Buy Responsibly Foundation is a nationwide organization focusing on sustainable development and environmental protection, responsible consumption and production, as well as respect for human rights and environmental principles in business. We have been active since 2002: first as a programme of the Polish Green Network, and since January 2014 – as an independent foundation.

Our mission

Our goal is to raise awareness of Polish citizens, and increase their ability to make environmentally and socially responsible consumer choices and to increase the influence of Polish consumers over Polish companies and global corporations in order to improve their environmental protection and human rights standards.
 

How do we do this?

We try to show who and under what conditions produces the goods that we buy every day. We investigate whether their production did not have a negative impact on people, animals and the environment and, together with you, we are looking for ethical and ecological alternatives. We implement informational and educational projects, we work with teachers and other NGO’s, we also interact with business and governmental and administrative structures. So far, we have carefully analyzed the problems related to the production of clothes, toys, wood and paper. Currently we are also focusing on electronics and food. We organize conferences, seminars, meetings, debates, film screenings, happenings, exhibitions, festivals and trainings. We have produced several publications including guides for consumers, non-governmental organizations, business people, as well as manuals for teachers and educational brochures for children and youth.

For whom?

Our activities are addressed to diverse audiences: consumers, business, media , governments, teachers,  school and university students and members of trade unions.

By which means?

We use modern communication tools, including social media, to strengthen citizens’ involvement in consumer issues. We have co-created the Sustainable Consumption Where-to go-Guides with sustainable shops, cafes and other services in 8 Polish cities. We collect signatures under urgent appeals and petitions to international and local corporations. In August 2011 we presented consumers with "Good Shopping Guide" – the first Polish ranking evaluating brands in terms of their social and environmental responsibility. Rating is available at www.dobrezakupy.ekonsument.pl – both in Polish and in English.

Our partners

Buy Responsibly Foundation places great emphasis on collaboration with other NGOs, both nationally and internationally. Being the daughter organization of Polish Green Network, we have the ability to work with 12 environmental organizations from different regions of Poland. In addition, we are a member of the Polish Fair Trade Coalition, a member of the Clean Clothes Poland (Polish platform of the Clean Clothes Campaing). At the international level we work with Suedwind Agentur (Austria), GLOBAL 2000 (Austria), NaZemi – společnost pro fair trade (Czech Republic), DanWatch (Denmark), Peuples Solidaires (France), Koperazzjoni Internazzjonali (Kopin) (Malta), Oxfam Germany, Christliche Initiative Romero (Germany), Inkota (Germany), The National Association of Human Resources Specialists (Romania), Cooperazione per lo Sviluppo dei Paesi Emergenti (Italy), Comunità Impegno Servizio Volontariato (CISV) (Italy), Gruppo di Volontariato Civile (GVC) (Italy), Scotdec (UK), Association of Conscious Consumers (ACC) (Hungary).