We often hear talk about supply chains, or events affecting supply chains, which are defined as ‘the sequence of processes involved in the production and distribution of a commodity.’ and think nothing of it, unless it impacts us directly, for example if our favourite products aren’t in the supermarket,
But supply chains are not inanimate objects, obscured by fancy marketing and branding, they concern real people, real planetary resources, ecosystems, habitats, pollution, and other species, all intertwined in a delicate relationship, not understood by most consumers, or indeed, governments, and companies, except in the concept of minimising costs, and maximising profit, which is understandable in a business only context.
Throughout history, humans have engaged in trade with one another, exchanging goods and services to fulfil mutual needs and desires, and without much thought to the impact this trade was having on people, and the planet.
A PERSONAL VIEW
I used to think being vegan was helping, but then I found that the vegan products I was buying were made all over the world, with raw ingredients from countries I believed did not have the best interests of their people or the planet at heart; countries with governments who hold extremist ideologies, countries with poor human rights, or environmental records, but I wanted the products so was left with an ethical dilemma, given my choice of foodstuffs was already limited due to not eating animal products. I wanted to ensure that the companies I was buying from held the same high ethics as I did, that they treated their employees and the environment respectfully, that they also had a transparent ethical supply chain, and so did their suppliers suppliers! I almost drove myself mad!
So I bought the vegan sausages, and the tofu, and the hummus, and the guacamole, not to mention the clothes, the camping equipment, the paints, and varnishes for the boats, the beer, the fuel for the car, the banks I banked with…the… phew…
I then thought that it would be a good idea to only buy British or local, but then discovered how difficult it was to find a British company where the supply chain was wholly british, using british raw ingredients as well, who also had a transparent supply chain. It was all very well saying “MADE IN BRITAIN” but time and again discovered the true source of the raw materials or manufacturing was China, India, Pakistan, or Cambodia…Not that I have anything against these countries, or the people who reside there.
I understand that people everywhere need to pay their bills, and that most people are content working for any company that allows them to pay their bills, and that doing your due diligence on a company’s ethics, or asking for a supply chain analysis to make sure that they are ethically compliant, is absolutely ridiculous!
But…
If people are so desperate to find work to earn money where they will do absolutely anything for the money, means that something is terribly wrong with human society, don’t you agree?
I am poor. I need to feed myself and my family. I need to pay my bills otherwise I will be homeless. Yes I will take the job making ammunition, despite knowing that the ammunition I am making will kill people.
Every killer, warlord, gun manufacturer, soldier, despot, gang member, law enforcement officer, firing squad member, relies on you! So imagine if you decided that it was wrong to make ammunition, and refused to supply your labour?
Well, that’s easy says you. If I quit on ethical grounds someone will take my place! My resigning on ethical grounds won’t make one bit of difference!
And maybe that is so, but your conscience would be clear, even if it meant you and your family going hungry.
So here we are at a crossroads! Ethics vs necessity. It’s a dilemma isn’t it?
A NEW WAY FORWARD?
I have spent nearly 20 years pondering these questions, and each time have realised thar every idea ends with someone suffering! But I realised quite recently that the only way to ensure that we have completed the circle ethically and without suffering is to create a new model.
That model is the Island Soup Company,
All we sell is soup, but it’s the background processes which are the most important.
How we decide on what products to sell that have a low environmental impact.
How we source the raw ingredients.
How we analyse whether growing the raw ingredients are affecting the planet in a negative way.
How much energy it takes to grow these.
How we choose the suppliers.
How we ship the raw ingredients.
How we pay for the raw ingredients.
How we store the raw ingredients.
How we prepare the soup from the raw ingredients.
How we choose what energy sources to use to prepare the soup.
How we heat the soup.
How we serve the soup.
How we deal with packaging
How we deal with waste.
How we help people improve their lives through our project.
How we reduce antisocial behaviour and violence through our project.
How we help people develop compassion and empathy through our project.
How we help people increase personal resilience through our project.
How we teach people personal responsibility through our project.
Normally, a company just has a great idea and then tries to maximise profits. That is the old model. Time for it to rest in peace.
Ultimately it has nothing to do with soup!
