Bridge-Building. Accountability. Sustainability
The Swiss Bio-Foundation is a non-profit-oriented foundation for the promotion of environmentally-friendly products and alternative patterns of consumer behaviour. The fundament of the foundation’s work is the conviction that the basis for all sustainable development is innovation and the independent, responsible actions of each individual involved.The Bio-Foundation sees itself as a bridge between the languages and cultures of the simple, smallholder farmers in the developing regions of the world and the demanding consumers of the highly technologically developed nations. The exchange should be mutual and not only in one direction.
Organic farming developed as the answer to the ecological and economical crises of the 20th century. It was for ethical reasons above all that the pioneers rejected certain resources and methods. They developed an environmentally-friendly system of agriculture which forms the model for sustainable farming and the food industry today. Sustainability has become the term that measures and symbolizes healthy development: Sustainability stands for an agriculture based on farming values, which uses natural resources like water, land and biological diversity in a responsible way, which practises species-appropriate animal farming and guarantees people a healthy environment.
The visionaries of former days created the basic principles of an economic sector which is now flourishing.
The organic foods sector has changed dramatically over the last few years. Today the pressure to make profit is ever-present. Worldwide trade with organic products is a reality. This offers innovative producers great opportunities. At the same time, this global flow of goods is a challenge to the social structures and the holistic principles of organic farming. Only through independent, responsible actions and the continued development of alternative approaches will it be possible to solve urgent problems by protecting the environment and nature, by guaranteeing fair, living wages and by strengthening regional economic cycles.
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