Kaiko acts as a forerunner on social responsibility. Through our manufacturing we create opportunities to work and earn a living in developing Nepal, and we ensure that all people making our products receive a real living wage.
In addition, we direct 7% of the profits from our products to Nepal. The donations support women-led businesses through training and empowerment activities realized both through our collaboration with Women’s Bank and Kaiko’s own projects in Nepal.
Social Responsibility
Real living wages
A real living wage is one of the core measures of social responsibility. A real living wage refers to an amount that is enough to cover the basic costs of living, including housing, food, health care, insurances, transport and children’s education. In developing countries, where government provided social security is lacking or missing, it is particularly important that wages sufficiently cover all the above-mentioned expenses.
At Kaiko, we track the wages paid by all our manufacturers through annual surveys. Salaries by manufacturers working within the EU are regulated through legislation and as such easy to track. In Nepal, however, the legally set minimum wage is insufficient to cover living costs, and as such we pay particular attention to salaries there. In determining fair wages there, we use the World Trade Organisation’s salary model which has determined a real living wage based on standard of living calculations in Kathmandu.
We support Nepalese women in improving their work environments and providing fair jobs to people in their region. Donated funds are delivered to Nepal through our own projects and team efforts as well as in collaboration with Women’s Bank.
In 2021 we donated funds directly to Nepalese people who were impoverished due to the COVID-19 crisis. Donations were also used for training our local Nepal-team.
Part of the donations are directed to grassroots training efforts by Women’s Bank, which enables us to reach women in remote regions who do not have the same employment opportunities as women in Kathmandu have.
Annual 7% donation
Why Nepal?
Fair employment opportunities are especially important in a developing country, where many people face work-based exploitation and salaries are insufficient for living. The independence provided by a job and the ability to earn a living is often more than life-changing for Nepalese women; it can also offer a way out of multi-generational poverty.
Despite being one of the World’s poorest nations, Nepal has a unique atmosphere thanks to its 123 ethnic groups and their rich traditions in crafts and artistry, which are evident, for example, in our handmade jewelry line.
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