Ten Thousand Villages

Description

Ten Thousand Villages operates as a business with a compassionate mission by maintaining integrity in our actions and relationships. We market quality products from diverse cultures around the world made by people that we know and care enough about to do business with in a manner that together we consider fair.

• We honor the value of seeking to bring justice and hope to the poor.
• We trade with artisan groups who pay fair wages and demonstrate concern for their members welfare.
• We provide consistent purchases, advances and prompt final payments to artisans.
• We increase market share in North America for fairly traded handicrafts.
• We market quality products that are crafted by underemployed artisans.
• We build sustainable operations using a variety of sales channels, including a network of stores with a common identity.
• We choose handicrafts that reflect and reinforce rich cultural traditions, that are environmentally sensitive, and which appeal to the North American consumer.
• We encourage North American customers to learn about fair trade and to appreciate artisans' cultural heritage and life circumstances with joy and respect.
• We use resources carefully and value volunteers who work in our North American operations.