Travelling to new places is always inspiring and thought provoking. Last week we visited Cornwall and stayed in a little cottage with an amazing view of Penzance and St Michaels Mount.
There is nothing fake or artificial about Cornwall. It has a beautiful sense of identity that is untamed and untainted by the tackier end of tourism marketing. The other thing that struck me was the fact that where ever you turned there seemed to be small authentic businesses, whether selling organic foods or arts & crafts, that cling to survival and yet hold true to their passionate purpose. Cottage industry businesses are often not given a great deal of respect but I believe the tide is changing - the need to manage the 'Carbon foot print' of businesses and the trend for greater environmental/ethical consciousness will provide local companies with an opportunity to create stronger marketing franchises that go beyond the current 'big business' fixation with low-price at any cost.
Click here (BBC) to view a really interesting article posted on the BBC website on the move to ethical business.