In its Manifesto for a Sustainable Society, the Green Party’s approach to business is primarily concerned with encouraging localism, sustainability and a high regard for workers’ rights and conditions.
Therefore, we have drawn up the following guidelines for ethical business fundraising.
Notes on these guidelines
1. The ethical criteria set out in these guidelines cover gifts of products, payments for advertising and revenue from mutual partnership schemes, as well as loans and straightforward gifts of money.
2. We recognise that not all things claiming to be ‘green’ are environmentally or ethically sound, and that not all companies and businesses falling into these broad criteria will be acceptable to the Green Party.
Many companies may be developing small numbers of greener products merely as ‘greenwash’ for their wider unsustainable business practices (e.g. organic sub-brands within a large multinational junk food business, or a green electricity tariff from a mainly nuclear power supplier). Common sense and discretion in relation to whether a business is mainly or wholly ‘green’ or ‘ethical’ in focus should be used by all who are engaged with businesses on the Party’s behalf, referring for advice to the relevant responsible people if in doubt.
A. We will actively seek donations from companies and organisations wholly or mainly involved with the following:
- Renewable energy
- Promoting more sustainable transport (cycling, walking, car-sharing, lift-sharing, public transport, electric vehicles)
- Supplying or producing fairly traded goods
- Producing and supplying organic food
- Producing and supplying vegetarian or vegan food
- Producing and supplying organic, vegetable-based or low-chemical detergents and household chemicals (e.g. paints)
- Producing and supplying organic and fairly traded/ethical clothing
- Producing and supplying local food and drink
- The repair, reuse and recycling of goods and materials
- Promoting non-flying holidays in the UK
- Promoting global environmental, human and animal welfare
- Retailing of primarily sustainable and/or ethical goods
- Ethical banking and investments
- Free and open-source software
- Sustainable building and maintenance
We will also seek donations from businesses with ethical ownership structures, such as workers’ co-ops.
B. We will NOT seek or accept donations from companies and organisations involved in the following:
- Air transport industries, including airports, but excluding airships
- Animal testing or experimentation, and blood sports
- Fur or fur products
- Car manufacturers or manufacturers of private commercial vehicles (excluding electric cars – see Part A).
- Fossil fuel industries or their suppliers, including petrol or diesel distribution
- Intensive farming or meat sale
- Lending to Third World countries and debt recovery
- Nuclear power
- Incineration
- Pornography or adult films
- Roads or road-building
- Sale of tobacco or tobacco products
- The Military or arms trade
- The production of ozone-depleting chemicals
- The production of pesticides
- Marketing baby milk, pharmaceuticals and tobacco to developing countries
- Tropical hardwoods unless FSC certified
- Genetically modified foods
- Regimes against which there is an organised campaign supported by the Green Party
In addition:
- Companies that are wholly owned subsidiaries whose parent companies are involved in the activities above, and
- Companies that do not recognise trade unions or collective agreements are precluded from donating to the Green Party.
C) Mutual benefit arrangements
There are a range of other agreements that could be entered into by the
Party, including:
- Receiving commission payments from businesses through ‘partnership agreements’
Any such arrangements must be relevant and sensitive, and must not imply the Green Party is a mere vehicle for the company involved.