Merchandise Tuesday: Giving Back

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, often we forget to slow down, take a step back and pay attention to some of the issues that seem to slip through the cracks. Many companies are becoming more and more aware of their impact on the environment, and as a result, trying to adopt a more green way of doing business. Other corporations are concerned with social issues, and asking what they can do to contribute to their communities. Then there are the places out there that are focused on the global scale, doing whatever they can to enrich the lives of those less fortunate. These issues are just some of the problems we all tend to put on the back burner until we have more time or resources to take action. The good news is many companies are starting to tie their corporate social responsibility plans into their incentives programs.

At Hinda, our awards assortment features all kinds of products brought to us by Helping Hand Rewards, or HHR. HHR connects you with established social enterprises and fair trade organizations that manufacture unique, high-quality good with the sole mission of helping people earn a living and feed their families. From jewelry to bath products, housewares to gourmet food, these products are attractive and well made. Here are just a few samples of items created by some of HHR’s partners:

• Bath and Spa products feature items from Pure Eden™ and Bright Endeavors. Both of these organizations help women learn employment skills and provide job training so they can get ahead in life. Pure Eden’s products include fair trade and green soaps, lotions and travel spa kits for both women and men. Bright Endeavors creates its signature Dreambean soy candle tins in a variety of scents and sizes.
• Jewelry and Accessories products feature handmade bracelets from Mary Fisher and Moda Esperanza. Mary Fisher works to provide employment opportunities to HIV-positive women in Africa. Fisher designs the bracelets, which are intricately stitched and beaded by the women, who receive all profits from sales. Moda Esperanza helps women and single mothers in Honduras to earn a fair wage. These women create unique bracelets out of recycled pop tabs.
• Gourmet Food from Lambs Farm includes tins of cookies, toffee, chocolate and jars of jams produced by the longstanding organization, which focuses on empowering adults with developmental disabilities to lead enriched lives as independently as possible. Not only does the baking help the participants learn new skills, it also helps them cultivate their talent, which is a focus area for Lambs Farm.

This is just a small sampling of the socially responsible items Hinda has in its assortment. These products are not only great for employee recognition and corporate holiday gifts, but by redeeming these items, you are helping to enrich the lives of people around the globe who are struggling to put food on the table, working toward gaining important job skills or emotionally isolated from the rest of society due to unplanned pregnancy or developmental disabilities. When you choose a socially responsible gift, you are not just rewarding your employees or yourself, you are giving the gift of empowerment to the loving and motivated hands that stitched, baked and crafted these fine products.