Fair Trade: Fair Trade is a trading partnership and a social movement that aims to improve the law and trading conditions of marginalized workers, particularly in international trade of North-South.
It provides 10 standards that its adherents in both North and South regions must apply in their daily work. In the case of members IFAT (International Federation for Alternative Trade, or the International Fair Trade Association) certified or groups FLO (Fairtrade Labeling Organizations), different control systems are in place to ensure that these standards are met.
. 1. Creating opportunities for producers who are economically at a disadvantage. Fair trade is a strategy for the fight against poverty and for sustainable trade. Its purpose is to create opportunities for producers disadvantaged or marginalized by the conventional trading system.
. 2. Transparency and credibility. Fair trade involves transparent management and commercial relations to do business with our trading partners.
. 3. The individual capacity. Fair trade is a means of developing the autonomy of workers. Fair Trade organizations to provide continuity during which producers and market organizations can improve their management capacity and access to new markets.
. 4. Promote fair trade. The fair trade organizations aim to educate their customers and the general public about the injustices of the current trading system. They must also be able to provide information on the origin of its products, working conditions for producers and so on.
. 5. The payment of a fair price. A fair price in a local or regional level was accepted after consultation and dialogue. This covers not only production costs but also enables production which is socially just and good for the environment. This provides a fair price to producers and takes into account the principle of equal pay for equal work by men and women. Fair trade organizations provide immediate payment to their partners and their producers sometimes help with the financing of a loan before harvest or before the production.
. 6. Equality between the sexes. Organizations from industry fair value women’s work: they must always be paid for their contributions in the production process. The presence of women in the governance of these organizations is also encouraged.
. 7. Working conditions. Fair trade means a healthy working environment and safe for workers. The participation of children (if ever) does not affect adversely their welfare, security, educational requirements, and their need for play and conforms to the UN Convention on the rights of children and laws and standards of the country.
. 8. Child labor. The Fair Trade Organizations respect the UN Convention on the rights of children, as well as laws and social norms are applied to ensure that children’s participation in the production of fair trade products does not violate their well-being, security, educational requirements and need to play. Organizations working directly with organizations reveal the informal participation of children in production.
. 9. The environment. Fair trade actively encourages better environmental practices and the application of responsible methods of production.
. 10. Trade relations. Fair trade organizations do business taking account of social welfare, economic and environmental development of small and marginalized producers do not profit behind their backs. They maintain long relationships based on trust and mutual respect contribute to the promotion and expansion of fair trade. Sometimes producers are supported by appropriations before harvest or before the production.
The most well-known labels Fair Trade is the Max Havelaar label, created in 1988 by two Dutch.
If the Fair Trade label guarantees some good environmental RATIQUES and very often the production is also certified organic (but then a label must be type AB) that is not an obligation.
Thus, this label does not guarantee against GMOs, nor against pesticides, hormones and antibiotics.
