User:Tomshepherd/Host Universal

HOST UNIVERSAL
Host Universal is an ethical communications network which partners with change-maker businesses and entrepreneurial organizations to bring about positive change in the world. Host provides expertise in the development of values-driven businesses and brands and has built a global network of professional talent that it organizes locally.

History
Host was founded in 1997 to work with Anita Roddick at The Body Shop International; a partnership that created the global Self-Esteem strategy and creative work, featuring Ruby the size16 doll championing real women and exposing the issue of the media waif stereotype and skeletal supermodels. Associated eating disorders and extreme diets, they argued, do nothing to raise the Self Esteem of women and, in the long term, are seriously damaging for society. “Once upon a time we cut a suit to fit a body, now we cut bodies to fit suits”. The global Self Esteem strategy was later picked up and utilized by Dove.

Host is more widely recognized for its work with the Fair Trade brand Cafédirect from conception till 2006 when Millward Brown identified Cafédirect as the UK’s No1 brand. Cafédirect became the model Fair Trade business working in an exclusive partnership with Host Universal. The history of Cafédirect and Host Universal were intertwined till 2006. Host developed brand strategy and creative implementation programmes that included the instant coffee product 5065 and the cult 5065 Lift Theatre group that performed to audiences around the country from Brighton Beach to the Edinburgh Festivals. Host developed the communications strategy for the Cafédirect Share Issue in 2004 that saw literally thousands of Cafédirect customers become share holders. “We would not be where we are today without Host” Penny Newman, CEO, Cafédirect

Recent projects
Host has created the United Bank of Carbon (UBoC) with Jonathan Wild and his team to develop sustainable investment opportunities, for businesses and brands, within the World’s remaining Rainforest. UBoC is a new idea to end logging and deforestation by realising the value of the Rainforest as the World’s largest carbon bank. UBoC leverages that carbon value to generate income for indigenous communities, protect Rainforest ecology and reduce global carbon emissions - 20% of which are caused by deforestation. UBoC has been devised as an epic collaboration of Indigenous people’s, NGOs, brands, businesses, environmentalists and scientists to bring about the change we have to see. Lose the Rainforest, lose the battle with Climate Change.

Host has evolved the World Fair Trade Organization with Paul Myers and his team to bring about a fair and sustainable global trading system to tackle poverty, financial crisis and climate change; has created the FT100 (Fair Trade Organizations with a 100% commitment) and is driving World Fair Trade Day. The current Financial Crisis is the inevitable consequence of an unregulated global economy and business organised to maximise profit at any cost which creates competition among developing economies to be the cheapest; promoting poverty and violating human rights. The World Fair Trade Organization positively impacts the lives of 110 million Fair Trading artisans, producers, growers, farmers, consumers and supporters. World Fair Trade Day 09 provides everyone with an opportunity to change the way the world goes about its business.

Host has delivered impact for British Ecopreneur Dale Vince, the founder of Ecotricity. who is also described as the Green Branson, celebrated by Al Gore and voted UK’s No1 entrepreneur in a New Statesman poll. Dale Vince invests each pound generated from an Ecotricity customer into new wind turbines and has evolved renewable energy technology like the 140mph wind-powered car. Renewable energy can provide Britain with energy security and put the UK in the driving seat of the race to beat climate change. Dale Vince’s Greens Britain campaign is supported with an iconic Green Union Flag. Ecotricity is the UK’s 7th largest energy provider.

Ethical business
Ethical businesses are those that utilize profit to deliver mission - the mission will be socially or environmentally motivated. Ethical businesses are not businesses that operate within the law - they are solutions based, values driven organizations.

Change-Makers are vital to the viability of the world we inhabit. What you say no longer matters. It’s what you do that counts.