Posted: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 12:00 am
World fair trade leader Ten Thousand Villages has been recognized as one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" by The Ethisphere Institute and Forbes Magazine. Recipients of the internationally recognized award were revealed this week during an awards ceremony sponsored by the two organizations.
Researchers and analysts with The Ethisphere Institute evaluated more than 10,000 of the world's leading companies on six continents. Other retailers to receive awards were IKEA, Stoneyfield Farm, Target, Kellogg Company, Google and Trader Joe's.
Ten Thousand Villages sells unique, handmade gifts, jewelry, home decor and personal accessories made by artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. One of the world's largest fair trade organizations and a founding member of the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT), the company strives to improve the livelihood of tens of thousands of disadvantaged artisans in 36 countries.
Product sales help pay for food, education, healthcare and housing for artisans who would otherwise be unemployed or underemployed.
For more than 60 years, Ten Thousand Villages, which is a nonprofit program of Mennonite Central Committee, has been establishing long-term buying relationships in places where skilled artisans lack opportunities for stable income.
The Ten Thousand Villages Store in Lebanon opened in 1977.
The Ethisphere Institute and its associated membership group is dedicated to the research, creation and sharing of best practices in ethics, compliance and corporate governance among companies.