![]() ![]() Over half of these artisans are women who will be learning new skills to grow their businesses, supporting their families and themselves through the work they are doing.Over the course of the next two years, West Elm will work with a network of more than 20 artisan groups in 15 countries (including the United States, Columbia, Haiti, India, Mali, Nicaragua, Peru, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam), directly impacting the lives of 4,500 artisan workers and 18,000 family members.“We’re proud to connect our customers to this inspiring global community by launching a new section of our website devoted to the stories behind West Elm’s handcrafted products, sharing the beauty of basic materials and the amazing ability of human hands through videos, photography and storytelling.”įor a look into the world of handcraft at West Elm, visit /handcrafted. “West Elm’s Commitment to Action will focus on helping our crafters and artisan makers grow their businesses sustainably and profitably, while maintaining and preserving the traditional handcraft techniques at the center of their work,” Brett continued. 1 Although large-scale investment facilitates economic opportunity and helps preserve traditional techniques, the systems put in place must also help artisans scale their businesses. “West Elm has seen incredible growth over the past three years, due in part to the brand’s offering of unique handcrafted and artisan made products, a key differentiator in the market.”īehind agriculture, artisan activity is the second largest employer in the developing world. “West Elm’s CGI Commitment to Action formalizes the incredibly important work the brand, and our company, is doing to support and scale artisan business and protect the craftspeople involved in them,” said Laura Alber, President and Chief Executive Officer, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. “West Elm has achieved 14 consecutive quarters of double-digit comparable brand revenue growth by listening to our customers, and our CGI Commitment to Action reflects our customers’ passion for handcrafted products, as well as their growing concern for the preservation of cultural heritage and the safety of the hands behind the work,” said West Elm President Jim Brett. (NYSE: WSM) portfolio of brands, also pledged to make and source these products from businesses adhering to high social responsibility, health and safety standards, meeting local laws, best industry practices and the brand’s vendor code of conduct. West Elm, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. Commitment to Action Announced at 2013 Clinton Global Initiative Annual MeetingīROOKLYN, N.Y.-(BUSINESS WIRE)-In continued support of artisan communities in the United States and globally, home furnishings retailer West Elm today announced its 2013 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Commitment to Action with a purchasing plan of $35 million in handcrafted products through 2015, a 40% increase in spend over the next two years. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |