Fair Trade Overview
Fair Trade Certification empowers farmworkers and artisans to lift themselves out of poverty by investing in their businesses and communities, protecting the environment, and developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
Fair Trade is much more than a fair price! Fair Trade principles include:
- Fair price: Democratically organized groups are paid based on the cost of materials and living wages. The Fair Trade Federation also requires that buyers make advance payments to serve as “loans” for production costs.
- Fair labor conditions: Workers enjoy freedom of association, safe working conditions, and living wages. Forced child labor is strictly prohibited.
- Direct trade: With Fair Trade, importers purchase from Fair Trade producer groups as directly as possible, eliminating unnecessary middlemen and empowering farmers to develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
- Democratic and transparent organizations: Fair Trade workers decide democratically how to invest Fair Trade revenues. Women and men have equal say and are paid equally.
- Community development: Fair Trade cooperatives invest Fair Trade premiums in social and business development projects like scholarship programs, health clinics, schools, infrastructure improvement, and quality improvement trainings.
- Environmental sustainability: Harmful chemicals are strictly prohibited in favor of environmentally sustainable farming methods and production practices that protect workers’ health and preserve valuable ecosystems for future generations.
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