Where you shop and what you buy can create ripples around the world,
supporting cruel regimes and worker exploitation, and damaging the environment,
or helping local economies and being a positive force for social change. When
you purchase Fair Trade products, you know that you’re buying into a sustainable
model of international trade based on economic justice.
Fair Trade criteria include:
- Paying a fair wage in the local context
- Offering employees opportunities for advancement
- Providing equal employment opportunities for all people
- Engaging in environmentally sustainable practices
- Being open to public accountability
- Building long-term trade relationships
- Providing healthy and safe working conditions within the local context
- Providing financial and technical assistance to producers whenever possible
- Ensuring that there is no abuse of child labor
Product certification ensures consumers that these principles are more than
encouraging words. Connecting producers with retailers around the world are 17
fair trade certification initiatives in Europe, North America and Japan.
Together, they make up the Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International and
manage the Transfair certification logo. They include Transfair USA and
Transfair Canada. At the present time, the Transfair Fair Trade Certified Logo
(see above) can be found on coffee, tea, cocoa and sugar in Canada, and coffee,
tea and sugar in the United States.
In order to raise consumer awareness of Fair Trade, the second week of May has
been designated Fair Trade Week. Fair Trade producers and retailers are planning
local events to highlight their products and educate the public. Check out the
websites listed below for details about events in your area, and for listings of
producers and retailers.
Learn More
TransFair USA
TransFair Canada
Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International
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