The convening power of garlic
Thomas Bourne
Founder & Chief Ecosystem Officer @ Greenheart | Sustainability Strategy, B Corp Certification, Regenerative Leadership
Every now and again you come across a business that is so tight with its supply chain that you think anything is possible.?
Such a company is The Garlic Farm , a Certified B Corporation and long-standing client and friend of Greenheart on the Isle of Wight. I had the pleasure of speaking at their supplier event recently which was ALL about impact.?
Suppliers had come not just from the island, but across the UK and France to meet, share food and - mostly importantly - build human connections while discussing shared social and environmental challenges. It was hugely energising and my key takeaways were these:
?? There is absolutely no substitute for in-person, human to human, connection when it comes to facing into shared challenges like the Climate Emergency. No amount of zoom meetings can compare with the energy of physical meeting, fuelled by good food and drink.?
??? The communication mustn’t stop there - people want to talk, share knowledge and collaborate…so let them. If you have a supply chain then you have the opportunity to convene people. Use it.?
?? Those conversations can and should become a shared voice on issues that matter - share the shared views, use your combined noise to advocate for change where it matters.
If companies can see their suppliers as interdependent partners in a wider ecosystem rather than transactional commercial trading entities, we will achieve the change we need faster, more effectively and with more humanity.?
Oh, and garlic is delicious.????
Making finance a force for good ?????? Coaching SMEs & CFOs to build businesses that last | 100+ businesses supported | ACCA SME Global Forum | GenCFO ESG award winner | Workshops & Keynotes
1 年I have an aversion to the phrase supply chain. I use it because it’s the understood phrase and I don’t like to confuse with more sustainability spaghetti. But when you stop to think about it supply chain is so deeply impersonal… I like partners. My customers are my partners and I’m there partner and customer. If suppliers were renamed to partners in the existing systems they would be paid faster imho.
CEO at ORESA | Founder of Growth Index
1 年One of my favourite suppliers
CEO - Cotswold Fayre & Flourish, Author "Forces for Good" & "The Fourth Bottom Line", Key Note Speaker & Podcaster
1 年Good to see you at The Garlic Farm - one of Cotswold Fayre, a certified B Corporation oldest suppliers and now a B Corp too!
Inspire & developing the organisation @ the LEGO Group
1 年Alis Sindbjerg Hinrichsen
Employment lawyer for purpose & values driven employers | Imagining a better world of work | Enabling progressive ways of being and doing for mutual thriving, within an employment law framework | Nature inspired ??
1 年Lucky you being at The Garlic Farm for a conference! I LOVE The Garlic Farm and the wonderful array of garlic they grow (I feel hungry just remembering the amazing (garlicky) food in their cafe!).