An opinion piece by Luke Johnston.
4 minute read
Before you read any further, be warned. I completely believe in what we are doing at Sealand. I may be singing our anthem with gusto, but please take this as passion and not blatant salesmanship.
Corporate Gifting, “the practice of creating a touchpoint with employees, clients, or prospects through the use of a gift.” As it stands, this involves the gifting of a branded pen, cap or imported mass produced product, thanked on receipt but rarely used again.
Perhaps this is a consequence of many companies treating corporate gifting as no more than a box ticking exercise. This often results in them selecting somewhat bland corporate gifts which don’t align with their brand and values.
Because of this approach to how corporate gifts are selected, they have become simply another item in our throwaway culture. Therein lies the exact problem we’ve been facing as a global community: overconsumption, use of virgin materials, cheap production and little care for one's
environmental and social impact.
environmental and social impact.
This is a cycle we, as global citizens, need to remove ourselves from. Which leads me to call on South African and global companies. You have the responsibility to lead a change for the better. Change is scary and yes, it does cost more but what’s the value in money if the planet is inhabitable.
I have a solution.
Let’s start with “one small step for man, one giant leap for…” I’m joking, just a small step in the right direction by opting to purchase your next corporate gift, with a conscience. At Sealand, we refer to this as Conscious Gifting and the reasons below will justify why this is a better choice for you.
Sealand upcycles waste material, which would otherwise end up in landfill. Our handmade bags are produced locally by a team of exceptional craftspeople. We advocate for 40% higher wage than industry standard and material stewardship with people and planet in mind. With the intention of being fully transparent, we have the name of the craftsperson on the inside of every product. This means you can meet each person on our website or in person, if you’d like.
We can even use YOUR waste for the production of your bags. If you have old advertising banners lying around, used for previous events or conferences, you can bring them straight to us. These banners will then be used for the inner lining of every bag you purchase back from us.
Win win win (You, The Planet and Sealand).
Our bags are functional and built to last a lifetime. This is not your average gift that lies at the back of your desk drawer, no no, you’ll most likely use this every day, both in and outside the office.
I truly believe that at Sealand we are making day-to-day efforts to ensure positive change for the people and planet. For these reasons, we refer to partnering with us to co-create gifts for your stakeholders as ‘conscious gifting’.
Let’s do more together.
Cheers,
Luke
luke@sealandgear.com
Cheers,
Luke
luke@sealandgear.com
