Our 2020 Impact Report is here! In a year unlike any other, TO THE MARKET experienced unprecedented shifts - by March, we were living in a totally different world than the one we’d begun with in January.
As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold and hospitals experienced shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), we drew on our syndicated supply chain to produce PPE for frontline healthcare workers across the US - a big shift from our usual focus on fashion and home goods. We sent an RFP to our suppliers in early March, vetted their responses, and pitched PPE to clients within a few short weeks. We delivered PPE to clients in regions as geographically diverse as California, Massachusetts, and Texas, and fulfilled local mask donations to communities in Kenya and Ghana. All told, TTM fulfilled orders for over 11 million units of PPE, both medical and nonmedical, in the U.S. in 2020.
Alongside this major change, TO THE MARKET has experienced tremendous growth. We welcomed new colleagues, including opening an office in Europe, in order to expand our global footprint. Our founder and CEO, Jane Mosbacher Morris, was named by Fortune Magazine as one of the World’s 25 Greatest Leaders: Heroes of the Pandemic. Jane released a new bonus chapter to her book, 'Buy the Change You Want to See,’ in which she recounts what she’s learned about pivoting in times of crisis. It was a year we won’t soon forget.
-We added makers in15 new countries. We now work with makers in over 50 countries worldwide.
-Added50 new makers. We are fortunate to partner with more than 200 makers across the globe.
-Brought on6 new team members and7 internsthrough the course of the year.
-Added20 new women owned and/or operated makers.
-Placed orders for more than11 million units of PPE.
TTM orders created thousands of hours of work for makers across the globe in a year of worldwide economic uncertainty. When the pandemic took hold, our team made a concerted commitment to keep our company values front of mind during this challenging time for our suppliers. Many makers had been left with financial uncertainty due to COVID-related facility closures and cancellations. We made the decision to honor all orders placed, even if a client had cancelled, instead repurposing products in these cases for marketing or re-sale. This is key in ensuring business continuity with our suppliers in the future.
One supplier in Nairobi, Kenya, shared with us, “Not only were we able to keep existing jobs but also recall people on leave. Thank you TTM for this mask order as this kept our factory open during difficult times. We cannot afford to close since that would mean our employees and their families would end up without money for food and rent.”
Statements like this drive everything we do. Conscious consumerism is on more shoppers’ minds than ever, and we are eager to keep building a world where everyone can support themselves with safe and fairly paid work - even in the toughest of times.