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“Retail Suicide” – An Anonymous Article from and for the Fresh Food Sectors….

Retail has always had winners and losers, but in the race for more customers, has ethics been comprised for far too long? There’s an elephant in the boardroom, and it’s the true cost of production, be it in food, drink or clothing.

Reflect on the business culture you operate in – that disposable, single-use, cheapest product you deliver has come at a price. We’ve allegedly taken into account EVERY resource required to produce our products. We’ve all assessed the impact we’re making on people and the planet right down the line, right? Of course, we’d all like to say yes, but have we really taken into account the true cost of production? Have we recognised the accounting scandals, the blatant use of one meat labelled as another, food contamination, disregard of workers’ rights, unfair pay, tax avoidance, non-disclosure agreements, fraudulent trading, depression, employee sick days and the tragedy of farmer suicides?

Cost of Production should be a clear and accurate reflection of EVERYTHING it took to create our goods (a ‘holistic audit’ if you like). But let’s be honest – we’re at a fork in the road. We could opt for the well-trodden path to short-term profit and keep our fingers crossed we’re not the stars of the next shockumentary. Or maybe we could take the road less travelled – the road which offers a little less financial reward, but which we can march down with heads held high and consciences clear, knowing we’re producing good, not just goods.

Currently, we’d be outnumbered for sure. There’s no congestion on the road to Not-Just-For-Profit, but the slumbering giant of a social revolution has been woken by the heavy tread of the short-term profit seekers.

The actual cost of supplying retail has never truly been taken into account. But it will be. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But soon, and for the rest of your company’s shelf life. The new benchmark or seal of approval will be a supplier who is ethical in real terms and real-time – no marketing mirrors or empty promises. The people, real people, are banging their drum for change and its getting louder.

We’ve listened to the industry talk about ABC1 consumers for decades, but this faceless quantification is on its last legs. It’s people, not numbers, we sell to, and it is time to stop treating these people as objects. As shocking as the institutionalised objectification of women in the entertainment industry, the reduction of people to ‘consumers’ will ultimately see our industry rightly chastised at the hands of another #metoo uprising. If we tolerate or ignore unethical practices, #youtoo will be found guilty.

Armed with KPI’s and the need to meet targets, and driven by incentive schemes, our buyers arrive with the goal of achieving results ever better than their predecessors. Ultimately contracts are price driven, fuelled by the demands of shareholder dividends. But this relentless extraction of value is unsustainable, and at some point, somehow, the debt will have to be repaid with interest.

It doesn’t seem to matter if you have the highest service levels, the lowest number of quality issues, and deliver on a measurable set of ethical values. Putting people and planet before profit comes at a price, but who’s willing to pay and make a statement? The commitment to meeting the true cost of production is not a consideration when choosing a supplier, but should it?

Ethicality cannot remain an undervalued currency. We can’t pass blame in the supply chain – each and every one of us has to accept responsibility for the integrity of our link.

The truth is, David and Goliath relationships will always exist. But genuinely ethical David’s with the transparency and right values of purpose will win the custom of all the people who share their values. The time to hide is over – complex business structures with marketing smoke and mirrors are doomed, corporate camouflage has stopped working.

The author

Claire MacGillivray

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Redfox Executive Selection Ltd
6 days ago
Redfox Executive Selection Ltd

Growing Manager Required – Vertical Farming – With a Twist…! Via Redfox Executive Selection. CLICK LINK TO VIEW FULL DETAILS - lnkd.in/epXaKiYx

#farming #verticalfarming #controlledenvironmentagriculture #horticulture #freshproduce
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Growing Manager Required – Vertical Farming – With a Twist…! Via Redfox Executive Selection. CLICK LINK TO VIEW FULL DETAILS - https://lnkd.in/epXaKiYx  #farming #verticalfarming #controlledenvironmentagriculture #horticulture #freshproduce
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2 weeks ago
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An absolute cracking Farm Manager role now live via Redfox Executive Selection in Hertfordshire with a hugely progressive and diverse farming business. CLICK LINK TO REVIEW - lnkd.in/eFZDTZsQ

#farming #agriculture #farmmanagement #sustainableagriculture #agribusiness
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An absolute cracking Farm Manager role now live via Redfox Executive Selection in Hertfordshire with a hugely progressive and diverse farming business. CLICK LINK TO REVIEW - https://lnkd.in/eFZDTZsQ  #farming #agriculture #farmmanagement #sustainableagriculture #agribusiness
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3 weeks ago
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Commercial & Sales Director Required for a Fresh Produce Business with a Very Positive Twist – Virginia – United States. Via Redfox Executive Selection. CLICK LINK - lnkd.in/e54RMjz5

#freshproduce #horticulture #usajobs #virginiajobs
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Commercial & Sales Director Required for a Fresh Produce Business with a Very Positive Twist – Virginia – United States. Via Redfox Executive Selection. CLICK LINK - https://lnkd.in/e54RMjz5  #freshproduce #horticulture #usajobs #virginiajobs
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4 weeks ago
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This looks to be a very informative upcoming Broadcast on Beanstalk Global with Patrice from Biotalys. Join with us all! ... See MoreSee Less

Patrice Sellès. CEO - Biotalys. Food Security with Biocontrol’s.

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Redfox Executive Selection Ltd
4 weeks ago
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Great picture of Anna Hill and the Beanstalk team's main cameraman!Filming at the great Cereals Event today and we managed to turn the tables on the brilliant Anna Hill of Radio 4 Farming Today fame & interview her! Vid out shortly. Here she is with our young farming mad cameraman "Boo"!

#farming #agriculture ##agribusiness #agribusiness #agribusiness
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Great picture of Anna Hill and the Beanstalk teams main cameraman!
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Redfox Executive Selection Ltd
4 weeks ago
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Site Manager Required – Australia (Sydney) Based – Leading Fresh Sector Business. An amazing opportunity! Via Redfox Executive Selection. CLICK LINK - lnkd.in/eX2JXk77

#business #opportunity #sydney #foodmanufacturing #FMCG #freshproduce #horticulture #operationalroles
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Site Manager Required – Australia (Sydney) Based – Leading Fresh Sector Business. An amazing opportunity! Via Redfox Executive Selection. CLICK LINK - https://lnkd.in/eX2JXk77  #business #opportunity #sydney #foodmanufacturing #fmcg #freshproduce #horticulture #operationalroles
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Redfox Executive Selection Ltd
1 month ago
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We love LEAF Open Farm Sunday. Go and find your nearest Farm that is involved for you to get involved! 😀🚜🌽🥦😀There’s just 1 week to go‼️🥳🧑‍🌾🐑
This time next week, farms across Britain will be opening their gates for LEAF Open Farm Sunday, take a look at your local #LOFS22 event is here: www.farmsunday.org/visit-a-farm
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We love LEAF Open Farm Sunday. Go and find your nearest Farm that is involved for you to get involved! 😀🚜🌽🥦😀
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Redfox Executive Selection Ltd
1 month ago
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Head of People and Development Required for one of the UK’s Leading Fresh Sector Businesses via Redfox Executive Selection. CLICK LINK TO VIEW - lnkd.in/eZUKsNq7

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Head of People and Development Required for one of the UK’s Leading Fresh Sector Businesses via Redfox Executive Selection. CLICK LINK TO VIEW - https://lnkd.in/eZUKsNq7  #people #development #humanresourcesmanagement #headofpeople #freshproduce #horticulture
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1 month ago
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Account Manager Required for a Leading Fresh Sector Business via a key Redfox Executive Selection client. CLICK LINK TO FIND OUT MORE - lnkd.in/dkE7_wr

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Account Manager Required for a Leading Fresh Sector Business via a key Redfox Executive Selection client. CLICK LINK TO FIND OUT MORE - https://lnkd.in/dkE7_wr  #freshproduce #business #horticulture
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1 month ago
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If you ever have had any involvement with Caroline Drummond and what she achieved for us all with LEAF & Open Farm Sunday, join Women in Food & Farming on Beanstalk Global for a tribute to her life and her achievements. Full details as per post below..."A Tribute To Our Mighty Caroline Drummond" - via Women in Food & Farming, a live Broadcast on Beanstalk.Global. Tues 31st May @ 5:30pm BST - CLICK LINK - lnkd.in/egftXusu

As you will know, we recently had the hugely sad news that Caroline Drummond, champion of sustainable farming and the driving force behind Open Farm Sunday, had passed away following a short illness.

In celebration of Caroline and everything she has achieved for us all and our sectors, the Women in Food & Farming Group and host Beanstalk.Global Global, are running a Broadcast with a number of individuals who have been so positively influenced by Caroline over the years.

We are going live on Tuesday 31st of May at 5:30pm BST. Please CLICK THIS LINK TO REGISTER -https://lnkd.in/egftXusu

The Broadcast will also be live streamed via Beanstalk Global across all the major social media channels both in the UK & Internationally including LinkedIn "live" AS PER THIS LINK - lnkd.in/eKzeN8ze

Please join with us to celebrate everything that Caroline achieved for us all and our industry sectors.

#farming #food #sustainable #freshproduce
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If you ever have had any involvement with Caroline Drummond and what she achieved for us all with LEAF & Open Farm Sunday, join Women in Food & Farming on Beanstalk Global for a tribute to her life and her achievements. Full details as per post below...
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