ethical companies, finding them

[Andie]

A couple threads have talked about purchasing from ethical companies. How do you find the ones which are? How do you know who to avoid and who owns who? Is there some sort of Green Chamber of Commerce.

[Gorilla]

i don't know about the US, but there is a magazine here called Ethical Consumer who gives ratings to companies according to how ethical their policies are. they also produce a reference book called The Good Shopping Guide which is updated about once a year i think. it's really useful to find out what big companies are up to. :)

Here is their website (http://www.ethicalconsumer.org)

[PinkFluffyCloud]

I'd like to know if there's an easy answer.
I usually check the company's website where possible, look in the Vegan Society's guide, and/or buy from a totally vegan outlet, such as veganstore (UK).

[Gorilla]

the Vegan Society's Animal Free Shopper only lists products that are vegan, whether they come from an ethical company or not. for example they include Knorr and Marmite who are both owned by Unilever (who conduct a lot of animal testing for their toiletries etc). :(

[PinkFluffyCloud]

Yes, Gorilla, but also there are symbols for 'vegan-owned' and 'ethical-type' companies in there, too, aren't there?

[Gorilla]

that's true PFC, i had forgotten about that. they show vegan-owned companies and those that produce only vegan products, those that don't use GM etc. thanks for reminding me. ;)

[PinkFluffyCloud]

The symbols are a hassle, though.
I try to spend what I can with veganstore.

[Gorilla]

yeah Veganstore are great, wish they weren't mail order only though as they're based near me in Brighton, but the parcels still have to make a 60-odd-mile round trip to get to me via the parcel sorting office, so i try to order as much as possible in one go, or buy from them at fayres :o

do you use the online Animal Free Shopper PFC? www.animalfreeshopper.com i think it explains the symbols a bit more clearly than the book (although i haven't got the latest copy of the book). if some of the companies don't have any of the symbols, you still have to do a bit of research to find out what's wrong with them (if anything) but the AFS gives the websites of many companies so you can read up on them and email them if you want to.

of course the AFS only includes items that might possibly be non-vegan, so it's mostly food, drink and toiletries etc. that's why the Ethical Consumer comes in handy, as it includes just about everything you could possibly buy, such as clothes, home furnishings, electrical goods, baby equipment and so on. it lists companies' track records in things like human rights and environmental awareness, and the parent company that owns the brand too. sorry this is all available in the UK but i have no idea if there is anything like this in the US.

[gertvegan]

www.ethicalmatters.co.uk is another website to check out.

[PinkFluffyCloud]

Thanks, you two!
I have the AFS book, but didn't know of the link. Will check out both links.

[gertvegan]

And www.corporatewatch.org.uk