ifPeople to present FairSource at UNC Conference on "Reinventing Business"
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Over 200 business leaders and academics that will be gathering March 30-31 to explore competitive ways to do business in today`s challenging world at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School conference "Reinventing Today's Business." ifPeople has been invited by the Center for Sustainable Enterprise to present its model of fair trade technology, called FairSource, which it has pioneered with partners in South America.
The conference features keynotes from Janine
Benyus, author of Biomimicry, and Andrew Shapiro, author of The Control Revolution.
Speakers will be paired between a business leader and an academic, to
combine both theoretical and research perspectives with real-world
experience for a rich presentation environment. Speakers will relate
business experiences in large companies and from developing countries.
Overview of FairSource
FairSource is a sustainable business model and a standard for trade in services. FairSource extends the principles of Fair Trade to trade in services, incorporating the protection of human and labor rights and the environment into a mutually beneficial relationship for the commercialization of services. The standard codifies a commitment to responsible business practices, long-term relationships, and professional development. FairSource is used at ifPeople for fostering micro-enterprises in the Latin American Southern Cone that are developing information technology (software and services) solutions, yet is designed to be applicable for more general trade in services as well.
ifPeople currently works with seven enterprises in Chile and Argentina, which involves over 20 knowledge workers. ifPeople uses the working relationship to emphasize the importance of socially responsible practices, a living wage, participatory work environments, and long-term engagements. The growth of ifPeople's FairSource services have fueled 25% growth in numbers of staff at the enterprises involved. In addition to a source of quality work, ifPeople has also provided educational experiences and a platform for exchange between companies involved, enabling them to share information about the local challenges to entrepreneurship.
Despite the benefits of engagement under the FairSource model, entrepreneurs face many barriers to creating and maintaining a business in Latin America. Bureaucracy and taxes impose a formidable burden on small enterprises, from the cost and time necessary for the formation of a company to taxes associated with having employees. In addition,information about management, accounting, and legal processes is rarely accessible to entrepreneurs.
For more on the conference, please see the Conferene web site.
You can also find additional information on the Center for Sustainable Enterprise.
