But for my investment dollar and the bragging rights that come along with owning a piece of the best of what business can do for social and economic justice, nobody lives up to their billing better than Equal Exchange. And if you are into the joy of a great cup of joe in the morning before heading off to the garden or work, there is even more reason to celebrate. It isn't easy for me to bestow such an accolade on Equal Exchange. Afterall, I founded a company 23 years ago with the specific objective of claiming this distinction for myself. It starts with an internal process modeled on the Mondragon cooperatives of northern Spain.
Democratic citizenship governs while very smart managers execute solid business strategies.
But this is only the beginning. Raw materials are sourced using fair trade policies designed to create partnerships with many people in far-off lands. Growing methods favor the environment and sustainable agriculture. The notion that someone must lose for there to be a winner has been proven to be an erroneous assumption unless you feel sorry for Maxwell House every time Equal Exchange gains another customer. As a potential stockholder, I was seeking a secure investment with a reasonable financial return and an outrageous social dividend, namely to do no harm to any person or thing in the chain of supply and distribution.