Over the course of my career, I have met hundreds of entrepreneurs from all corners of the world. Among those that have remained etched in my mind is certainly Kevin Ackermann, co-founder and managing director of BACA Jewellery LTD, a London-based company. In this interview, Kevin will tell us about his adventure, which began with a plane ticket to Shanghai and finally arrived at the UN.
Kevin, tell us a little bit about yourself, how you got started and how you came to work with China
I am a social entrepreneur who runs two startups based in London and San Francisco, respectively. Retail is one of my passions and this has led me to interact with several Chinese manufacturing companies.
At BACA Jewellery, where I currently hold the role of CEO, we import pearls and other components necessary for our jewellery from China. Even though 98% of freshwater cultured pearls now come from China, which has built a reputation for quality over time, I still wanted to personally see all the steps of the assembly line to make sure we weren’t exploiting anyone.
I first landed in Shanghai in 2010 to meet the managers, designers and workers who cultivate pearls. I left confident that our new Chinese partner would satisfy both customers and my business partners.
Could you explain the meaning of the term “Social Compliance” and what role it plays in your business?
It means that profit is not the only purpose of our company. On the contrary, we also take care of verifying that all workers who contribute to the supply chain receive adequate wages and can work in a safe and healthy environment.
I take this opportunity to suggest to all companies that deal with imports to consider this business model.
It is now clear that, when importing from Asia, “Social Compliance” plays a key role, especially after the collapse of a factory in Bangladesh killed more than a thousand people in 2013. I know, however, that you are a forerunner in the field of ethical import business, if you can call it that. How did it happen?
I think that the new generations, in general, no longer accept exploitation. And nowadays, thanks to the internet, we can all inform ourselves about what is happening in the world and discuss with people who think the same way as us.
I think this fact can help to reduce the gap between rich and poor. It is only a matter of time before people stop buying from companies that do not provide acceptable working conditions.
The reason why I designed my business model according to the canons of “Social Compliance” is probably to be found in my visit to Thailand in 2008, when I saw for the first time the inhumane working conditions in which young Thai workers found themselves. Here, at that moment I decided that, if I ever founded my own company, I would do it by acting according to very different principles.
How do you find reliable, certified suppliers and, at the same time, respectful of the ethics behind “Social Compliance”?
You have to visit the factory personally or rely on local agents who you know and trust. In our case, we trust them because they know what we are looking for, in terms of quality and standards.
When you visit a Chinese supplier’s factory, what are the main factors you consider when deciding whether that supplier meets your standards, both in terms of ethics and quality?
Making a decision based on just a simple factory visit is impossible. We always try to build a long-term relationship based on mutual trust.
Do you think a small company like yours can make a difference in countries like China, Bangladesh or Cambodia?
In terms of numbers, our impact is quite limited. However, our image as a social enterprise has given us the opportunity to dialogue and, we hope, influence the leading companies in the field of distribution. Lately, and we are very proud of this, we have even been mentioned by the UN Commissioners for Human Rights, Navi Pillay and Mary Robinson.
What are the plans for the future of your company, BACA Jewellery? Are you thinking of expanding into other areas, apart from jewelry?
At the moment we want to focus on jewellery and start producing it directly in London. However, it must be said that our company based in San Francisco, Getupandup.com, specializes in sportswear.
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