Pyramid of change

Consumers make choices, companies take responsibility and sectors set conditions as a licence to operate. Sustainable development happens at several levels. Solidaridad calls this the Pyramid of change.

Consumers

For many years the sustainability agenda has been carried by consumers making conscious choices. Consumer labels such as fair trade and organic have made such choices possible and visible on the market.

Companies

Actually, sustainability is on the agenda of many companies: they are taking responsibility for the origin of their products and have started to see sustainability as one of the preconditions for the continuity of their business. Corporate social responsibility is rapidly gaining ground. This process is supported by new certification programmes such as UTZ Certified and Rainforest Alliance in the agricultural sector, and SA8000, BSCI and Fair Wear in the industrial chain.

Sectors

The involvement of companies is further reinforced by the rise of sector-wide initiatives such as the round tables. In the round table processes, a number of basic agreements are made on things which are no longer acceptable, such as the unbridled expansion of the sector at the expense of tropical rainforest. These round table processes can make it easier for governments to formulate and enforce legislation.

Dynamic innovation

Together, activities on these three levels of the Pyramid of change generate a dynamic innovation process. There is innovation at all levels. Consumers make choices, companies take responsibility, and sectors set their conditions. These three layers also reinforce each other, stimulating the process of sustainable development and preventing other parties from getting out of it by transferring costs to people and the environment.