Partners with First-Ever Fair Trade Certified Furniture Factory in Vietnam, for Total of 11 Fair Trade Factories across Nepal, India, Pakistan
As the first international home furnishings retailer to partner with
Fair Trade USA in 2014, West Elm and parent company Williams-Sonoma,
Inc. (NYSE: WSM) today announced plans to expand upon their responsible
retail commitments to include a goal to pay premiums of $3
million towards Fair Trade Community Development by 2020. The company
also announced that it has partnered with Vietnam’s first-ever Fair
Trade furniture factory, bringing its total operating Fair Trade factory
count to 11 in countries including Nepal, India and Pakistan.
Consumers are increasingly making purchasing decisions based on social
and environmental impacts. West Elm believes that the vendors it
partners with can lead to positive change, and as such has committed
that 40 percent of its product will be Fair Trade Certified™ by 2020.
One of the most important aspects of Fair Trade is its ability to help
realize economic empowerment in global communities and improve artisans’
and workers’ quality of life. Not only must factories meet rigorous
social and environmental criteria, but workers also earn additional
money (called Community Development Premiums) with every single Fair
Trade purchase. Workers vote on how to spend these funds to address
pressing needs in their community. Toward these goals, 4,500 Fair Trade
products have been introduced as part of West Elm’s 2017 assortment of
furniture, decorative accessories and rugs.
"We are passionate about using great design to further the economic
empowerment of our artists and makers both in the U.S. and abroad. Our
goal is to continue to drive meaningful social, economic and ethical
reform within the retail industry, while creating a lasting, positive
impact in the lives of the people behind our products," said Alex
Bellos, President of West Elm. “Our Fair Trade efforts have grown from
impacting fewer than 200 workers in 2014 to making a meaningful
contribution to the lives of more than 5,000 workers today. The results
continue to motivate us every day to help educate and encourage our
customers to do more.”
“West Elm is an inspiring partner in their relentless commitment to
affect positive change on an industry and the people behind the
products,” said Paul Rice, President and CEO of Fair Trade USA. “The
Fair Trade Premiums from West Elm products have directly changed the
lives of global workers and their families. As a result, many now have
access to healthcare, education and other services for the first time in
their lives. West Elm is a powerful example of how it is possible to do
well while doing good – an example that is helping us build a movement.”
Fair Trade USA partnership by the numbers:
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11 Fair Trade Certified factories in India, Nepal, Pakistan, and now
the first-ever furniture factory to be certified in Vietnam. This
newest addition is where West Elm’s signature Mid-century collection
is manufactured.
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West Elm released its 2017 assortment, featuring a selection of more
than 4,500 Fair Trade Certified products that the company has
purchased to date, across multiple product categories including
furniture, decorative accessories, rugs and wall art.
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More than 13 percent of West Elm’s products are now Fair Trade
Certified.
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To date, West Elm has paid Premiums to workers on more than 1,000,000
Fair Trade Certified products which represents over $600,000 in
Premiums to workers.
2020 Vision
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By 2020, 40 percent of West Elm’s products will be Fair Trade
Certified.
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By 2020, West Elm will have 20 Fair Trade Certified factories,
supporting more than 10,000 workers and their local initiatives.
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In 2020, 20 percent of West Elm products will continue to be
handcrafted. To date, West Elm has invested more than $225 million in
the handcraft sector, preserving techniques unique to our artisan
partners’ histories and cultures - impacting the lives of more than
20,000 craftspeople and their family members.
Fair Trade is a key program to West Elm’s commitment to using its
purchasing power to make a positive impact, and is reinforced
domestically in the U.S., through the West Elm LOCAL program. West Elm
LOCAL has introduced customers to a community of more than 800 American
artists and makers where West Elm has stores, and has helped nurture
talent and help small businesses grow. West Elm LOCAL products can be
found at more than 88 stores, showcasing 6,000 products by makers,
designers and artists. By 2020, West Elm will work with more than 1,000
makers across the U.S. representing 8,000+ locally produced products.
As Williams-Sonoma, Inc. works toward its company-wide goal of paying $3
million in Fair Trade Community Development Premiums by 2020, each brand
is dedicated to incorporating Fair Trade programs across all product
categories, including furniture, textiles and decorative accessories.
Brand efforts to support and promote Fair Trade Certified products
reflect the company’s commitment to deepen its connection with key
vendors throughout the Fair Trade and handcraft community. Pottery Barn
debuted its Fair Trade program in 2016, with Pottery Barn Kids, PBteen
and Mark and Graham launching Fair Trade programs in 2017. By the end of
2018, these brands will carry more than 3,500 Fair Trade Certified
products. The Premiums paid as a result help fund high-impact programs
such as clean water projects, health checkups, hygiene kits and
supplies, and monthly checkups.
To learn more about West Elm’s commitment to responsible retail
practices, customers are encouraged to pick up the Fall 2017 catalog or
view it online at www.WestElm.com.
For more information please visit westelm.com/commitments.
About West Elm
Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY since 2002, West Elm opened its first
store in DUMBO, the neighborhood it still proudly calls home. With a
mission of harnessing the power of design and human connection to enrich
lives, everything West Elm does is designed to make an impact in
everyday life, from creating unique, affordable designs for modern
living and commitment to Fair Trade Certified, from LOCAL and
handcrafted products to community-driven collaborations and events. The
brand operates 103 retail stores in the United States, Australia, Canada
and the UK, ships internationally to customers around the world and
operates stores in Mexico, the Middle East, Philippines and South Korea
through unaffiliated franchisees. In addition to home furnishings
retail, West Elm operates West
Elm Workspace in the commercial furnishings industry and announced
its expansion into the travel and hospitality industry with the launch
of West
Elm Hotels. West
Elm publishes the blog Front+Main
and is part of an active community on Facebook,
Instagram,
Pinterest,
Twitter
and YouTube.
West Elm is a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) portfolio
of brands.
About Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is a specialty retailer of high-quality products
for the home. These products, representing eight distinct merchandise
strategies – Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, West Elm,
PBteen, Williams Sonoma Home, Rejuvenation, and Mark and Graham – are
marketed through e-commerce websites, direct mail catalogs and retail
stores. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. currently operates in the United States,
Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, offers international shipping
to customers worldwide, and has unaffiliated franchises that operate
stores in the Middle East, the Philippines and South Korea, and stores
and e-commerce websites in Mexico.
About Fair Trade USA
Fair Trade USA is a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable
livelihoods for farmers and workers, protects fragile ecosystems, and
builds strong, transparent supply chains through independent,
third-party certification. Its trusted Fair Trade Certified™ seal
signifies that rigorous standards have been met in the production, trade
and promotion of Fair Trade products from over 80 countries across the
globe. Recognized as a leading social venture by the Clinton Global
Initiative, the Skoll Foundation and Ashoka, Fair Trade USA also
provides critical capacity-building programs at origin, and educates
consumers about the power of their purchase. Visit www.FairTradeCertified.org for
more information.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they do not
fully materialize or prove incorrect, could cause our results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. Such forward-looking statements include statements relating
to our goals to expand our Fair Trade and LOCAL programs. The risks and
uncertainties that could cause our results to differ materially from
those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include
the risks that we do not meet such goals on time, and the risk that we
are not able to execute our expanded programs as planned. These and
other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in our Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 29, 2017, all
subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form
8-K. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on
information available to us as of the date hereof, and we assume no
obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
