Statement of Purpose

Broadly we focus on three areas: resources, education and campaigns.

1. To provide resources to help facilitate more ethical and sustainable purchasing practices for the everyday consumer.

This includes increasing awareness about the unseen social and environmental impacts (‘real costs’) of purchases, and communicating tangible alternatives for making more ethical and sustainable choices. This is primarily through our database-driven resources – with mainstream product, company and issue related information in our Shop Ethical! website, pocket-guide and smartphone app; and with alternatives beyond the mainstream in our Local Harvest website.

2. To educate and empower people to shop responsibly and raise awareness of their consumer power.

This includes introducing a systematic approach to purchasing, helping shoppers to evaluate their purchases with sustainable considerations in mind, and providing a support network in which ideas, struggles and learnings can be shared. This is primarily through public workshops and educational presentations; and regular local meetings.

3. To encourage greater transparency and accountability for products, processes and associated impacts.

This includes promotion of existing campaigns related to ethical consumption, and the provision of tools for feedback to companies, suppliers and government. This is primarily through the news and social media components of our website, our monthly Ethical Update e-bulletins, and ‘company feedback’ feature of our smart-phone app.

More on the Ethical Consumer Group and Our Approach.

The most powerful way to change society is neither revolution nor reformation. If you want to change society you must tell an alternative story. – Ivan Ilich