Comments on: ethical business – what does it mean to you? http://blog.riverford.co.uk/2009/06/04/best-ethical-business-%e2%80%93-we%e2%80%99ve-won/ News from Riverford Organic Vegetables Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:42:39 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: margaret http://blog.riverford.co.uk/2009/06/04/best-ethical-business-%e2%80%93-we%e2%80%99ve-won/#comment-1064 margaret Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:13:49 +0000 http://riverford.wordpress.com/?p=341#comment-1064 Congratulations on your award back in June .My idea of an ethical business consists of making a reasonable profit for goods or services given.Above all in the case of food ,animals must be given the highest welfare whilst they are alive and the slaughter must be as quick and as humanely as possible. As regards vegetables ,these should be grown with regard to the environment and to the health of the people .These are the ideals! what of the people who have these same ideals but through no fault of their own cannot afford the cost. With regards to profit, it reminds me of a dvd that I watched called Black Gold where Ethiopian coffee farmers ,because of such a poor price given for their coffee beans were changing their crops to narcotics. Anyone interested go to www.BLACKGOLDMOVIE.COM best wishes Margaret Smith Congratulations on your award back in June .My idea of an ethical business consists of making a reasonable profit for goods or services given.Above all in the case of food ,animals must be given the highest welfare whilst they are alive and the slaughter must be as quick and as humanely as possible. As regards vegetables ,these should be grown with regard to the environment and to the health of the people .These are the ideals! what of the people who have these same ideals but through no fault of their own cannot afford the cost. With regards to profit, it reminds me of a dvd that I watched called Black Gold where Ethiopian coffee farmers ,because of such a poor price given for their coffee beans were changing their crops to narcotics. Anyone interested go to http://www.BLACKGOLDMOVIE.COM best wishes Margaret Smith

]]> By: Gail http://blog.riverford.co.uk/2009/06/04/best-ethical-business-%e2%80%93-we%e2%80%99ve-won/#comment-1006 Gail Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:28:09 +0000 http://riverford.wordpress.com/?p=341#comment-1006 I agree with what has been said about Riverford seeming to be a thoroughly ethical company in everything it does, and I really like getting my box from you. However, I was very surprised that in the same box that included Guy's “beyond the field pontification” I received an uncritical leaflet and endorsement for the Eden Project's Big Lunch. While it is obviously an excellent idea in these fractured times to encourage local community involvement, I was pretty horrified to see that its 2 main sponsors are the Post Office and EDF. What is the Post Office doing to promote community cohesion in allowing itself to be privatised and shutting down many vital urban and rural post offices? While EDF is a multinational power company which has vast investment in nuclear power - according to its website "EDF, the world’s leading nuclear power utility, operates a French nuclear fleet consisting of 58 reactors spread over 19 different sites". Their website is one of the biggest exercises in greenwash I have ever seen. On top of that, EDF is one of the major sponsors of the 2012 Olympics - an event which is not green, not sustainable, not ethical, and is responsible for more destruction of my local community that any other single event in its history, with the possible exception of the Blitz. So keep up the good work, Riverford, and keep a closer eye on what your friends are up to. I agree with what has been said about Riverford seeming to be a thoroughly ethical company in everything it does, and I really like getting my box from you. However, I was very surprised that in the same box that included Guy’s “beyond the field pontification” I received an uncritical leaflet and endorsement for the Eden Project’s Big Lunch.

While it is obviously an excellent idea in these fractured times to encourage local community involvement, I was pretty horrified to see that its 2 main sponsors are the Post Office and EDF. What is the Post Office doing to promote community cohesion in allowing itself to be privatised and shutting down many vital urban and rural post offices? While EDF is a multinational power company which has vast investment in nuclear power – according to its website “EDF, the world’s leading nuclear power utility, operates a French nuclear fleet consisting of 58 reactors spread over 19 different sites”. Their website is one of the biggest exercises in greenwash I have ever seen. On top of that, EDF is one of the major sponsors of the 2012 Olympics – an event which is not green, not sustainable, not ethical, and is responsible for more destruction of my local community that any other single event in its history, with the possible exception of the Blitz.

So keep up the good work, Riverford, and keep a closer eye on what your friends are up to.

]]> By: guy watson http://blog.riverford.co.uk/2009/06/04/best-ethical-business-%e2%80%93-we%e2%80%99ve-won/#comment-995 guy watson Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:51:26 +0000 http://riverford.wordpress.com/?p=341#comment-995 Guy from the farm Not sure who it was above who mentioned long-term; time frame is a vital part of ethical decision making; it has to work for everyone over a long time; making that work often requires trust ,which again, only works when viewed in the long-term. Better to be patient. I have a strong underlying faith we will energe stronger from the current mess if we hang on to our beliefs. guy Guy from the farm
Not sure who it was above who mentioned long-term; time frame is a vital part of ethical decision making; it has to work for everyone over a long time; making that work often requires trust ,which again, only works when viewed in the long-term. Better to be patient. I have a strong underlying faith we will energe stronger from the current mess if we hang on to our beliefs.
guy

]]> By: Penelope http://blog.riverford.co.uk/2009/06/04/best-ethical-business-%e2%80%93-we%e2%80%99ve-won/#comment-992 Penelope Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:24:09 +0000 http://riverford.wordpress.com/?p=341#comment-992 Dear Guy - Thank you for your piece in the recent newsletter. Stimulating, thought provoking and made me feel proud to be supplied by Riverford. On ethics - I think everyone has captured the essence of what ethics represents - my only reservation is having worked in the ethical field a good long time now I am saddened by the number of organisations that start out with good intentions but gradually lose themselves as they grow. I don't get the impression that has happened at Riverford at all but please hold on to your truths. Forgive me if I sound cynical but I deeply care and believe that it is possible to trade in a non-exploitative and fair way and it saddens me when it turns out that organisations are playing with the truth and resorting to greenwash. Keep up the good work and many congratulations. Dear Guy – Thank you for your piece in the recent newsletter. Stimulating, thought provoking and made me feel proud to be supplied by Riverford. On ethics – I think everyone has captured the essence of what ethics represents – my only reservation is having worked in the ethical field a good long time now I am saddened by the number of organisations that start out with good intentions but gradually lose themselves as they grow. I don’t get the impression that has happened at Riverford at all but please hold on to your truths. Forgive me if I sound cynical but I deeply care and believe that it is possible to trade in a non-exploitative and fair way and it saddens me when it turns out that organisations are playing with the truth and resorting to greenwash. Keep up the good work and many congratulations.

]]> By: Gill Douglas http://blog.riverford.co.uk/2009/06/04/best-ethical-business-%e2%80%93-we%e2%80%99ve-won/#comment-991 Gill Douglas Sun, 21 Jun 2009 10:11:39 +0000 http://riverford.wordpress.com/?p=341#comment-991 Congratulations on your award! In my opinion, an ethical business should provide a benign service without making obscene profits, whilst looking after the welfare of its workers. Long may you keep up the good work. Congratulations on your award! In my opinion, an ethical business should provide a benign service without making obscene profits, whilst looking after the welfare of its workers.
Long may you keep up the good work.

]]> By: Steve Coombes http://blog.riverford.co.uk/2009/06/04/best-ethical-business-%e2%80%93-we%e2%80%99ve-won/#comment-990 Steve Coombes Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:12:52 +0000 http://riverford.wordpress.com/?p=341#comment-990 I buy from Riverford for three reasons : 1) The food tastes good and it probably encourages us to eat more fresh produce. 2) It is grown with as much care for the environment as possible. 3) I believe it is an ethical business and I can thus believe that you aren't trying to make more money by cutting corners and treating others badly. With a young family to look after, I don't have time to consider the environmental impact of everything I buy. I would like to be able to trust the businesses I buy from. Riverford is one of the few that I can. It is also good to see someone in business who thinks about more than just profit. I enjoy reading your thoughts on the web and in the veg boxes. I buy from Riverford for three reasons :

1) The food tastes good and it probably encourages us to eat more fresh produce.

2) It is grown with as much care for the environment as possible.

3) I believe it is an ethical business and I can thus believe that you aren’t trying to make more money by cutting corners and treating others badly.

With a young family to look after, I don’t have time to consider the environmental impact of everything I buy. I would like to be able to trust the businesses I buy from. Riverford is one of the few that I can.

It is also good to see someone in business who thinks about more than just profit. I enjoy reading your thoughts on the web and in the veg boxes.

]]> By: Helene Dutranois-Ozdemir http://blog.riverford.co.uk/2009/06/04/best-ethical-business-%e2%80%93-we%e2%80%99ve-won/#comment-988 Helene Dutranois-Ozdemir Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:29:39 +0000 http://riverford.wordpress.com/?p=341#comment-988 Well done Riverford. Well deserved. Well done Riverford. Well deserved.

]]> By: Barbi Akroyd http://blog.riverford.co.uk/2009/06/04/best-ethical-business-%e2%80%93-we%e2%80%99ve-won/#comment-986 Barbi Akroyd Sat, 20 Jun 2009 10:49:05 +0000 http://riverford.wordpress.com/?p=341#comment-986 Excellent award choice! You'll get nothing but support and applause from us. Brilliant and inspiring. Thank you. We also love Guy's rants and reflections, we're with you all the way, slow and steady wins the race! Excellent award choice! You’ll get nothing but support and applause from us. Brilliant and inspiring. Thank you.
We also love Guy’s rants and reflections, we’re with you all the way, slow and steady wins the race!

]]> By: pam in Guildford http://blog.riverford.co.uk/2009/06/04/best-ethical-business-%e2%80%93-we%e2%80%99ve-won/#comment-985 pam in Guildford Sat, 20 Jun 2009 10:05:49 +0000 http://riverford.wordpress.com/?p=341#comment-985 Agree with much that has been written about Riverford so keep up the good work. Recently I heard a news item about charities having a hard time. Good advice from an expert was to remember your core values, why you started the charity/ business and ask have we moved away from there? Thinking of a Christian holiday centre suffering a likely close down, possibly for many reasons, I'm sure one of them was a Thatcherite seduction of "bigger is better", growth is great, thus leading ultimately to a feeling that money mattered more than people - or the planet. Agree with much that has been written about Riverford so keep up the good work.
Recently I heard a news item about charities having a hard time. Good advice from an expert was to remember your core values, why you started the charity/ business and ask have we moved away from there? Thinking of a Christian holiday centre suffering a likely close down, possibly for many reasons, I’m sure one of them was a Thatcherite seduction of “bigger is better”, growth is great, thus leading ultimately to a feeling that money mattered more than people – or the planet.

]]> By: Jenny http://blog.riverford.co.uk/2009/06/04/best-ethical-business-%e2%80%93-we%e2%80%99ve-won/#comment-984 Jenny Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:07:00 +0000 http://riverford.wordpress.com/?p=341#comment-984 I have to agree with everything said above, and with everything that Guy writes in the weekly letter that comes with my veg box. Ethics means not only taking care of environmental issues, bur how we treat each other also. The current political scandals have shown that somehow politics and ethics have become separated when they should be inseperable. I also agree that short, quick fixes are not ethical. Ethics takes the long term view in which every one gains and so does our planet. As a horse-lover and follower of natural methods of horse-keeping, I see a lot of unethical behaviour toward animals - including keeping them alive when they should be allowed to leave in peace. (Sorry - a little diversion on my part!) We are all connected and that should mean ethical behaviour towards each other, the planet and the animals that inhabit it. Jenny I have to agree with everything said above, and with everything that Guy writes in the weekly letter that comes with my veg box. Ethics means not only taking care of environmental issues, bur how we treat each other also. The current political scandals have shown that somehow politics and ethics have become separated when they should be inseperable. I also agree that short, quick fixes are not ethical. Ethics takes the long term view in which every one gains and so does our planet. As a horse-lover and follower of natural methods of horse-keeping, I see a lot of unethical behaviour toward animals – including keeping them alive when they should be allowed to leave in peace.
(Sorry – a little diversion on my part!) We are all connected and that should mean ethical behaviour towards each other, the planet and the animals that inhabit it.
Jenny

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