Cakes With a Conscience is a for-benefit company.  In addition to creating delicious desserts from organic, sustainable and fair-trade products, we donate a portion of our profits each year to causes that we believe will help make our world a better, more peaceful place.  We think addressing gender inequity and violence against women are of the utmost importance in reaching that goal, so we focus our charitable donations on fighting gender violence here in the US and around the world.  We look for charitable groups that have a proven track record for addressing violence and oppression against girls and women, domestic violence, and sexual trafficking (of all children), and primarily choose organizations that offer education initiatives.  This year, we have also donated to organizations that have outstanding records for promoting understanding about gender and cultural diversity.  Here are the organizations we supported this year (in alphabetical order):
Center for Diversity Education (US/NC)
Interact Raleigh (US/NC)
The Malala Fund (International)
No Kid Hungry, Educators "Breakfast Team" (US)
Room to Read International (International)
Teaching Tolerance, SPLC (US)
Urban Ministries of Wake County, Helen Wright Center (US/NC)
Wellesley Centers for Women (International research and action projects)

We believe that violence against girls and women is a central issue of our time.  Recent news coverage about NFL players behaving badly with their wives and children show how ingrained this behavior (and acceptance of it) is in our own culture.  The fate of the 100s of Nigerian girls kidnapped by Boko Haram (still not rescued after five long months) shows how widespread the problem is.  We believe we can make a difference and you can help.  Click this link to view an Australian public service announcement to find out more about this issue, and you'll see why we are so committed to eliminating gender violence both here and around the world!  And thanks for your support--approximately 30% of out profits go causes that help to educate women and girls and work to keep them safe.

Cakes with a Conscience was founded as a for-benefit company from the ground up, that means that our commitment to making positive changes in our world isn't an afterthought, but a part of our business plan.  Our mission is to support organizations and programs that have a proven track record of fighting gender violence, particularly the oppression of girls and women.  We evaluate and update this list on an annual basis and will continue to broaden and grow our commitment as Cakes expands.  You can be a part of that mission, too!  A portion of the profit from the sale of every one of our products goes towards these local and global organizations.  The more well sell, the more we are able to donate!

Cakes with a Conscience currently supports the following organizations through direct donations (updated from 5/2013):
The Malala Fund 
Room to Read
Wellesley Centers for Women
InterAct (Wake County, NC)
Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina
Urban Ministries of Wake County (The Helen Wright Center for Women)
 
Violence against women has a ripple effect that has an impact on the welfare of their children and families, the social and economic well-being their communities, and even regional and global peace. Education is a protective factor not just for girls, but for their families and communities.  Here are some facts you might not know:

• "It's no coincidence that so many of the counties that threaten regional and global peace are the very places where women and girls are deprived of dignity and opportunity" (Hillary Clinton, at the 2013 4th Annual "Women in the World" Summit)
  
• 60% of the world's working women are poor.  (Wellelsey Centers for Women)
• Violence against women (particularly intimate partner violence and sexual violence) are major public health problems and violations of women's human rights. (World Health Organization)
• A WHO multi-country study found that between 15-71% of women aged 15- 49 years reported physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lives. (World Health Organization)
• These forms of violence can result in physical, mental, sexual, reproductive health and other health problems, and may increase vulnerability to HIV. (World Health Organization)
• Risk factors for being a victim of intimate partner and sexual violence include low education, witnessing violence between parents, exposure to abuse during childhood and attitudes accepting violence and gender inequality. (World Health Organization)
• Risk factors for being a perpetrator also include low education, past exposure to child maltreatment or witnessing violence in the family, harmful use of alcohol, attitudes accepting of violence and gender inequality. (World Health Organization)
• "Through hate-filled actions, extremists have shown what frightens them most: a girl with a book!" (Malala Yousafzai)
  
• In high-income settings, school-based programs to prevent relationship violence among young people (or dating violence) have been shown to be effective in reducing the incidence of abuse.  (World Health Organization)
• Children who grow up in families where there is violence may suffer a range of behavioral and emotional disturbances that are associated with perpetuating or experiencing violence later in life. (World Health Organization)
• Children exposed to partner violence also suffer diseases such as malnutrition and have higher rates of infant death. (World Health Organization)
• The social and economic costs of partner and sexual violence have a high social and economic cost: as women suffer isolation, inability to work, loss of wages, and limited ability to care for themselves and their children.  (World Health Organization)

What if we each spent this Valentine's Day spreading some love to those who need it most? There are so many "invisible" people in our communities--people we walk by every day--who would appreciate something as simple as eye contact, a sincere greeting, or the smallest courtesy or kindness. Is there someone you know who could use a little encouragement, companionship, or TLC? A partner or family member who needs a reminder that they are loved and cherished (no matter what)? A friend or colleague who deserves some praise, recognition or kind words? A peer who needs protection, friendship or care? Or, a charitable organization that could benefit from your time? Together, we can make our world a kinder, more welcoming, and more peaceful place. In the next 10 days, please consider one thing you can do (just for a day). Who knows. maybe it'll become a tradition...or better yet, a regular habit?  Please share your ideas or plans below!

If you've read our home page and other Blog posts, you know that Cakes was founded as a for-benefit company.  That means, as part of our business plan, we are committed to operate our business in a socially responsible manner.  We commit over 15% of our profits to organizations that fight gender violence, and we hold ourselves and our products to certain standards in terms of having a positive impact on our environment and the world we live in.  To us, that's much more than a label or a marketing hook, but a philosophy about how we want our business to function in the world. 

So far, North Carolina doesn't have regulations in place about how for-benefit companies should operate in our state, so over the past several months, Cakes has been working through the nonprofit B-Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.  We are proud to say that so far we have gone through our assessment and have scored well above the minimum requirements to qualify as a B-corp! 

So what's next?  Over the coming months, we expect to continue through the certification process, and it's our goal that by the end of 2013, to join the more than 760 other Certified B Corps from 27 countries and 60 industries.  We'll keep you posted!  Your continued support in helping us to build our business will really help us make a difference!