BCTA MEMBERSHIP STATUS
Active

SECTOR
Agriculture, Food & Beverage

HEADQUARTERS
Colombia

REGION OF INITIATIVE
Latin America & Caribbean

SDG CONTRIBUTION

RELATED NEWS

WOK’s objective is to increase the number of full-time employees to 1,200 in its operational areas and increase the number of local suppliers it works with by 7 percent though the direct and fair trade of their products, including fishery, by 2024. It also aims to decrease its use of imported products by 5 percent and increase the volume of national products by 5 percent in order to create stronger responsible value chains with local producers.

Launched in 2008, BCtA aims to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by challenging companies to develop inclusive business models that engage people with less than US$10 per day in purchasing power (in 2015 dollars) as consumers, producers, suppliers and distributors. It is supported by several international organizations and hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 

WOK was established in 1998 and now has 19 restaurants across Bogota and the nearby town of Chia. It focuses on reinterpreting Asian food, using local ingredients at affordable prices. Around 70 percent of WOK's employees are women, mainly heads of households, and many of their suppliers are locals with organic and/or responsible practices in place that are paid by WOK at fair prices. Furthermore, their suppliers have regular technical support from WOK and their allies to ensure the quality of their products.

WOK works directly with people that grow their ingredients, skipping intermediaries to increase the profits of producers. This allows WOK to better distribute benefits throughout the value chain, while improving traceability of its products and develop interpersonal relationships with its suppliers that help strengthen commercial relations. This has permitted WOK to build relationships with more than 200 small farmers, farmer associations and local fishermen across Colombia.

The business offers employees a career plan that encourages professional and personal growth. Promoting equal access to opportunity, WOK accepts applications from anyone interested in working for WOK, regardless of their education or experience levels. New recruits complete a training program with a specific syllabus for each job function to prepare them for their new position. In addition, WOK provides activities to engage employees, their family, their community and the environment, such as open lectures, workshops and support groups. Currently, WOK’s staff come from more than 200 different municipalities in Colombia, with 83 percent of them low-income earners.