We met some people the other day who asked us about OMG! Decadent Donuts, so we told them, and they said “Wow, your wokeness levels are really high!”. We smiled and went along with it, without really knowing what they meant by being ‘woke’.
Turns out, the term “woke” “stay woke” and being a “woke business” has emerged to describe companies that embrace a socially conscious approach, actively engaging in efforts to bring about positive change within their communities and society.
So how are OMG! Decadent Donuts woke?
We recently learned that our little OMG! Decadent Donuts business is, in fact, a really “Woke” business.
Because being a woke business involves going beyond the conventional profit-driven mindset and reimagining the purpose of business.
It means recognizing the interconnectedness of social, environmental, and economic issues and taking a proactive stance on addressing them.
OMG! Decadent Donuts is ‘woke’ because we strive to be ethical, inclusive, and transparent, and we actively work towards fostering greater equity and justice.
How did OMG! become “Woke” without knowing what ‘woke’ was?
We didn’t deliberately set out to become “Woke”, in fact when we first started our business, we didn’t even know what that term meant other than something that you did after you were asleep. We were already ‘woke’ before ‘woke’ was even a popular term in Australia.
We just set out to do business a little differently, we wanted a kinder and gentler way of doing business. We wanted to create an inclusive treat, to embrace, support and respect people with dietary requirements due to allergies, intolerances, beliefs, culture and religion.
We’re a vegan business, and that’s good for the environment, we are as sustainable as we can possibly be and that’s because we’re citizens of the world; we are ethical in business because we are personally ethical; we are an inclusive product because we value inclusivity.
And apparently, when you combine all of that – it means that you are ‘woke’ – who knew?
Just some of our ‘Woke’ Practices:
- Responsibility: Woke businesses prioritize responsible sourcing, ensuring that their supply chains are free from exploitation, child labour, and environmental harm. This involves thorough vetting of suppliers, fair trade practices, and supporting local economies.
- Diversity: We’ve built a diverse and inclusive workforce and our licensees build that further with their own workforces.
- Accountability: We are one of the most highly certified food business. Apart from the usual HACCAP etc, we are also accredited/certified or endorsed by Coeliac Australia, Vegan Australia, Kosher Pareve Australia and Halal Authority of Australia.
- Inclusivity: A fundamental aspect of being woke. Companies can implement diversity hiring practices, create inclusive workplaces, and provide equal opportunities for all employees regardless of their background.
- Environmental Sustainability: Woke businesses actively prioritize sustainability by implementing eco-friendly practices, reducing and or off-setting waste and carbon emissions, and supporting renewable energy initiatives. They take responsibility for their environmental impact and leverage their resources to create a greener future.
- Philanthropic Endeavours: Giving back to the community is an integral part of being a woke business and is part of OMGs DNA. We achieve this through our partnerships and support of charities such as Orange Sky Australia, Coeliac Australia, Carbon Neutral and Gotcha4Life as well as many local community groups such as schools, sporting, rotary and many more.
The rise of woke businesses symbolizes a shift towards a more compassionate and sustainable business world. By actively engaging in social, environmental, and ethical issues, the success of OMG! Decadent Donuts demonstrates that profit and purpose can coexist harmoniously.
From our own experiences, we encourage all businesses to implement woke practices as it benefits not only the business but also society as a whole.
As consumers, employees, and investors increasingly demand companies to be socially responsible, embracing woke principles has become an imperative for any business looking to thrive in the 21st century.
Maybe being ‘woke’ is a trend or a fad, doesn’t matter to us, we are who we are and we’re proud of it.