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3+ Resources to make shopping an activist exercise

3+ Resources to make shopping an activist exercise
For many years, really since I became a mom in 1998, I have sought to make my spending and shopping match up to my personal values. A friend and I were discussing this the other day in light of Black Lives Matter activism and calls for policing reform. We both agree that we want to make our spending have an impact by shopping at black owned businesses, when possible, and not shopping at those that don't support Black Lives Matter. 

So, how do you decide where to shop and how to spend your money in alignment with your values? 

I wish there were one, simple answer, but this is a complex process that may take into account several factors that don't always match up. I suggest you decide which values matter to you most and find tools to help you support companies and brands in line with those values and your budget. It's time consuming, but I think it's worth it. Below are some of my values and preferences with the tools I use to guide my shopping.

Environmentalism
A great resource for knowing the environmental impact of products you buy for yourself and your family is the Environmental Working Group (EWG). They have several consumer guides which you may use to see the environmental rankings of products and foods based on factors like toxicity, nutrition, and more. 
  • Find all of their guides HERE.
  • To search skincare products click HERE. You can search for products related to suncare, skin, hair, nails, makeup and fragrances, oral/dental care, and so on.
    • To specifically check sunscreens click HERE.
  • Search ratings on over 80,000 foods and food products HERE.
One company I always feel confident buying from when it comes to environmental issues is REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.). I worked for them briefly, in Yonkers, New York, and though I already knew quite a bit about REI's commitment to the environemnt, I was blown away by how much more I learned through working there. REI vets all of their products, does regular employee trainings, and reviews their practices and policies on a regular basis. You can learn more about their stewardship, policies, and practices HERE.

Black Lives Matter
So far, I have not found a truly comprehensive list of companies or rankings with regard to Black Lives Matter. However, you can easily do a Google search for your town and "black owned companies" or "black owned businesses" PLUS the name of your city, town, or state. You can also do more specific Google searches like "black owned ice cream shops in _____" -- just substitute "ice cream shops" with whatever you are looking for. 

Personally, I love book stores, so my recent search was for "Black owned book stores United States" and I found THIS list. The list ticks two boxes for me: black owned AND independent (I have been Amazon free for a little less than a year and do not miss it!).

If you shop at Target or Walgreens, look for the brand The Honey Pot which made headlines recently when Target faced backlash over featuring the brand and the owner in their commercials. Personally, I loved the commercials and I love the company's message. You can also buy directly HERE. Want to know more about the backlash? Click HERE.

LGBTQ+ equality:
This PDF from the Human Rights Committee (HRC) is HUGE, but it is highly detailed with information about inclusivity and equality markers for over 1,050 of the largest businesses in the United States. Click HERE for the PDF.

Diversity and Inclusivity (D&I)
This index ranks the top 100 most inclusive and diverse companies globally. As a result, it may seem somewhat limited, but many of these 100 companies also have numerous brands and subsidiaries under their umbrellas. Click HERE for the website and overview, but click HERE for the full list (it's a PDF).

A few additional things to think about
While I would love to provide you with a shopping list or company list that is absolutely perfect all around towards environmentalism, consumer protection, inclusivity, and diversity, no company like that exists. 

For example, as much as I love that Nestle is listed in the top 25 of the D&I Index, they have a terrible track record when it comes to issues such as water stewardship and environmentalism and much more (see HERE, HERE, and HERE). As such, I've opted not to purchase any of their brands when possible (see a list HERE). While Nestle has done some good in the world (such as donating water to residents of Flint, Michigan), it's not enough to convince me to buy their brands. And, yes, at the grocery store, even in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, you'll find me checking labels. 

Additionally complicating matters is the business practice of franchising. You may go to a McDonalds and think, "Cool, just had a cheap, fast, easy meal at McD's!" when in reality, you've just eaten at a restaurant that is not owned by McDonald's but instead is a franchise -- a separate business that has paid McDonald's for the use of the name, design, menu, and everything else that makes McDonald's, well, McDonald's. Case in point: Wendy's -- they recently were in the news when Business Insider reported that James Bodenstedt, the CEO of Muy Cos., donated a huge sum to the Trump campaign. Wendy's franchises out their brand to other businesses, including Muy Cos. Muy Cos and Wendy's have a franchise agreement but are not the same company otherwise. Read more HERE. To know if a location is owned by a company or is a franchise of the company, you'll have to head to their websites.
 
Finally, consider seeking companies that have achieved Certified B Corporation (or B-Corp) status -- you can search a B-Corp directory HERE. These are companies that have applied for and passed an extremely strict assessment of their company policies and practices across many areas (legal, environmental, worker conditions, community commitments, and more). They are also required to meet a high level of transparency and to "balance profit and purpose."


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