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What Does ‘Ethical’ Mean To You?

The dictionary definition of ‘ethical’ is ‘honourable’, ‘doing the right thing’ and I started to wonder how this really relates to flowers, and to anything ‘ethical’ for that matter. What is ethical for one person may not be for another.

I have noticed, over the last few years that ‘eco’, ‘ethical’ and ‘green’ seem to be words that pop up all over the place a selling tool but one does start to wonder if these are not just labels, attached to products to make them more desirable and saleable.

Wondering around a local flower wholesaler I have noticed that a large percentage of the boxes of flowers have some sort of ‘green label’, promising, in very small print, to be socially and environmentally aware. Although this is reassuring for the end consumer, I am not sure who polices these labels or what they really mean. I, probably like many others, keep meaning to follow up on a ‘green label’ to find out more about the certification and the process involved.

Similarly, a consumer may be very specific that they are looking for a product that ensures high social responsibility on a farm in South America and may therefore find a Fairtrade label morally comforting. Others may prefer not to bring pesticide-infested product into their homes, perhaps because they live an organic lifestyle, and there are lots of customers that have a no air-freight insistence.

Every individual has built up a mental guideline which dictates the type of ‘ethical’ that they are looking for and these seem to be very different from one person to the next. Personally I feel my conviction lies in lots of different directions depending on the product and the circumstances. These days a trip to the local shops can pull at our moral heart strings in so many different ways, Fairtrade coffee or organic? Can you get both together? Don’t let’s start on packaging!

As a company, The Organic Flower Company only ever offers very specific ‘ethical’ products and that is only ever dictated by customer demand. Organic certified flowers, UK grown flowers and (soon) Fairtrade flowers are about as pin-pointedly specific as we can get, each catering for a different ethical agenda. I don’t really believe in ‘green’ labels or ‘eco’ friendly. I want to see absolute clarity and know exactly what I am offering, just as I expect for a food product.

Now I am thinking about carbon neutralisation and where this falls in the ‘ethical’ priorities list? There is a part of me that thinks that these companies that send you a bill that equates to your carbon emissions are here simply to close the door after the horse has bolted. Does it make it OK to fly around the world if you offset it? And where does that money really go? I wonder if there is really a balance between our actions and handing over cash for trees to be planted etc, or are we just kidding ourselves and appeasing our own minds in order to be able to tick emissions off the ‘ethical’ shopping list?

What about you, where do your priorities lie? Let me know at felicity@tofc.co.uk