SoleRebles, based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is a unique firm in clothing industry. By hiring employees from local community in Addis Ababa and paying them a wage about 233% higher than the average wage in the industry, SoleRebles manages to promote the wellbeing of the locals. Moreover, the company also provies medical coverage, free transportation, and no-quota policy for its employees. Besides offering native people with basic needs to change their quality, the firm also values sustainable production, cultural preservation and community dedication. SoleRebles helps to promote the poor living condition in the community.
TOMS, in contrast, is a much more well-known and popular clothing company in the U.S. The founder, Blake Mycoskie, firstly begins with the idea of One for One business model: helping a person in need with every product purchased. Undoubtedly, TOMS has made great effort on helping people. But, such actions never solve the real problems. Giving persons with a pair of shoes might help him in a short term but will not able to change his/her life at all. In recent years, the firm has extended its One for One model by providing people with eye vision, clean water, and books.
Personally speaking, I support both companies’ ideas as both ideas have the same purposes while the difference is that they aim at a short-term and long-term support respectively. Any means of support is good but I believe a method can help to change people’s life works better to solve the real issue.
Reference:
–TOMS
