Principles
Unicorn seeks to operate within a set of ethical
and social guidlelines which we call our statement of purpose,
this is set out below:
Secure Employment
We aim to provide secure employment for our members. We seek above
all to provide a livelihood for ourselves with some control over
our working environment. We accept the responsibilities and rewards
of this challenge.
Equal Opportunity
We aim to reserve some employment for members with a learning
disability. We believe that all should have an equal opportunity
to undertake paid work. Ignorance and prejudice should not be
an obstacle to this. The ability to carry out a minimum of 8 hours
useful work per week entitles a worker to apply for membership.
The respect and income derived from a job are important to many
people in our society which is one which values paid work highly.
Wholesome Healthy Consumption
We aim to trade in wholesome foodstuffs and household goods of
non-animal origin. We trade in foodstuffs which have undergone
minimal processing, in contrast to the steady trend towards a
highly processed diet in this country. Specific product guidelines
include the avoidance of added sugar, salt and animal derivatives.
We strive to sell products of organic standard and maximum nutritional
value whenever we can find or generate a market. Provision of
food educational materials help in this aim.
Fair and Sustainable Trade
We aim to trade in a manner which supports a sustainable world
environment and economy. We trade preferentially in products which
follow the "Fair Trade" ethos and alert our customers
to the problems cash crop agriculture. We are concerned that much
of world trade is to the disadvantage of poorer nations with a
consequence for people's health and lives. We operate a fund from
which to support projects addressing and challenging this imbalance.
4% of our wage costs are contributed to this fund. We trade in
products which in themselves and in their packaging produce minimum
impact on the environment because we are concerned at the current
large scale disposal or inorganic waste. Wherever possible we
lobby for the use of reusable packaging (e.g. glass containers
of standard size).
Solidarity in Co-operation
We aim to support like minded ventures, co-operatives or otherwise.
We acknowledge both competition and co-operation as fundamental
to human nature. We seek to encourage co-operation by operating
a fund to support projects which share our vision of community
and society in the United Kingdom. 1% of our wage costs are contributed
to this fund. We promote co-operative structures and spirit through
all our trading, social and educational activities. Solidarity
requires occasional boycotting of goods, services and companies
and the promotion of such boycotts.
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