Corporate Responsibility
Syrian Cotton’s Sustainable Business Model
In Syrian Cotton, we wanted to go beyond the concept of profitability to the concept of social responsibility & sustainability. We wanted to grow a sustainable Dutch business with a Syrian flavor. We wanted to design a business model that embodies our gratitude to the Netherlands that embraced us, our strive to increase the well-being of fellow refugees in the diaspora, and to share part of the Syrian rich and ancient heritage with the amazing Dutch community.
To realize this vision, we designed a business model that encompasses four pivotal stages:
1. Mindful Supplier Selection
We choose suppliers based on 3 essential criteria:
- A Famous or experienced Syrian manufacturer who restarted their businesses in new lands like Turkey or Egypt after fleeing the war in Syria.
- A manufacturer who employs a high percentage of skilled Syrian refugees
- A manufacturer who combines the legacy of the famous Syrian Cotton textile, high-quality & sustainable materials, and modern designs
2. Heritage and Quality Delivery:
In stage two we offer more than carefully selected high-quality products at accessible prices. We serve as a bridge to our rich Syrian heritage, our story, and our reliable service. We implement sustainable packaging solutions that echoes our environmental awareness alongside our desire to deliver happiness and part of our culture to our customers.
3. Returns
With the foundation set in stages 1 & 2, we foresee two pivotal outcomes:
- Growing financial returns
- Elevated customer satisfaction, as clients receive not just a luxurious product but a narrative, a legacy, and a contribution towards social and sustainable objectives.
4. Completing the Cycle:
- We allocate part of our profits to organizations like UAF (Which supports refugees in their educational pursuits in the Netherlands) and the Dutch Food Bank.
- By reinvesting in our trusted suppliers, we ensure continuous product flow and empower them to maintain stable income to their refugee staff, increases refugee hires, and nudges them toward favouring sustainability & organic Cotton inputs.
By intertwining our business with societal welfare, we’re not just selling products; we’re sharing stories, promoting sustainability, and fostering community growth.
Syrian Cotton’s Sustainable Business Model
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2030) have shaped our concept and formed the cornerstone of the Syrian Cotton’s mission and vision. We believe that every corporation must have a symbiotic relationship with its environment along with social and sustainable goals to achieve.
Syrian Cotton engages in Sustainable Development Goals number 1,2,4,5,8,10 and 15 as follows:
Syrian Cotton suppliers are mostly displaced Syrian producers who employ a high percentage of refugees. In this way, we have ensured the welfare and sustainable income for refugees in their new countries. Opening new markets for these producers will encourage them to employ more workers and consequently reduce poverty among fragile groups.
Syrian Cotton has decided to donate 1,5% of its yearly profit to Food Bank Netherlands (VOEDSELBANKEN.NL). according to Food Bank, “Nearly one million people in the Netherlands live below the poverty line”, “this dire situation can be solved simply by giving food surpluses. A solution both good for people and the environment.”
Syrian Cotton has decided to donate 1,5% as well of its yearly profit to UAF. An organization that supports refugee students and professionals in their studies and in finding suitable employment on the Dutch labour market since 1948. UAF ensures that refugees have an equal opportunity to access quality education so they can use their knowledge to make a meaningful contribution to Dutch society.
Out of our deep belief in the importance of gender equality as a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. We make sure that women have an equal role in the Syrian Cotton supply chain.
Syrian Cotton activities aim to promote decent work and economic growth along our inflow & outflow supply chain. By opening new markets for the displaced high-quality manufacturers we are allowing and encouraging them to offer larger groups a decent work environment. Moreover, concurrently with our business growth, we aim to hire a diverse group, consequently reducing the number of unemployed who receive social benefits and turn them into positive taxpayers.
To reduce the inequality against refugees and immigrants in their new societies, we have built our business model around the concept of supporting displaced Syrian producers who employ a high percentage of refugees, especially in countries that have received hundreds of thousands of refugees like Turkey and Egypt. One of our goals of Choosing the name of Syrian Cotton is to associate high-quality products and services with the word “Syrian” which, as we hope, will bring more acceptance for Syrian refugees in the Dutch and European society.
