensuring the sustainability of the planet and our societies is everyone's responsibility. This Christmas, if you shop, do so responsibly.
