The Las Vegas Market has announced that entries for the 5th edition of the prestigious Global Goodness Award – which recognizes furniture, gift, and home décor companies for environmentally friendly, sustainable, and socially responsible business practices – will be accepted through Friday, January 8. This year, one company will be selected to receive a Global Goodness Awards, along with a special “People’s Choice” Award during the Winter 2016 Las Vegas Market, running January 24-28.
“Las Vegas Market is pleased to recognize inspirational companies who practice socially responsible, sustainable, and environmentally friendly business practices with Global Goodness honors,” says Dorothy Belshaw, President of Gift & Home Décor for International Market Centers. “This fifth iteration of the sought-after Global Goodness Awards will celebrate the journey these companies have traveled while responsibly sourcing and manufacturing their products. As the leading furniture, home décor, and gift destination in the western United States, Las Vegas Market is proud to call attention to the positive impact these firms have had on people, communities, and the environment in the course of conducting business around the world.”
The Global Goodness Awards are open to all Las Vegas Market exhibitors, and a voting committee consisting of prominent industry experts, will select one submitted essay that best represents Global Goodness as well as one additional People’s Choice Award. The essay submitted by the award recipient will be posted on the Las Vegas Market Web site (www.lasvegasmarket.com) and each will receive special at-market recognition signage.
Las Vegas Market tenants and exhibitors wishing to participate in the Global Goodness initiative are invited to submit essays that describe their personal journey, outline the socially responsible products that they offer, and detail how these products and the sourcing process have had a positive impact on people and communities throughout the world. Essays – which must include both photos and text – are due by January 8 to Cain Brodie at cbrodie@imcenters.com.
All submissions should include an essay of 100 words or less explaining the socially responsible products offered; countries visited; and people or organizations supported; and high-resolution photos (300dpi, 5×7 inches) to illustrate the essay.
Winners of last year’s Global Goodness Awards include People’s Choice winner CleanBrands, a provider of mattress and pillow protectors designed to create a healthy, restorative sleep environment; Glory Haus Inc., a supplier of gifts, tabletop, and holiday products that partners with India’s Daughters of Hope to train and employ women artisans; Phillips Collection, which offers gifts and decorative accessories handcrafted by Indonesian artisans from reclaimed wood; Samantha Davimes, a provider of unique and artistic contemporary ethnic jewelry crafted by talented artisans from South Africa, Swaziland, and Thailand; and Swahili Imports, a member of the Fair Trade Federation that provides gifts and home décor handcrafted by artisans in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Lesotho, Zambia, Uganda, South Sudan, Mali, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Senegal.
The Global Goodness Awards program supplements an ongoing partnership that Las Vegas Market has with the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC) to create One Good World, a guide to sustainable furniture and home décor products to help connect legitimate suppliers and retailers in this new era of sustainability and accountability. The effort includes a sustainable products locator program, showcasing relevant at-Market resources, expanded educational offerings addressing issues and opportunities connected with sustainability.
Las Vegas Market showcases Fair Trade, sustainable and socially responsible products and producers within the HANDMADE segment of The Pavilions at Las Vegas Market, a collection of temporary exhibitors presenting unique handcrafted, artisanal products located in Pavilion #1; as well as in DISCOVERIES: The Antique Vintage Marketplace, a unique assortment of ethnic handicrafts, vintage and antique merchandise available for immediate delivery in Pavilion #2.
