This is the time of the year when we can show gratitude to the people and organizations that are instrumental to our success. So what will you be giving to your loved ones this year?

The holidays make you feel good about all the ones you love and the things you have, but donating clothes, canned goods or monetary donations to a favorite charity is also a “feel good” part of the holiday season. So how about giving a gift directly connected with a good cause that will be remembered for a long time, instead of a hot product reflecting the latest fad that will probably be forgotten in a few years? The holidays are the perfect time to start a new gift-giving practice – giving something that connects people to the greater good will and reminds us of how fortunate we really are.

The other week, I got inspired on this front after I had the opportunity to attend “Global Business Event,” a panel session organized by the International Trade and Marketing Department of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City. The panel discussed today’s global business, focusing on international trade and sourcing. Four woman entrepreneurs participated on the panel and shared their social mission and business strategy:

• Faizun Kamal, CEO, SourceFK
• Tanjila Islam, CEO, TigerTrade
• Supei Liu, Co-founder and VP, Nomi Network
• Maya Bloom Founder, Bead for Peace.

The panel covered several topics, but one in particular resonated for me. In today’s world, there is a great need to bridge the gap between local workers and buyers in developed countries to help provide women and children a steady source of income and a better future. The panelists explained how they became involved with this after becoming inspired by stories told by women in developing countries such as Cambodia. Women in these countries have very little opportunity to earn income and often are forced to live a marginal life.

Training Session

Consequently, after hearing these stories, the panelists started to help by providing direct support to these women by facilitating training and providing mentorship in their local communities. Their effort also focused on breaking into the traditional supply chain, whereby they would design and create their own distribution channel to connect local artisans and producers in developing countries to global markets. So far, they have established a number of partnerships and are well on their way to creating a successful business model to sustain their effort.

After the panel session, I had an opportunity to interview Shireen Musa, a professor in the FIT Department of International Trade & Marketing, about the event. Here are some of her remarks.

Ampleen: What was the background of the event? What triggered you to organize it?
Musa: This event was organized by student members of the International Trade Student Association. These students are studying international trade and marketing at FIT, and some will become global sourcing managers.

Ampleen: What objectives did you want to achieve at this event?
Musa: We wanted to share the stories of our wonderful guest speakers to inspire our students and guests.

Ampleen: What would be a next step for you and FIT in terms of a sustainable sourcing perspective?
Musa: We will continue hosting guest speakers that are experts in this subject. Also, we plan to continue inviting guest speakers to meet with our students in classes relating to global sourcing and international trade.

Prof. Shireen Musa and me

So how can you get involved in this effort? Below are some tips from Supei Liu, one of the panelists. (For more information on this event and others at FIT, “like” the FIT page on Facebook.)

1. Make a conscious choice when you make a purchase.
2. Raise awareness in your network about the existing supply chain and distribution model and the poverty of developing countries.
3. Contribute your talent and purchasing decision to an organization that you believe in.

What to do you think? Would you add any tips to this list? Do you consider buying gifts from  organizations with a good cause?