p50,51 Edun:Layout 1 16/06/2009 13:13 Page 50
COMPANY PROFILE
Out of Africa
As part of Edun, the socially-conscious clothing company
founded by Ali Hewson and rock star husband, Bono, Edun
Live’s mission is to promote sustainable employment in
sub-Saharan Africa through bulk sales of blank and organic
T shirts. Debbie Eales talks to Edun Live’s business
development manager, Christine Driscoll, about the
company’s ethos and the positive impact it is having on the
Third World.
Above and below left: Ali Hewson
Q. Edun was founded on the ethos of “trade not with orders as they obtain new infrastructure and the protection of wildlife. The Wildlife
aid” as a means of building sustainable and supply additional jobs to the community. Conservation Society (WCS) currently works on
communities. Since the company was launched Also, through the One Campaign (an Edun sustainable conservation farming with farmers
in 2005, how has this been put into practice? campaign) we have raised about 650,000 in Madagascar, Uganda and Zambia. WCS is
A. It’s not so much “Trade not aid” as it is “Trade dollars to treat our factory workers in Lesotho working and advising Edun and the CCI in
for aid”. We believe there is value in both for HIV/AIDS and babies are being born under those countries to help farmers apply
mechanisms, but we like to focus on trade that program AIDS-free. Additionally, through sustainable conservation methods in growing
because it helps in transferring skills and our conservation cotton initiative, we are cotton.
building real sustainable change on the ground. working to support communities at the farm
Since launching the brand, we have begun level, providing them with education on Q. And what about your ONE Campaign to make
relationships in a number of countries that preserving the environment, organic farming, poverty history?
traditionally have been getting primarily aid as a income generation etc. A. The Edun One Campaign has raised almost
means to grow. People in these countries want $600,000 for ALAFA, an HIV/AIDS foundation
to work and earn their livelihoods. By driving Q. How has the company grown in terms of that works directly with the factory workers
orders through our supply chains there, we are turnover and product lines? who make Edun Live T shirts in Lesotho.
helping to achieve this. A. Edun Live started in early 2007 and turnover Through ALAFA, workers can be tested for
has consistently increased. Edun Live is our HIV/AIDS and thanks to this programme, babies
Q. Which countries are involved in producing Edun blanks/wholesale business while Edun, are being born AIDS-free.
Live garments and how has Edun’s involvement launched in Spring 2005, is our high end range
in providing employment helped these – a men’s and women’s contemporary fashion Q. How do you reconcile the fact that this is a “for
communities? brand which is sold in upscale department profit” business, rather than a charity?
A. Edun Live works in Lesotho, Uganda, Tanzania stores. A. There is no need to reconcile anything.
and South Africa, with fabric from Mauritius, Currently, there is a global shift towards bottom
Uganda and Tanzania. We also have organic Q. How hands-on are the company’s founders Ali and triple line businesses (ie: those that also
farming projects in Uganda, Madagascar and Hewson and Bono? take into account social and environmental
Zambia. We have been able to support factories A. They are very involved in the company. Edun goals in addition to financial. It’s becoming
now acts as a voice within the fashion more common to be holistic in your approach
industry, encouraging companies to do to business and incorporate traditionally non-
business in Africa. profit/charitable aims into the business model.
Being for profit is important to Edun and Edun
Q. Explain how this is helping to bring the Live because we want the business to be
continent out of extreme poverty? sustainable.
A. It sheds a different light on Africa. Instead of
showing traditional African imagery of poverty Q. How does Edun ensure that the factories it
and sickness, we try to make Africa “sexy” and uses are properly run and are not just
show the dynamism of the continent. We also sweatshops?
try to show business that Africa is a viable and A. We have an independent monitoring
strategic place to invest, so that these organisation called Verite which audits our
perceptions start changing as well. factories. Edun conducts audits by non-profit
socially responsible monitoring, training, and
Q. Tell us about your tie-up with the Wildlife program building organization Verité. In
Conservation Society and the Conservation. addition, Edun internal staff (production team
A. In an effort to create a truly sustainable global and senior management) visit each factory at
community, Edun has established the least twice a year and personally work with
Conservation Cotton Initiative (CCI), which them to try to improve compliance infractions
works towards improving the livelihoods of through coaching and feedback. Edun’s supplier
communities in Africa by promoting greater code is very explicit - Edun and Verité assess all
investment in sustainable and ethical suppliers against these code elements and
production of conservation-friendly agricultural work with each supplier and their workforce
products. Another focus of CCI is to incorporate through training and capacity building to reach
sustainable conservation agricultural practices these standards wherever they fail to,
| 50 | July 2009 www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
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