Companies such as Nike have responded to consumer concerns about ethical standards in the retail industry by making public details of all their suppliers.

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In response to consumer preferences for ethical and sustainable sourcing, traceability, and quality, companies have also made bold sustainability commitments that implicate smallholder value chains.

FORBES: Catalyzing Smallholder Agricultural Finance

What many observers are missing is that these stocks, mainly technology consumer staples and ethical drug houses, are better-managed companies than they were 5, 10 and 20 years ago.

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So Britain is wise to include public-interest groups and consumer representatives on the advisory committees that are being set up to look at the social and ethical aspects of biotechnology.

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