The online ethical retailer, Ethical Superstore, has bought the organic and fairtrade Hug clothing brand. The organisation is also working with agency Summit Media, which employs offenders from HMP Wolds in the UK. Summit hopes that by employing prisoners, who are put through training and education programmes, it can assist people in turning their lives around and contributing to society.
The scheme run by Summit has seen 250 offenders pass through its scheme, of which only 10 are known to have reoffended. The national average rate for reoffending tends to be 75%.
It’s not often that we see a business with a social scheme that we are really impressed by but we like the sound of Summit Media. We like it even more because it’s not a charity agency doing nice charity-type stuff but a digital agency doing real, commercial work for clients. It just happens to have an agenda helping out people who’ve made mistakes in life, which is useful for both a business looking for new talent and the prisoners involved. We like to think this – rather than carbon offsetting – is the model for a responsible business of the future……
October 30, 2008 at 4:43 pm |
Such a great concept. Similar to http://www.greystonbakery.com/. They specifically hire people going through difficult life situations who want to learn to work, support themselves and build a life by their own efforts. I’m glad more companies are helping their communities, instead of taking advantage of them.