- iCarto is not a ‘traditional company’. We do not have funding partners, nor will we have them in the future. As a private entity that distributes profits, we are, by definition, profit-oriented. But profit is not above ethics. Nor is it above the quality and impact of our work. Nor is it above the working conditions and wages of whoever forms part of iCarto. Nor is it, to the extent possible, above the conditions of our providers.
- iCarto is not a ‘family’. Some organisations or companies try to describe themselves as ‘families’, ‘groups of friends’, ‘a community’, or similar. At iCarto we try to avoid this kind of conceptualisation (self-deception?). We feel comfortable working together, we share leisure time and have friendships. But we argue and we get angry. We value individuality.
- We are not a hierarchical or horizontal company. There are two clearly defined groups in the company: partners and employees. There is mobility between these two groups. Any person in either of the groups can promote technical, organisational or business decisions. But the wages, information and responsibilities of each group are different.
- iCarto is not an NGO, although we share their objective of fighting poverty and its causes, as well as promote sustainable human development. This is why we identify ourselves mostly as a development agent.
- iCarto is not a start-up. We do not believe in exponential growth or improvement through opening the check book. But we are a tech company. We develop our products with care, keep enough liquidity for any rainy days, and build a stable long-term team that will grow slowly but steadily.
- iCarto is not a cooperative. Historically, the percentage of partners to employees at the company has been around 50%. There are no strict rules, nor is it obligatory in our Articles of Association that an employee becomes a partner at some point. However, we find that there is an ethical, social and organisational value in this. We believe that it makes a company more resilient. And it is also a historical reality at iCarto.
- We understand technology under the lens of human development. This is why we implement solutions that are suitable for the context, sustainable in time and adapted to needs, abilities and budgets.
- Our activity is possible thanks to the work of many others. Especially in the case of free software projects and open knowledge sharing. This is why we participate financially and make other types of contributions to this community.
14/11/2017Por iCarto