One of our main suppliers in India – Freeset Global- has been awarded full membership of the World Fair Trade Organisation.

In 2010 Freeset gained provisional membership of the WFTO and in 2011, full membership has been awarded.

As an established social enterprise Freeset has been committed to fairtrade principles and practice. Not only are fair wages paid but the business deliberately focuses on employment for women who have been trafficked and exploited by prostitution.

When buying Freeset products, you know that fairtrade is at the heart of the business and that the Freeset employees are at the heart of the business.

Well done Freeset!

For Freeset’s custom printed bags visit www.freesetbags.co.uk and for their range of retail bags, visit http://www.globalseesaw.co.uk/ethicalstore/brand/freeset

Freeset is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Eco Veggie Awards 2010, honour the movers and shakers of the Green, Fair Trade and veggie circles – the people, organisations and products that are making a difference right now.

‘The Eco Veggie Awards honour the real heroes, not the actors. This is not make believe, this is real life.’ Says awards organiser Tim Barford from Bristol based hemp firm Yaoh. ‘The threat of Climate Change, and the reality of poverty, injustice and environmental destruction, are there for us to deal with – this is the challenge to the generations of today. We aim to focus on the positive, not the negative, it’s the only way forward to achieve solutions, and for this reason we are honouring some of the brightest and biggest achievers on the planet. For them, this is not a rehearsal.’

Sue Jueno, co-founder of Book of Green said: ‘We were delighted when we discovered we had been nominated for the award. We created the national paperback eco directory last year to promote a collective set of eco/ethical businesses. We made it free to enable the public to gain access the genuine green marketplace easily. We had such a fantastic response in 09 we’ve doubled our print run to 60,000 copies for 2010, and we are looking forward to launching our free iPhone app soon’

Other categories include Best Campaigners (With Sea Shepherd, Greenpeace and Viva! amongst the nominees as well as various products including Best veggie product, Best fashion and Best beauty product.

The awards are voted for by the public and people can vote 3 times – once a month from March 8^th up until midnight May 29^th The winners of the ten categories will be announced on Sunday May 30^th at The Bristol Eco Veggie Fayre.

To see all the 10 categories and 10 Nominees in each, go to bristol.ecoveggiefayre.co.uk and to vote for your favourites (and  Book of Green!) please visit  bristol.ecoveggiefayre.co.uk/awards-vote

Book of Green is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Eco Ezee have won the Gold Award for Best Decorative Product at the Totally Tools/DIY/Secure show.

Up against the likes of Dulux and LG Harris, Eco Ezee’s painters range which includes the Ezee Tray( biodegradable paint tray which saves time with no washing out) and professional paint brushes made from bamboo and recycled material won the Gold Award. The team of judges all specialising from different areas of the trades said the range, in particular the tray was “simple but effective”.

Please go to www.ecoezee.com to find out more about us and www.ecoezeeshop.com to purchase products.

Eco Ezee Limited is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Southampton based Freeset Ltd has been successful in satisfying key criteria to be awarded the Social Enterprise Mark, which identifies them as trading for social and environmental purposes.

The Social Enterprise Mark was launched nationally on February 1st at Voice10, the Social Enterprise Coalition’s national conference. The Social Enterprise Mark is the brand for social enterprises. The Mark will identify businesses which meet defined criteria for social enterprise, and consumers will recognise that businesses displaying the Mark are trading to benefit people and planet.

Freeset Ltd joins other ethical businesses that have been recognised by being awarded the Mark such as the Eden Project, Hill Holt Wood, Bristol Wood Recycling Project and the Co-operative Group South & West. The Social Enterprise Mark builds off the pilot work run by RISE, the voice for south west social enterprise.

Social enterprises are working to make a difference across the UK and beyond, but not enough people know what they are or how they work. The Social Enterprise Mark aims to raise awareness of what social enterprises do in order to get more people to buy from, engage with, start up and work for social enterprises.

Freeset was started as a social enterprise at the close of 2006 to provide employment to women who had been trafficked into and exploited by prostitution.  Through working with partners in India and creating conference and promotional bags along with great gift items, Freeset ensures that women vulnerable to exploitation are able to take part in dignity-giving employment. The women learn new skills of making handmade bags and gifts. All our seamstresses are paid fair wages and have healthy working conditions. Through this work, the women become free from sexual exploitation and are free to make the choices they want for their lives.

Mark Wakeling, Executive Director said, “We’re really proud to have been awarded the Social Enterprise Mark.  Freeset is absolutely committed to supporting sustainable businesses and consequently helping local communities to thrive and prosper”. 

Lucy Findlay champion from the Social Enterprise Mark Company (manager of the Mark) advised:

 “As the distinctive and exciting brand for social enterprise, the Mark identifies businesses which meet defined criteria, enabling consumers to recognise those that are trading to benefit people and planet. It also helps those businesses promote their business ethics and values. We hope that the Social Enterprise Mark will do for social enterprise what the Fair Trade Mark did for fair trade.”

Visit www.socialenterprisemark.org.uk or www.freesetbags.co.uk to find out more.

Freeset is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more