Interview with Peter Vogt
Peter Vogt's clients voluntarily donate a percentage of the fee to one of three LED projects. The landscape architect then doubles the amount. Peter Vogt wants to pass something on to less privileged people in poorer countries.
Your social enterpreneurial idea provides for a share in sales for Liechtenstein's development cooperation. How many of your customers participate?
I am particularly proud of the company's global strategy. About half of our customers are happy to participate, and the number is growing. In the beginning, I had to do some convincing. In the meantime, many understand the valuable idea behind it and appreciate the commitment.
How did the collaboration with LED come about?
I am a Liechtensteiner. For me, the LED and the country go hand in hand, so to speak. Through my family, there was already a connection to the organization and I had confidence in the quality of the work done and the projects chosen. The cooperation therefore resulted from existing relationships. I can recommend this social idea to everyone and every entrepreneur for imitation. Please feel free to copy the idea. I am glad about it.
How do you choose the project with the client?
There is the simple rule. The supported Development Cooperation project should have something to do with the customer project in terms of content. On this basis, I submit a suitable project proposal to the customer.
How does this work in practice? An example?
If water is the focus of a client project we have designed and created, 5% of the fee revenue ultimately goes to the Gravity Irrigation project in Zimbabwe. Gravity irrigated fields improve crop yields in arid areas of this country. During the very short rainy season, water is collected in a basin above the fields, which is used practically throughout the year. Thanks to this system, more than forty farming families in the region are now able to provide for themselves. I wholeheartedly support this kind of meaningful help for self-help.
What are the other two projects about?
The second project in the global strategy focuses on organic farming with the organization Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT). The third is a food security project in Colquechaca, Bolivia, where farmers' harvests are barely sufficient for their own needs and drought and water shortages make it almost impossible to increase yields. Food security and sovereignty are being strengthened and cultivation methods and infrastructure are being further developed; gender equality and ecological sustainability are key issues.
Interview: Alexandra Ospelt
Photo: Entrepreneur and landscape architect Peter Vogt chooses LED as the partner for his global strategy.
