Fair Trade is in a sense the same as international and domestic trade. Products cross borders, taxes are paid and people work hard to produce the products. Fair Trade however takes traditional trade to a new level. Fair Trade guarantees what traditional trade cannot; livable wages for producers, knowledge about sustaining local environments, and equal opportunities for all workers.
Fair Trade is responsible commerce based on equal exchange and respect for all people. This unique business model brings together producers and buyers with the common goal of creating sustainable livelihoods. The end result is an exchange of ideas, development of skills and an understanding of the distinct situations in which poverty exists around the world.
Fair Trade empowers producers by guaranteeing fair and livable wages, which in turn helps develop communities. Fair Trade is not only a key solution to alleviating poverty, it also opens up dialogue between people of all races, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds in an effort to develop sustainable solutions for the problems facing the poor and marginalized.
Producers are paid an honest wage for their hard work within the context of their societies, while being offered opportunities for advancement. The goal is to uplift people out of situations where they are dependent on aid to become self-sufficient. Fair Trade helps build lives where people can feed themselves, children can go to school and new business opportunities can develop
We often forget that every product we consume involves a multitude of people. For many people products magically appear in the store and we as consumers don’t consider how and by whom they are made. We forget that people are often sidelined for profits, human rights ignored and equality dismissed.
By creating relationships and providing markets to those most in need, Fair Trade provides consumers with an ethical choice. It gives you the consumer an opportunity to utilize your purchasing power – one of the strongest mechanisms we have today to bring about change.
When you purchase Fair Trade products, you are:
•Ensuring the producers receive a fair price for their hard work.
•Providing long term co-operation, allowing producers to make future plans for the development of their communities.
•Supporting good working conditions with adequate health and safety procedures for all workers.
•Promoting democratic working environments
•Respecting and promoting human rights, especially those of women, children and people with disabilities.
•Protecting the environment through ecologically sound production.
