At Wide Open World, we are committed to leading with transparency, authenticity, and a deep sense of responsibility towards our planet and its inhabitants. Our social responsibility policy embodies our core values and reflects our unwavering dedication to environmental sustainability, ethical business practices, and the well-being of all stakeholders.
Introduction
Over the course of human history, spanning thousands of years, we've achieved remarkable feats in knowledge and technological advancements. From the dawn of civilisation to the present day, our ability to cooperate and harness the environment has propelled us forward. We've witnessed astounding progress, particularly in the last century, with innovations that have revolutionised our way of life.
Improved living conditions, increased life expectancy, abundant natural resources, and unparalleled access to education are just some of the fruits of our collective endeavours. We've even ventured into the depths of space, pushing the boundaries of our technological capabilities.
However, amidst this flourishing, the very progress we celebrate poses a threat to our sustainability. The alarming rate at which we deplete our Earth's resources, coupled with the pressing challenges of pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss, underscore the urgent need for change.
At the heart of the issue lies a fundamental disconnect: humans struggle to perceive the environmental damage they inflict, and our guiding principles often fall short in preventing further degradation. While scientific advancements enable us to measure environmental deterioration, our inability to act decisively underscores the need for a paradigm shift.
We believe it's time to elevate our consciousness and embrace a higher purpose—a purpose that honours our ancestors' legacy and safeguards the future for generations to come. Ironically, despite our mastery over the environment,, the greatest threat we face is overshooting sustainable environmental limits: one of letting the environment impose a hard ceiling on ourselves and compromising our own existence.
To effect change, we must transform our societies and redefine our relationship with the natural world. We advocate for a shift from relentless expansion to sustainable coexistence, prioritising environmental stewardship over economic gain.
Leading with humility, we acknowledge the flaws in our current decision-making processes, which prioritise economic output at the expense of environmental stability. It's imperative that we align with our customers on ethical principles and courageously champion sustainability in all our endeavours.
But talk alone is not enough. It's through our actions that we'll catalyse meaningful change and shape a more sustainable future for all. Join us in rewriting the narrative and forging a path towards harmony between humanity and the environment. Restore Balance™.
Our Vision and Mission
Our vision is a world where environmental balance is restored, and humanity lives in harmony with nature. To realise this vision, our mission is twofold: to craft exceptionally desirable garments that bring joy to our customers while pioneering new paradigms of sustainable business practices. We are committed to restoring balance between humanity and the natural world, prioritising harmony over volume in all our endeavours.
Our Social Responsibility Commitments
- Environmental Sustainability: Our foremost commitment is to environmental sustainability, recognising that a healthy environment is essential for human flourishing. We strive to minimise our ecological footprint by prioritising natural and renewable materials, reducing waste, and minimising energy consumption throughout our operations.
- Ethical Business Practices: We adhere to ethical business practices outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This includes ensuring fair wages, promoting diversity and inclusion, and remaining vigilant to prevent modern slavery from happening in our supply chains. We hold ourselves and our partners accountable for upholding the highest standards of integrity and social responsibility.
- Equal Opportunities and Equal pay: We are dedicated to being an equal opportunity and equal pay employer, fostering a workplace culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We reject discrimination in all its forms and strive to create opportunities for growth and advancement for all members of our team.
- Transparency and Accountability: We believe in transparency and accountability in all aspects of our business. We openly communicate our sustainability goals, progress, and challenges with our stakeholders, inviting feedback and collaboration to drive continuous improvement. As we grow our business, our annual evaluations ensure that our actions remain aligned with our values and aspirations.
- Community Engagement: We actively engage with our communities to foster meaningful relationships and address local needs. Through partnerships, and volunteering initiatives, we seek to make a positive impact beyond our business operations, contributing to the well-being of communities directly or indirectly impacted by our operations.
Environmental Safeguarding
In our pursuit of environmental safeguarding, we advocate for a shift from relative sustainability to absolute sustainability. To illustrate this concept, let's envision Earth as a colossal elevator, capable of carrying a finite weight—the weight representing the impact of human activities on the environment. Just as an elevator has a maximum carrying capacity, our planet too has its own sustainable limits, informed by scientific understanding.
Relative sustainability, embraced by many businesses, focuses solely on reducing impact per unit of output. It's akin to cramming more people into the elevator without regard for its weight limit. While this approach may seem efficient in the short term, it fails to address the broader issue of sustainability.
Absolute sustainability, on the other hand, acknowledges the Earth's finite carrying capacity and seeks to maintain equilibrium with the environment. It recognizes that impact is not synonymous with sustainability. For instance, 10 individuals weighing 60 kilograms each have a smaller impact per person than 5 individuals weighing 120 kilograms each. Both scenarios are sustainable, but adding an 11th person weighing 60 kilograms would exceed the elevator's safe limit.
Similarly, Wide Open World believes that businesses should operate within absolute sustainable limits, regardless of relative efficiencies. We reject the notion that maximising economic output at the expense of environmental degradation is acceptable. Instead, we advocate for a balanced approach that respects the Earth's natural boundaries and promotes long-term sustainability.
By internalising our business activities within safe planetary limits, guided by Natropy's APres framework, we strive to aim for 100% sustainability wherever possible. We are committed to transparently disclosing our progress, challenges, and areas for improvement, inviting stakeholders to join us on this journey towards a more sustainable and resilient future. While this requires concerted effort and may challenge prevailing narratives of perpetual growth, we remain steadfast in our commitment to preserving the natural capital of our planet.
In summary, our Social Responsibility Policy reflects our unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship, ethical business practices, and the well-being of all stakeholders. Through collaboration, innovation, and collective action, we believe that together, we can create a world where people and the planet thrive in harmony.
