From left: Jeremy Hockenstein (Digital Divide Data), Jose Alejandro Flores (VOS), Anjeline Judex (GSC 3S Awards), Ajay Chaturvedi (Harva), Jeanne Cloutier (Alter Eco), Pam Theodosakis (prAna), Paris Theodosakis (prAna), Wanda Lopuch (Chair of GSC 3S Awards), Edward Son (Citi Commercial Bank)

Community Engagement Award: Alter Eco

Alter Eco Americas promotes a form of global commerce where priority is given to working with marginalized farmers to build trade relations based on solidarity and sustainability. “Alter Eco is honored to be selected for the Community Engagement Award from 3S. The recognition from this award underscores and bolsters our commitment to the Direct Trade model of commerce as a solution for alleviating global poverty and empowering farmers worldwide,” said Jeanne Cloutier, Director of Operations at Alter Eco.

Employee Engagement Award: VOS

VOS is an eco-friendly shoemaker brand that gives back to the local communities in South America. “Winning the 3S Award will support our ongoing efforts to empower the employees in our global supply chain towards 3S actions and will substantiate our commitment to the United Nations Global Compact program,” said Jose Alejandro Flores, founder of VOS.

Empowered Woman Award: HarVa

HarVa means Green for the villages and stands for “Harnessing Value” of rural India. The company is a rural start-up that focuses primarily on Skill Development, BPO, Community based farming and Microfinance. “We believe our principles echo with the 3S business practices which is unique in its approach and need to be embraced globally. Being recognized by GSC gives us a platform to learn and collaborate with objectively driven Impact Sourcing organizations and individuals that achieve sustainability in the real sense,” said Ajay Chaturvedi, Chairman at HarVa.

Out-of-the-Box Award: prAna

prAna is a fair trade apparel maker, one of the first ones in the United States. The company is always looking for new ways to fold the intention of sustainability into their materials and practices, working to reduce the impact on soils, water supplies and other natural resources. “Winning the 3S Award is a great honor for all of the hard work that everyone at prAna, our customers, and the workers in the Fair Trade factories as well as the Fair Trade cotton farmers have done to create a new business model that benefits all involved,” said Nicole Bassett, prAna’s Sustainability Director.

People’s Choice Award: Digital Divide Data

Digital Divide Data (DDD) aims to create a better future for disadvantaged youth in developing countries through employment in business process outsourcing (BPO). “For a young person born in poverty, a first job and the opportunity to go to college means the chance to break a heinous cycle and create a better future for themselves, their siblings and their own children,” said Michael Chertok, Co-founder and Chief Development Officer at Digital Divide Data. “Being recognized with the 3S Award will enable Digital Divide Data to create this opportunity for thousands more young men and women, and help us inspire others to use the Impact Sourcing model to build bridges to opportunity in the global economy for hundreds of thousands more.”