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fair trade

Page history last edited by PBworks 15 years, 8 months ago

 

What is Fair Trade?

 

 see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_trade 

 

The Fair Trade movement works to ensure that people are adequately compensated for the work that they do. It's a growing, international movement dedicated to securing a fair deal for producers in economically impoverished countries. A 'fair deal' includes paying workers a fair price for the goods they produce - a price that covers the cost of production, and guarantees a living income. It also involves programs that can provide lasting stability - such as long-term contracts for profits that the producers can bank on, and business training that can help increase sales and speed organization-growth. (Oxfam: Make Trade Fair). Fair Trade is concerned with economic opportunity as well as economic justice, and seeks out producers that have been historically over-looked by bottom-line developers.

 

 

Certified Fair trade quinoa producers in Ecuador.
Certified Fair trade quinoa producers in Ecuador.
 

 

 

 

 

Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based model of international trade which promotes the payment of a fair price as well as social and environmental standards in areas related to the production of a wide variety of goods. The movement focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries, most notably handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, wine, fresh fruit, and so on.

 

Fair trade's strategic intent is to deliberately work with marginalised producers and workers in order to help them move from a position of vulnerability to security and economic self-sufficiency. It also aims at empowering them to become stakeholders in their own organizations and actively play a wider role in the global arena to achieve greater equity in international trade.

Fair trade proponents include a wide array of international religious, development aid, social and environmental organizations such as Oxfam, Amnesty International, and Caritas International.

 

Like most developmental efforts, fair trade has proven itself controversial and has drawn criticism from both ends of the political spectrum. Some economists and conservative think tanks see fair trade as a type of subsidy that impedes growth. Segments of the left criticize fair trade for not adequately challenging the current trading system.

 

In 2006, Fairtrade certified sales amounted to approximately $2.3 billion worldwide, a 41% year-to-year increase.[1] While this represents less than one hundredth of a percentage point of world trade in physical merchandise,[2] fair trade products generally account for 0.5-5% of all sales in their product categories in Europe and North America.[3] In October 2006, over 1.5 million disadvantaged producers worldwide were directly benefiting from fair trade while an additional 5 million benefited from fair trade funded infrastructure and community development projects.[4]

 

 

 

 

A Little History on a Big Idea

The Fair Trade movement originated in Europe over 40 years ago. The Fair Trade mission is to create sustainable incomes for poor and disadvantaged producers by:

 

 

providing a living wage,

maintaining stable, long-term trade agreements, and

improving working conditions through education, campaigning and creating access to outside markets.

Today, the majority of low-income producers are workers in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Unfortunately, free trade agreements such as NAFTA, APEC, and WTO have ignored opportunities to protect workers and the environment while creating industrial opportunities in these developing regions. In India, for example, millions of people have been employed as piece-work garment workers for far-below minimum wage. This practice is tolerated, since the market for workers' traditional crafts has been all but eliminated, and their options for creating income grow increasingly limited.

 

The Fair Trade movement believes that workers should be paid a living wage. It has enjoyed great success in Europe, where fair trade goods are available in over 2,700 world stores and 43,000 supermarkets. Additionally, there are four multi-national fair trade organizations that work together to advocate for the Fair Trade movement: IFAT, EFTA, NEWS! and FLO International. In 2001, the European Fair Trade Association surveyed 18 countries and found that they work with over 100 importing organizations. The four largest of these organizations have an annual turnover of over ?10 million a year ($12.3 million), and the total net retail value is estimated to be over ?92 million a year (European Fair Trade Association).

 

Fair Trade values are making their way to the US as American consumers become increasingly concerned about the origin of the products they buy, and aware of the environmental and social footprints of their purchases. This "Fair Trade" movement is growing along the same grassroots lines as the Organics industry, which began as a fringe movement but is now global - and worth $23 billion (2002, Organic Monitor). In 2000, Fair Trade sales in North America totaled $100 million. This figure reached $180 million within two years, with the majority of revenues coming from agricultural products: coffee, tea chocolate and fruit. On its own, the Fair Trade handicrafts market generated $13.8 million in 2002. Fair Trade as a movement is gathering momentum, and we're expecting exponential growth as education and awareness spread.

 

 

 

Fair Trade Resources

We are committed to operating our business with transparency while serving the best interest of our artisan communities, retail partners and shoppers like you. As members of the Fair Trade Federation we follow strict standards including paying 50% in advance on all orders, working with cooperatives on production design and providing feedback so artisans can adapt to changing market demands. See below to learn more about the principles of fair trade and other organizations committed to transforming international trade.

 

Fair Trade Federation (FTF)

FTF is an association of fair trade wholesalers, retailers, and producers whose members are committed to providing fair wages and good employment opportunities to economically disadvantaged artisans and farmers worldwide.

 

Transfair USA

TransFair USA, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the only independent, third-party certifier of Fair Trade practices in the United States. Through regular visits to Fair Trade farmer cooperatives conducted by Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO), and partnerships with US companies, TransFair verifies that the farmers who produced Fair Trade CertifiedT products were paid a fair price. In addition to coffee, TransFair has introduced Fair Trade Certified tea and cocoa to the US market.

 

Oxfam - Make Trade Fair Campaign

Oxfam International launched a major Make Trade Fair campaign in the spring of 2001. The goals of this campaign are to expose and change the severe inequities that exist in the international trading system

 

Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO International)

Based in Germany, FLO International determines what products will be labeled as fair trade. This is done using strict criteria to ensure Fair Trade standards, assess that a Fair Trade label will socially and economically benefit the producer, guarantee a living wage to the producers, and enforce the proper use of Fair Trade labels.

 

The International Fair Trade Association (IFAT)

The IFAT is a network of Fair Trade Organizations (FTOs) from all over the world. This includes over 220 FTOs in 59 countries. Whether the FTO is a co-operative, export company, wholesaler or retailer, all of IFAT's members share the mission: "to improve the livelihoods and well being of disadvantaged producers by linking and promoting Fair Trade Organizations, and speaking out for greater justice in world trade."

 

United Students for Fair Trade (USFT)

USFT is a collaboration of American and Canadian students raising awareness of fair trade. These students work with commodities and retail companies, NGOs and producers to inspire consumers to buy fair trade. USFT is involved in over 100 Fair Trade initiatives ranging from small markets to supermarkets and small colleges to medical schools.

 

Fair Trade Resource Network

The Fair Trade Resource Network's goal is to raise consumer awareness about improving people's lives through Fair Trade alternatives.

 

 

 

See also

Fair trade topics Fair trade | History of fair trade | Fairtrade certification | Fair trade and politics | Fair trade impact studies | Fair trade debate | Alternative trading organization | Trade justice | Trade Justice Movement | Sweatshops | Worldshop
Federations Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International | International Fair Trade Association | Network of European Worldshops | European Fair Trade Association | FINE | Fair Trade Federation
Certification FLO International (standard-setting & producer support) | FLO-CERT (inspection & certification) | International Fairtrade Certification Mark | Fair Trade Certified Mark
Campaigns Fairtrade Town | List of Fairtrade settlements | Fairtrade fortnight | Make Trade Fair | World Fair Trade Day
Resources Black Gold (film) | One Cup (film)
Fairtrade labelling members Africa Fairtrade Network | Asociación del Sello de Productos de Comercio Justo | Comercio Justo México | Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand | Fairtrade Österreich | Fairtrade Mark Ireland | The Fairtrade Foundation | Latin American and Caribbean Network of Small Fair Trade Producers | Max Havelaar Belgique | Association Max Havelaar France | Max Havelaar Danmark | Stichting Max Havelaar | Fairtrade Max Havelaar Norge | Max Havelaar-Stiftung Switzerland | Network of Asian Producers | Reilun kaupan edistämisyhdistys | Rättvisemärkt | TransFair Canada | TransFair Deutschland | TransFair Italia | TransFair Japan | TransFair-Minka Luxembourg | TransFair USA
ATOs AgroFair | Alter Eco | Artisans du Monde | Cafédirect | Claro Fair Trade | Cooperative Coffees | Ctm altromercato | Divine Chocolate | Equal Exchange | Equita | El Puente | EZA Fairer Handel | Fair Trade Original | Gepa The Fair Trade Company | Ideas | Intermon Oxfam | La Siembra | Oxfam-Magasins du monde | Oxfam Trading | Oxfam-Wereldwinkels | SERRV International | Solidar'Monde | Traidcraft | Twin Trading | Ten Thousand Villages | Veja Sneakers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Examples

 

www.camanoislandcoffee.com   - VIDEO

 

Join our Coffee Lovers Club and partner with us to give something back to the families who grow our coffee.  As a member, $1 of every package of coffee you order will be donated to either Agros International or Coffee Kids, the choice is yours.  Both of these organizations are recognized to make the greatest difference in the lives of the people they serve.

 

JOIN The Coffee Lovers Club now to help make a difference in the world!

 

 

 

Fair Trade is a Partnership that seeks to provide greater equity in the global marketplace. The Fair Trade Certified label guarantees that farmers and farm workers from developing countries receive a fair price for their crops or products.

 

 

 

http://www.transfairusa.org

 

 

 

 

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