20 November 2017
The philanthropic arm of AirAsia Group, AirAsia Foundation, has opened its first social enterprise pop-up shop at klia2, Malaysia’s budget terminal in Sepang, to provide a new platform for Asean social enterprises to market and sell their products.
Destination: GOOD, as the shop is called, is a joint collaboration with Malaysia Airports and is open till February 2018. It aims “to create a unique shopping experience for travellers passing through the terminal” with 200 products that is sustainably produced by 25 Asean social enterprises.
“Since 2012 we have awarded 19 grants for social enterprises to expand their businesses. While doing this, we realised that many of them needed help to reach new markets. With this partnership with Malaysia Airports we are able to provide the social enterprises with an international platform, while jointly marking Asean’s 50th anniversary in a meaningful way,” said AirAsia Foundation executive director, Yap Mun Ching.
The products at Destination: GOOD are 100% handmade by native artisans and small, home-based producers. Among the homegrown social enterprises whose products are available at the store are Langit Collective, Malaysian Unity of Cultures (MUOC), Bingka KL and Batik Boutique.
Products from Asean include Selaka Kotagede silversmiths from Indonesia, Rags2Riches artisans from the Philippines, Folkcharm weavers from Thailand and Zo Project paper-makers from Vietnam.
“Every item sold represents efforts to support various causes including heritage and environmental conservation, women empowerment, and poverty alleviation. At the same time, customers are contributing impact to social enterprises by empowering Asean citizens to build sustainable livelihoods,” said Yap.
The foundation is also producing a series of Destination GOOD Short Films, which share stories of the social enterprise grantees every two to three months. (see the first film below)
Yap said the film “promises a more in-depth look on social enterprises in Asean, particularly the way AirAsia Foundation sees them – as organisations having a social cause and creating impact through their innovative business models.”
The films are aired on AirAsia’s social media channels and the airline’ entertainment platform on-board flights.
“Our longer term objective is to promote Destination: GOOD as a movement that encourages travellers to shop and travel more sustainably, and thus our efforts to raise awareness on the social enterprises we support through their products and services combined with their compelling stories.
Yap hopes to see Destination: Good present in airports in the Asean region.
In keeping with the upcoming season of giving the foundation is offering four GOOD boxes filled that is filled with goodies from the shop. Retailing at only RM100 (US$25) per box, shoppers can choose from different themes of travelling, dressing, playing and cooking.
• Read WIT’s earlier interview on the AirAsia Foundation here.
The Destination Good Film (below): Features Sapanapro, a social enterprise to commercialise herbal products and distribute profits to shareholders in Ta Phin, a small village located 15km from Sapa town in northern Vietnam.
• All images credit: AirAsia Foundation
Original Source: marketing-interactive
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