And I have learned that markets that value the ancestral legacies, recover ecosystems, and give opportunities to people that have been excluded are markets that create a beautiful world.
These are the beliefs we have in Wakami – our vision is in creating a beautiful world, where both the people and the Earth are happy; creating products that inspire our customers and transform the lives of the people that produce them is our mission.
Easier said than done. We have learned at Wakami that more than a destination, this vision and mission are like the fences that signal the road to travel, are what keep us moving – through falls, through celebrations, through hard times, through VERY hard times, . . .
This vision, though, is so strong so that the road is worth taking. Like I have shared many times with many of you, and as you have seen for yourselves, there are so many happy moments, instants of light and revelation, instants where miracles standing before our eyes… all through a journey that has allowed a connection between families living in rural areas of Guatemala and families living in other parts of the world. The journey revealing like our ALL ONE bracelet says – “our differences make us unique; our common origin makes us all one”.
What is beautiful is that Wakami is not alone in this quest to build a better world through the power of business. There are many other companies walking the journey and finding new ways to improve our world. That is why we are so proud, along other companies, to be part of the B Corporation Movement, a movement that measures how companies perform at different levels – community, environment, customers…
Wakami has been certified since 2013, and was one of the first companies to be certified in Guatemala. Back then very few people knew what being a B Corp meant. For us, it was wonderful to see there were others in the same journey as we were.
Now the world is looking for B Corps, and their products and services, knowing they each one have a unique purpose into how to create a better world, starting with their own communities.
Through the certification process, not only do they evaluate your business, you also learn of new ways in which others are creating change, so being a B Corp is like going to school and learning not from a teacher, but from your fellow students.
I invite you to see the B Corp site, www.bcorporation.net. One phrase reflects the philosophy behind this movement – The Declaration of Interdependence, which is the basis for the movement. You can find out listing right here: https://bcorporation.net/directory/wakami
This crisis has shown we are all connected, B Corps acknowledge not only that we are connected, but that cooperation is at the heart of change and hope.
I had the opportunity to meet one of its founders, Jay Coen Gilbert, and when he shared his own personal story that lead him to start this movement, along Bart Houlahan and Andrew Kassoy, I was really inspired.
For Wakami it is very special to know we are together with others, creating these new ways for the world. To be part of a community that shares so many values is priceless for us.
