Raising the Bar for Social Enterprises with Adelante Shoes | Net Impact

Adelante Shoe Co. is a socially responsible business that works with craftsmen in Central America to bring quality mens and womens shoes into America. Their mission is to “make it absolutely effortless to choose a socially responsible pair of shoes without compromising on quality, style, or price.” But for Adelante Shoe Co., it’s about so much more than just shoes. In fact, founder and CEO, Peter Sacco, has said that Adelante isn’t even really about shoes or fashion. 

It’s about social impact.

They stand out because they have a unique business model - Adelante Shoe Co. pays their artisans enough to live well with their families, through a salary amount that their artisans define themselves. They also back their values with full transparency, financial and otherwise. Past models fail to integrate community input into social impact objectives, and often entire countries are given only one framework rather than accounting for regional and local differences in living standards. 

This new standard, known as The Living Well Line, is a social impact model that balances development best practices with community input to define the cost of living well in any community worldwide. Peter Sacco is working to provide a non-profit certification for companies that pay their workers enough to consume the goods and services that they have identified as necessary to live well. His startup, called Living Well Inc., is targeted for companies that are in search of a simple, powerful way to pursue social responsibility. 

Peter considers this the best way to promote economic development. One of his 2017 strategic goals is for Adelante Shoe Co. to become the first Living Well Certified company. And did we mention, Adelante Shoe Co. is the highest earning Guatemala-focused Kickstarter ever.

Of course, we cannot forget about the shoes.

Adelante shoes are handmade by craftsmen throughout Latin America, many who are second or even third generation shoe makers. They use quality leather and custom shoe lasts that ensure quality, comfort, and style.

Adelante Shoe Co. introduces a new business paradigm — one that prioritizes respect and responsibility over profit maximization. The company gives you the opportunity to take the first step toward impact and to own a pair of shoes that you can wear with pride. 

Watch their story come to life:

Do you want to know more about Peter Sacco, the founder of Adelante Shoe Co? Read more about his inspiration and thoughts on business as a force for good on this featured blog.