Toms: A One for One Philosophy

As I will be looking at TOMS journey from extraction to giving, I thought I would start by posting the TOMS philosophy. Based on what I know about the company and their shoes right now, I believe that they do give one pair of shoes for every shoe purchased. I am unsure however if the manufacturing process for all of their shoes is as ethical as the company's mission statement. So while I think it is good they are giving shoes to kids, I think those same shoes might be being produced in unethical ways. Also I have heard that the actual shoes that they give to kids are not useful because they do not function in the environments the children live in. Here is their mission statement:

One for One Movement

In 2006, American traveler Blake Mycoskie befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by TOMS customers.

Why Shoes?

Many children in developing countries grow up barefoot. Whether at play, doing chores or going to school, these children are at risk:
•A leading cause of disease in developing countries is soil-transmitted diseases, which can penetrate the skin through bare feet. Wearing shoes can help prevent these diseases, and the long-term physical and cognitive harm they cause.
•Wearing shoes also prevents feet from getting cuts and sores. Not only are these injuries painful, they also are dangerous when wounds become infected.
•Many times children can't attend school barefoot because shoes are a required part of their uniform. If they don't have shoes, they don't go to school. If they don't receive an education, they don't have the opportunity to realize their potential.

- Robyn