What is this thing?
The Offbeat Empire’s Accountability Policy vocalizes our responsibility toward our values, and holds us accountable for meeting them. This company is part of a larger system of culture, values, and the planet. I believe strongly in having my business reflect my values, and this document is my effort to hold myself and the Offbeat Empire accountable.
I’m making this document public in the interest of keeping myself accountable, and encouraging other small businesses to do the same. Talk is easy, sustainable and measurable action takes discipline and humble effort.
Policy elements
We want to be a responsible business that meets the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.
Our company’s social responsibility falls under two categories: compliance and proactiveness. Compliance refers to our company’s commitment to legality and willingness to observe community values. Proactiveness is every initiative to promote human rights, help communities and protect our natural environment.
Compliance
Legality
Our company will:
- Respect the law
- Honor its internal policies
- Ensure that all its business operations are legitimate
- Keep every partnership and collaboration open and transparent
Business ethics
We’ll always conduct business with integrity and respect to human rights. We’ll promote:
- Respect toward readers and advertisers
- A commitment to listening, learning, and taking action when we are called out
Values and goals
Protecting the environment
This company recognizes the need to protect the natural environment. Keeping our environment clean and unpolluted is a benefit to all. We are accountable to:
- Ensure that all tangible products sold feature as little packaging as possible, whenever possible
- Shipping materials avoid plastics and styrofoam
Accessibility
All publications:
- Ensure that all websites and social media posts make full use of alt tags to adhere to accessibility best practices
- Ensure that all videos are captioned
Supporting BIPOC voices
All publications:
- Ensure at least 30% of the Offbeat Empire’s business partnerships are with black-owned small businesses
JUNE 2020 STATUS: one half of the Offbeat Emipre’s current vendors are companies owned by black women - Ensure that when my writing quotes other authors or researches, I reference BIPOC on a 1:1 ratio with white-identified folks.
JUNE 2020 STATUS: Nailing it.
Find Your Afterglow:
- Ensure that my new online membership product has at least 20% BIPOC members
CURRENT STATUS: Still in pre-launch, but developing discounts for BIPOC identified folks
Offbeat Bride
- Wedding submissions are currently closed, but exceptions are being made for couples where one or both people identify as BIPOC
Human rights
Our company is dedicated to protecting human rights. We are a committed equal opportunity employer and will abide by all fair labor practices. We’ll ensure that our activities do not directly or indirectly violate human rights in any country (e.g. forced labor).
- We do not work with unpaid interns
Proactiveness
Donations and aid
Our company may preserve a budget to make monetary donations.
Current monthly donations:
- National Bail Out
- Planned Parenthood
Current creators being supported through Patreon and other subscription services:
Preserving the environment
Apart from legal obligations, our company will proactively protect the environment. Examples of relevant activities include:
- Recycling
- Conserving energy
- Organizing reforestation excursions
- Using environmentally-friendly technologies
Learning
We will actively invest in R&D. We will be open to suggestions and listen carefully to ideas. Our company will try to continuously improve the way it operates.
June 2020 educational outline:
- Attended Digital Allyship workshop by Monica Cadena
- Hired The Awakened Creation to produce guiding brand messaging document that would support the Offbeat Empire contributing productively to current cultural conversations around race, social justice, and dismantling white supremacy
If you have any questions or feedback, please contact me.