Sustainability • Ethics • Transparency
What started as a mission to become an “ethical marketplace” as well as an “anti-Amazon” marketplace, has evolved into something much more defined.
Answering the question “what makes a brand ethical?” was trickier than I had anticipated. Some brands focus on sustainability, others on fair labor practices, some on ethical sourcing… the list goes on. It quickly became apparent that not every brand can check every box. And that’s okay. What we need is transparency so we can make informed decisions when we shop.
As much as I needed to work on other things (I’m wearing a lot of hats these days), I backed off for a few days because I wanted to rebuild the foundation of OtterList from the ground up, to create a compass for everything we do going forward. I spent hours each day researching every possible standard, talking with mentors and spent a lot of time reflecting on what OtterList should stand for. The result is a new foundation…
We are now guided by 3 pillars going forward. Sustainability, ethics, and transparency. Each of these pillars represent a list of updated standards and has shaped our new approval requirements. Over the coming weeks, everything on the website will be shifted over to reflect these changes.
We’ll continue to evolve our standards with the goal of setting the bar high but realistic and achievable. The more we show brands that we want more ethical and sustainable options, the more they’ll provide them. When customers come to brands from an OtterList listing, they’ll know it’s from someone actively seeking products that are better for people, animals, and the planet.
