All of our workers come from small villages throughout the Yunnan Province. They, like so many millions of other rural immigrants around China, have come to the city in search of social mobility beyond what is available in the village. China’s urban centers provide educational and financial opportunities not accessible in the countryside. Therefore, families all over the country have sent their sons and daughters to the city entrusting them to carry the financial burdens of the greater family. Though this sometimes proves successful, it is a great risk for a family to take. Many find the job market too competitive, even dangerous, and often take jobs that pay far too little or cross certain moral boundaries.
At Salvador’s our priority has always been to advance the opportunities of our work staff, and our business practices place the wellbeing of our employees above all else. In return, our employees have given us their hard work and their unwavering trust. And that is really the backbone of our success. In addition to room, board and competitive wages, we offer each of our employees health insurance, paid vacation time and private native English-speaking tutors.
We also close every other month for group outings that have included rock climbing, pottery courses, fruit picking, grass skiing and bowling. This has allowed us all to become very close friends. And generally speaking, our work relationship feels more like family than business.
In 2009, Salvador’s hopes to extend its business practices beyond the Coffee House. We will work closely with the villages that our workers come from in an effort to prepare youths for the transition from rural farming to the urban labor force. At the same time we will work closely with farm families to promote sustainable and chemical-free farming practices.
If you are interested in making donations, please state whether you want them to go toward Salvador’s continuing education program or the reconstruction of our Coffee House after the tragic bombing of December 24th, 2008.
**Salvador’s has been invited to join the United Nation’s Global Compact that champions businesses around the world who align their business practices in accordance with defined principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.