Our Guiding Compass
Abroad Modern is an impact driven social enterprise. Many mission-led businesses boast a two-way model of impact — selling goods made by marginalized artisans and distributing a portion of the proceeds back to the makers and their communities.
We like to think of our model as multi-directional, beginning with our ethical sourcing practices and then fanning out to propagate positive impact across all of the cardinal directions of our overall compass:
Cardinal Points of Impact
Global Partners: Impact through Income Generation
If you’ve read our story or have chatted with us IRL, you know that our humble beginnings were propelled by the desire to employ just one rickshaw driver in India to help him supplement his income and support his family. Our original tagline was “Modern global goods sourced while traveling in collaboration with the wonderful people we meet along the way.” That rickshaw driver, Sajid Hussain, now serves as Abroad Modern’s India Director of Operations, and we have since met and provided reliable income streams for many more wonderful people along the way: (Will create bubbles like below in global partner colors of Sajid, Dilshad, Angela, Shahid)
Tools for Living: Impact through Storytelling
When traveling, we learn so much about other cultures from their objects of daily use, and that knowledge lays a foundation for a greater understanding of our global neighbors. While we can’t claim that our catalog of goods will directly end wars and social injustices, we do believe that increased cultural awareness in any form is a boon to greater humanity and humanitarianism. To that end, we try to incorporate a “This is special because…” section in each of our product listings, to share how and why these objects are made and the stories of the people who make and use them.
Social Impact: Responsible Sourcing
Our products hail from every point on the map. We select our goods adhering to a set of principles that we believe make the world better for both our merchants and our patrons. You will find a Legend of Impact in the description of every product we sell.
Social Impact: Community Building
Social Good: Philanthropy
In addition participating in special fundraising initiatives for local schools and charitable organizations throughout the year, a portion of every Abroad Modern sale endows our non-profit partner, Giving Joy.
Giving Joy awards micro-grants to women entrepreneurs worldwide, affording them a financial and emotional kickstart as they pursue their dreams and build businesses that will sustain their families and communities. In many instances, we expand this pollination effect even one step further by selling goods made by Giving Joy grantees. Our All Natural Deodorants made by and raising funds for RIA House are a perfect example of the dynamic networks we are building.
