I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
Edward Everett Hale
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What is Fair Trade?
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The following are the principles of Fair Trade as set out by the Fair Trade Federation (FTF)
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Paying a fair wage in the local context
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Offering employees opportunities for advancement.
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Providing equal employment opportunities for all people, particularly the most disadvantaged.
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Engaging in environmentally sustainable practices.
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Being open to public accountability.
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Building long-term trade relationships.
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Providing healthy and safe working conditions within the local context.
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Providing financial and technical assistance to producers whenever possible.
See also WFTO (World Fair Trade Organisation formerly IFAT) for further Fair Trade information. |
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| What You Can Do! |
So here are a few suggestions for you so you can play your part in making the trading world a more even playing field:-
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Whenever possible buy Fair Trade products. Fairly traded goods range from coffee, tea, cholcolate to handcrafted accessories, ornaments and soft furnishings.
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Encourage your workplace, schools, council or local business (eg. coffee shop) to stock Fair Trade products.
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Become a Fair Trade Community (See FTAANZ for more details and application forms) and/or join the Fair Trade Association.
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Donate to help support the further promotion and education work of the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand.
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If you're a business - source your stock through Fair Trade licensed producers and suppliers. |
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The Good News
Perhaps you say to yourself that no matter what you do it seems too little to make any real difference?
Well there's good news, every little truly helps!
Over the last decade the numbers of people choosing to spend or invest their money ethically has risen dramatically.
Fair Trade is now a global movement with over a million small-scale producers and workers organized in as many as 3,000 grassroots organizations and umbrella structures in over 50 countries!
Their products are sold in thousands of World-shops or Fair Trade shops, supermarkets and many other sales points in both hemispheres.
The Fair Trade movement is engaged in debates with political decision-makers in European institutions and internationally on how we can make international trade fairer.
And Fair Trade has made mainstream business more aware of its social and environmental responsibility. In short: Fair Trade is becoming a real force to be reckoned with and every one of us can play our part in it.
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