Contents Preface 3 Introduction 5

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1 Contents Preface 3 Introduction 5 Step 1 - Complete Novice 7 What is Fairtrade? 9 How do you recognise Fairtrade products? 9 What does it promise? 9 Fairtrade Premium 10 What makes different from other ethical logos? 10 What is the Fairtrade Foundation? 11 What is a Fairtrade Church? 13 Why become a Fairtrade Church? 13 Why become a Fairtrade Diocese? 14 What is a Fairtrade Diocese? Step 2 -Becoming a Fairtrade Church 15 What is the point of all this? 17 Requirements for becoming a Fairtrade Church. 17 What should we actually do? 18 What is Traidcraft? 21 Other possible sources of worship materials include 21 Step 3 -Taking Fairtrade beyond the Church doors 23 Starting a Fairtrade/Traidcraft stall 25 My suggestions for starting a stall 28 Other ways of stepping out for Fairtrade 29 Step 4 -Refreshing the vision/not all Fairtrade is equal 31 Step 5 - Campaigning 38 Frequently asked questions 42 1

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3 Preface The Rt Rev Peter Hancock Bishop of Bath and Wells The Palace, Wells, Somerset BA5 2PD Dear Deanery Fairtrade Reps I am delighted that the resolution to become a Fairtrade Diocese was passed by the Bath & Wells Synod in 2010, as part of campaign based on the Millennium Development Goals. The aim to reach this target was I have always been a supporter of Fairtrade and the Fairtrade objectives of just treatment of small producers and so I wish to give my support to the final push to achieve this demanding target. I know from first hand from my experience of witnessing poverty in West Africa the importance of empowering people to work to progress themselves. An assured income from Fairtrade helps them do this. As a wealthy nation which benefits from food from all over the world, we need to reach out and support those in need. To achieve Fairtrade status as a Diocese, we need to have at least 50% of Churches registered as Fairtrade. This is a key stepping stone in the process, but is not the endpoint: many churches are already registered many may feel they are Fairtrade but are not formally registered some may feel that they cannot be registered I want to encourage every church to use this handbook to take further steps forward. This handbook aims to challenge and encourage all Churches in the Diocese, wherever they are on their Fairtrade Journey to take further steps forward. I urge you all to make good use of it. With warm Christian greetings 3

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5 Introduction The Diocese of Bath & Wells voted at Synod in 2010 to move towards becoming registered as a Fairtrade Denominational Area. The target date was set as Many Churches in the Diocese are already registered as Fairtrade and others may well considered themselves to be Fairtrade without having gone through the formal registration process. This booklet aims to help Churches refresh and refocus their efforts in this process in order to enable the Diocese to achieve its objective of becoming a Fairtrade registered. It is written for clergy, lay personnel and other members of the congregation; anyone who is interested in Fairtrade and wants to encourage support from others. Very little of this booklet is original material. It is a compilation of resources from the Fairtrade Foundation,Traidcraft and other sources. Even the style of presentation is an amalgamation of the Fairtrade Fortnight 2013 material, a leaflet from Sally Farrant at Exeter Diocese and The Jolly Postman by Allan Ahlberg. I have added comments based on my own experience and would encourage your Deanery, Church or individuals to add notes and press cuttings. My suggestion for how to use this booklet is to decide where you are as a Church in your Fairtrade journey and then explore the resource materials to judge if you can take the next step. Thus it is hoped that Parishes, Benefices, Deaneries and the Diocesan hierarchy can journey together to the goal of becoming a Fairtrade registered Diocese. This second 2015 edition of this Handbook has been produced in order to include current information for web-sites and brochures. As well as the Handbook itself, more information including news items are available on the recently re-launched Diocesan website ( Jane Canning (jfcanning@btinternet.com) Bath and Wells Diocesan Champion February

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7 Step 1 - Complete Novice 1 7

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9 What is Fairtrade? Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers. It s about supporting the development of thriving farming and worker communities that have more control over their futures and protecting the environment in which they live and work. And it s your opportunity to connect with the people who grow the produce that we all depend on. ( How do you recognise Fairtrade products? The FAIRTRADE Mark is a registered certification label for products sourced from producers in developing countries. Products with the FAIRTRADE Mark must meet international Fairtrade standards. These are set by the international certification body Fairtrade International. These standards are agreed through research and consultation with members of the Fairtrade scheme, including farmers and workers themselves, traders, NGOs, academic institutions and labelling organisations such as the Fairtrade Foundation. 9

10 For most Fairtrade goods there is a which is set to cover the cost of sustainable production for that product in that region. If the market price for that product is higher that our minimum price, then producers should receive the market price. Payment of the minimum price is regularly audited and checked by FLO-Cert. This acts as a vital safety net for farmers and workers and protects them from fluctuations in the market prices of the products they grow for a living. This protection ensures they can have an assured and stable income and plan for their future. Fairtrade is the only certification scheme that offers such a unique minimum price protection for farmers. Over and above the Fairtrade price, the Fairtrade Premium is an additional sum of money. which goes into a communal fund for workers and farmers to use as they see fit - to improve their social, economic and environmental conditions. Fairtrade supports farmers and workers in gaining more from trade and through this they are empowered to control their lives. It is an alternative approach that is based on partnership; one between those who grow our food and those that consume it. Fairtrade is 50% owned by producers Fairtrade works with a range of stakeholders but our global system is 50% owned by producers representing farmer and worker organisations. With an equal voice, producers have a say in decision-making within our General Assembly and on Fairtrade International s Board of Directors. Through the Board and its committees, they are involved in decisions on overall strategy, use of resources and setting prices, premiums and standards. 10

11 What is the Fairtrade Foundation? The Fairtrade Foundation is the independent non-profit organisation that licenses use of the FAIRTRADE Mark on products in the UK in accordance with internationally agreed Fairtrade standards. The Foundation is the UK member of Fairtrade International, which unites over 20 labelling initiatives across Europe, Japan, North America, Mexico and Australia/New Zealand as well as networks of producer organisations from Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. The Foundation was established in 1992 by CAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Traidcraft, the World Development Movement, and the National Federation of Women s Institutes. Member organisations now also include Banana Link, Methodist Relief and Development Fund, National Campaigner Committee, Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, People & Planet, Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, Shared Interest Foundation, Soroptimist International, Tearfund and Commitment to Life / United Reformed Church. The Fairtrade Foundation is a registered charity (no ). There is often a bit of confusion about whether the Fairtrade Foundation is a charity or a business. The Foundation is most importantly a charitable body that works with other businesses to certify their products against internationally agreed and independently audited Fairtrade standards. The Fairtrade Foundation does not make the final products themselves; how Fairtrade ingredients are processed to make the items on the kitchen shelf, is up to the manufacturers. The Foundation also supports grassroots campaigning across the UK throughout a number of different communities such as schools, universities, towns and churches. Find out more about the Fairtrade Foundation online at 11

12 What is Fairtrade? - A short introductory pamphlet from the Fairtrde Foundation Fairtrade Explained. A longer explanation, also from the Fairtrade foundation. More of these leaflets are available from the Fairtrade Foundation (Feb 2015)

13 What is a Fairtrade Church? Churches that show their support of the concept of Fairtrade by fulfilling certain requirements (see Step 2 for detail on the how) can register with the Fairtrade Foundation and then are permitted to display a poster to that effect and can use the Fairtrade mark on their website and weekly sheet. Why become a Fairtrade Church? Sometimes Churches may feel that the paperwork (which is slight, see Step 2 again) is not worth if the Church is supporting Fairtrade producers by buying Fairtrade goods. However, this is only part of what Church organisations can do. Fairtrade is about obtaining justice for the poor. A parallel has been drawn between the fight against slavery in the 19th Century and the fight for just treatment in global markets today. The Church lead the fight against slavery, surely it should also lead the fight against the enslavement of poverty today. To that end, it is not enough simply to buy Fairtrade products, we should engage as well in the debate and show our hearts on our sleeves by signing up to demonstrate our support of Fairtrade. By becoming a Fairtrade Church, you encourage people within and outside your congregation to engage in the issues of world poverty and do something about it. 13

14 What is a Fairtrade Diocese? A Fairtrade Diocese or Denominational Area, is similar to a Fairtrade Church in that the whole Diocese shows its support for the concept of Fairtrade by fulfilling a number of criteria. Which are 1. Support and promote Fairtrade, further encourage the use and sale of Fairtrade products and to serve only Fairtrade coffee and tea at meetings it is responsible for. 2. Ensure that at least half the churches or places of worship in your denominational area have become a Fairtrade Church 3. Encourage other local churches, parishes, circuits etc. to adopt a Fairtrade policy. As far as possible, display literature advertising the fact that Fairtrade products re used and served there. 4. Attract further media coverage and continue raising awareness of the FAIRTRADE Mark. If possible, make reference to your denominational area s Fairtrade status on any relevant websites. 5. Set up a Fairtrade steering group to take responsibility for monitoring that goals continue to be met and developed over time. ( Why become a Fairtrade Diocese? It follows on that if Churches should wear their heart on their sleeves so should the wider Church community. If you agree with my ideas expressed about Fairtrade Churches, then the idea of a Fairtrade Diocese is a logical progression; it is simply a matter of scaling up the previous argument. 14

15 Step 2 -Becoming a Fairtrade Church 2 15

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17 Requirements for becoming a Fairtrade Church. Your Church can be registered by the Fairtrade Foundation as a Fairtrade Church There is a form to fill in (see the end of this section). On this a representative from your congregation signs that your PCC has agree to the following: Use Fairtrade tea and coffee whenever these refreshments are served on Church premises Move forward on using other Fairtrade products (such as sugar, biscuits, fruit, communion wine and cleaning products) Promote Fairtrade during Fairtrade Fortnight and during the year through events, worship and other activities whenever possible The form also asks for some evidence of what you are doing and for contact details. If you have progressed this far in this booklet, it is because you have been persuaded that Fairtrade is both a good thing and something that speaks to the faith and commitment of the Church. This form shows that you are willing to show your support of Fairtrade in word and deed. 17

18 What should we actually do? Let us look at the requirements section by section A lot of Churches, but not all, serve refreshments after one or more Sunday morning services. Those Churches are probably already using Fairtrade coffee and tea, so this is already a tick on the form and you just have to write down the name of your coffee and tea. If you are still using Nestle Gold Blend, now is the time to change and to do so you will need to engage the enthusiasm of the coffee makers. In my experience, the preferred choice of tea or coffee is a matter of habit. In your attempts to change you may well meet people who say I don t like Fairtrade coffee. There are now hundreds of coffees branded as Fairtrade, so it seems likely that you should be able to find one that suits the palate of your congregation. How about combining a thank you to the coffee makers with a tasting session in which they get to choose the new Fairtrade tea and coffee.? Some Churches, possibly in particular small ones, do not have a weekly fellowship after a Sunday morning service or they do not serve coffee. I was told of one Church that provides sherry instead. You do not have to routinely serve tea and coffee, just when you do, make sure it is Fairtrade. There can be a problem of people bringing in jars of coffee or packets of tea which are not Fairtrade, for different events. Just explain to them and perhaps leave a polite notice, up in the kitchen or next to the kettle, saying what the Church is trying to do. If the Church is promoting Fairtrade in word and deed, this first requirement is about setting an example. So it does not matter how often that you provide tea or coffee, just when you do, make it Fairtrade. 18

19 The Fairtrade Foundation has certified over 4,500 products. Your Church is not going to use all of them, so take your pick, there is now a lot of choice. Like the tea and coffee, it is about setting an example and continuing to think about ways to move forward on the issue of Fairtrade. On the application form suggested items are sugar, biscuits, fruit, communion wine and cleaning products - these are only suggestions. Fairtrade sugar is an easy one as all Tate and Lyle is now Fairtrade. Alternatively, I would particularly recommend the sugar sachets sold by Traidcraft as they help to keep the sugar in good condition as well as being a clear advertisement for Fairtrade. The only Fairtrade cleaning products are made by Traidcraft using FairPalm (palm oil) see Case Study Palm Oil at Clean & Fair products can be found at The only Fairly Traded Communion Wine available in the UK is Poterion from Whitebridge Wines ( Many churches in the Diocese of Bath and Wells already use this wine; when asked for feedback recently, one of the comments was The three churches in our Benefice know that by purchasing Poterion we are helping to support Fair Trade projects in South Africa. We have been impressed with the range of support that Poterion provides for its workers and their local communities. We have also benefited from using a wine with a good flavour and keeps well. A win-win situation all round! 19

20 Fairtrade Fortnight is a national two weeks of action on the issue of Fairtrade, taking place between February and March. It is spearheaded by the Fairtrade Foundation who determine a theme and produce relevant free resources including appropriate worship material. Other interested and involved groups also used this time to promote Fairtrade either using Fairtrade Foundation resources or producing their own. (See Fairtrade Fortnight is a convenient hook into considering the place of social justice within the Christian faith. It makes for an interesting and apposite sermon and there are some stirring modern hymns (mainly by John Bell) to rouse the emotions. Some Churches will organise special relevant events focused on the fortnight (see Step 5 Campaigning) but you need to do something that is appropriate and relevant to your Church. Do not forget simple things such as displaying a (new) poster or providing a cake made with Fairtrade ingredients to be eaten with your Fairtrade coffee after the morning service. However, the aim is to get your wider congregation thinking about the issues behind Fairtrade and for some people this is harder for them than donating money. There are a number of organisations that produce helpful worship resource materials on the theme of Fairtrade. The Fairtrade Foundation has already been cited as such a source. 20

21 Another source of ideas is Traidcraft. This organisation has already been mentioned in this booklet and many of you will already be familiar with it but for those of you who are asking.. What is Traidcraft? This is how Traidcraft describe themselves Traidcraft is the UK s leading fair trade organisation and we're dedicated to fighting poverty through trade. Traidcraft plc, our trading company, is one of the leading dedicated fair trade companies in the UK and globally. We source the UK s widest range of fair trade foods, beverages, household cleaning, charcoal and rubber products, as well as fair trade crafts and clothing, from fair trade suppliers in more than 30 developing countries. ( Traidcraft pre-dates the Fairtrade Foundation by 15 years and for some church goers Traidcraft and Fairtrade are synonymous, but whereas all Traidcraft is Fair trade, not all Fairtrade is Traidcraft. The Fairtrade Foundation is foremost a charity, but Traidcraft is foremost a business with a strong ethical and charitable ethos as well as an associate registered charity. Both parts of Traidcraft are excellent sources of resources; see and Preaching-about-Fair-Trade.pdf (Mainly taken from Fairtrade Foundation & Traidcraft) df 21

22 Remember that issues of global and trade justice do not have to be restricted to Fairtrade Fortnight. Other opportunities include Christian Aid week Lent Back to Church Sunday ( sponsored by Traidcraft Harvest One World Week ( Advent World Trade Day (2nd Saturday in May) A copy of the Bath and Wells Fairtrade Church application form - this can be photocopied or it is available from, you should find- Wells-Fairtrade-Church-Application-Form2.pdf An example of support material from the Fairtrade Foundation. which is aimed at churches may feel that their congregation are too few in number to become a Fairtrade Church.You are welcome to photocopy and distribute this leaflet. 22

23 Step 3 -Taking Fairtrade beyond the Church doors 3 23

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25 Starting a Fairtrade/Traidcraft stall This will mean that your congregation will be taking Fairtrade products out from Church to share with their family and friends Many people think that having a stall is a requirement for becoming registered as a Fairtrade Church, but it is not. However, having a stall does help fulfil requirement 3 on the registration form, because it is a regular reminder to all members of the congregation and it can be an instrument of outreach to the community. If you sell Fairtrade products in your Church, these do not have to be from Traidcraft, but it is much easier to start as a Traidcraft fair trader. 25

26 Traidcraft was founded on Christian principles and churches play a vital role in helping us fight poverty we couldn t do it without you. So why not get involved and help us bring justice to the poor. Become a Fair Trader More than 5,000 Fair Traders buy Traidcraft groceries and crafts to sell in their churches and wider communities around the UK. Be one of them - it makes a huge impact. As a Fair Trader you have control of what you sell and when. We ll support you every step of the way and you ll enjoy: Discounts Free promotional material A buy now, pay later facility Easy ordering Exclusive previews of our ranges. For further details on how to apply to become a Fairtrader go to It is useful for churches to have an account even if they do not run a regular stall. 26

27 I have been a Traidcraft fair trader for about 15 years; this is my summary of the of the role. I feel it is a very practical and balanced way of addressing issues of world poverty. I enjoy doing it. It is a challenge but it is also fun. It can involve young people. Children just come and help on the stall without being asked. They engage at their own level in the issues of Fairtrade while practicing their mental arithmetic and interacting with older members of the congregation. It can make money. At home, I never run out of basmati rice, honey or toilet paper. If successful it can take up space in all 4 dimensions. In other words it needs work and commitment. You need to develop marketing strategies, the products do not sell themselves. However, this for me is part of the enjoyable challenge (see up number 2). 27

28 My suggestions for starting a stall You need seed money because cash flow can be very difficult at the beginning. Get the PCC to provide a loan/grant, or have a fund raising coffee morning. Alternatively, if this seems too challenging, buddy up with an existing stall holder and sell things on sale or return. Decide where you are going to store things. It has to be cool, dry and mice free. Big plastic boxes are very useful. If it is at your home you have to take it up to Church to sell it. If it is at Church the space is likely to be very limited and you have to go up to Church to stock take and check sell by dates. Ordering can by done by snail mail, but it is better to have someone with a bit of IT knowledge involved as it makes the whole thing quicker and easier. Buy a pricing gun, writing out price labels by hand is very tedious. Check with the congregation at the beginning, before you put in your first order, what they would like to buy. After a while you will get to know what sells well. Once you have established your stall, you can then take it to other eventsfetes, coffee mornings, school fund raisers, talks, gigs and local markets. 28

29 Other ways of stepping out for Fairtrade Teenagers are likely to know a lot about Fairtrade from geography lessons in school. Try firing up their active enthusiasm by trying either of these games from Christian Aid Take the message out to your local school, especially if it is a Church of England maintained school. If they respond enthusiastically you could help them set up a Fairtrade stall or become a Fairtrade school.( For more details see Do an audit of Fairtrade goods in your area., then Encourage shops, large and small, to stock Fairtrade by asking for it. Stock it are available from the Fairtrade Foundation Some Fairtrade towns produce a local directory of where to buy Fairtrade Invite a local business which has gained Fairtrade certification to speak to your Church. Both of these organisations were among the original sponsors of the Fairtrade Foundation, but might need reminding of this at local level. 29

30 contains Do something for Christ s sake Fairtrade in your Church Both available from Traidcraft at as downloads or paper copies 30

31 Step 4 -Refreshing the vision/not all Fairtrade is equal 4 31

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33 My dear, here we must run as fast as we can, just to stay in place. And if you wish to go anywhere you must run twice as fast as that. Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland 33

34 How long is the attention span of your Church or community? Does this sound familiar You are a registered Fairtrade Church, well done. You have a monthly stall which is chugging along. You put up a poster during Fairtrade Fortnight. All good stuff, however, compassion fatigue has set in. Sales on the stall have dropped. The congregation say they are buying Fairtrade at the supermarket, surely that is better? Peoples eye glaze over when you start talking about Fairtrade.; They are complacent. What do you do? Should we shut up and sit down? No,there are still people in the Developing World struggling because we squeeze them financially until the coffee beans squeak. One obvious thing to do is really make full use of the Fairtrade Fortnight materials and do something different or revisit for amazing stories and stimulating worship ideas. Have a special service (the Kenyan Liturgy is very exciting if you are allowed to use it). Invite your MP to speak about their views on Fairtrade. Don t be afraid to remind the congregation how awful poverty is. (See One big mountain Enter the rice challenge. If you sell 90 kg of rice it can pay for a child to go to school for a year in Malawi. See kg-rice-challenge for more details Get your church to change to real coffee after the service. This can work for churches of any size. If there are 2 people in the congregation, buy a cafetiere; 10, a filter coffee machine; 40 a small percolator from Traidcraft; a large percolator; over 100, 2 large percolators. Kingdom Coffee ( and Traidcraft offer good deals on ground coffee and Jurang ( is also worth looking at. My church recently changed to real coffee and it has lifted the atmosphere in the post service get together and probably numbers as well. However, I should warn you that the coffee makers found it much more challenging than I would have thought possible, so give them lots of support and encouragement 34

35 Make sure the congregation know about recent developments, such as the new Fairtrade logo, see Food tasting is always good. Cake made with Fairtrade ingredients (provide the recipe). Blind tasting of chocolate (see for more details) Free samples from the stall An idea from Annie Gurner in Crewkerne - stock the Fairtrade stall with items not usually associate with Fairtrade to illustrate the range of items now available with the Fairtrade logo- baby grows/socks/beauty products/pants. The Ethical Superstore ( is a good source, as well as Traidcraft. New posters - especially during Fairtrade Fortnight (If you just leave up old posters, people stop seeing them) Get in a good speaker Have a curry evening 35

36 Play Fairtrade pass the parcel ( A rollicking good sermon from the Rector always does wonders. Advertise the Real Easter Egg or The Real Advent Calender Get the youth group to run a social media based promotion campaign. Include promoting Fairtrade in your Mission Action Plan. Read a book about Fairtrade (eg Fighting the Banana Wars and Other Fairtrade Battles by Harriet Lamb ) Get your book group to read a book about Fairtrade Become a Fairtrade mother hen and take another church from your benefice or group ministry under your wing. Help them become Fairtrade registered or run a Fairtrade stall as sale or return. Basically you just have to keep on banging on about it. There is an end point to the campaign and that is went the logo becomes redundant because we, the consumers, know that all producers are always paid a fair wage for their wares. That end-point is still a long way off. How is that possible? Surely Fairtrade is about justice and being just means treating everybody the same, so how can some Fairtrade be better than others! I will let Traidcraft explain; read the excellent leaflets in the fourthwallet. contains Traidcraft - an Introduction Not all Fairtrade is created equal Both leaflets are available from Traidcraft or as a download from 36

37 1. Purchase several coffees available on the market with similar descriptions. Treat it as if it were a scientific experiment: if you decide to compare blends against each other, make sure they are all blends. If you decide to compare a coffee from Colombia, make sure they are all from Colombia etc. This will ensure you are comparing like for like. 2. Prepare the coffees as you would normally (if normally drunk with milk, I suggest preparing two cups of each, one with milk and one without to be able to really taste the coffee first), just make sure they are all prepared in the same way (same amount of coffee/water used). I would suggest 6g per 100ml of water when preparing roast and ground coffee, or 1tsp per 200ml of instant. 3. Label each cup (post it note?) with a number and then cross reference this number to a list you have kept on a private notepad with the details of what each coffee is. 4. Equip each taster with a soup spoon to dip into the cups for tasting. 5. Fill an extra cup or two with hot water for rinsing spoons between each taste for hygiene and to avoid remnants of one coffee staying on the spoon. 6. Suggest each taster make notes and list their favourites 1-6 (or however many you will taste. I would suggest 8 as maximum). This will encourage people to really think about the taste and to go back to cups and taste them again. Encourage them to try and describe what they like and what they don t like and why. There are no silly answers! 7. Involve lots of people, such things are always interesting when many taste buds are involved. 8. I would leave yourself half an hour for setting up, and half an hour to forty five minutes for tasting and discussion. I think that this would also work for tea. Having tried a blind coffee tasting, the only part of the instructions I would challenge is making all the coffees identically. I think you have to judge what proportions produce the best taste for each coffee, so this takes a little work in advance. 37

38 Step 5 - Campaigning 5 38

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40 You have looked through this booklet and now feel that you are ready to really stretch your commitment to Fairtrade - excellent! Read on. This booklet is aimed at Churches, but it may well be at this stage the Church through the PCC, is still working together, or there is a small group of involved and enthused parishioners, or it is just a dedicated individual that burns with a desire to do something more than dropping coins in a collecting tin. In the long term, real change needs more than money, so this section is more about consciousness raising rather than charities raising money. Within the context of campaigning, there is a choice between promoting the concept of Fairtrade or campaigning on the wider issues of world poverty, although it seems likely to me that most people will do both. Over the years there have been many campaigns including Walk for the World Jubilee 2000 (still campaigning as Make poverty history (still campaigning as The If..campaign This year there is Action 2015 see Christian Aid ( Global Justice Now (formally know as the World Development Movement) ( Oxfam ( Traidcraft ( 40

41 Fairtrade Foundation - is the most obvious and this runs a well resourced campaign every year during Fairtrade Fortnight, but it also has other ongoing campaigns ( Traidcraft ( All these organisations will welcome your support and tell you how to get involved; get on to their websites to find out more. 41

42 Frequently asked questions FAQ All the questions and answers for this section are taken from 42

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44 Fairtrade International (formally known as Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International - or 'FLO') is the international body made up of the Fairtrade Foundation and its partner organisations around the world. We re proud to say it s 50 per cent owned by the farmers and workers it works for. FLO is in charge of developing Fairtrade standards for products, supporting farmers and workers, and operating global certification and auditing systems. FLO is based in Bonn, Germany, and is composed of two separate organisations: 1. FLO International ev. is a non-profit multi-stakeholder association. FLO develops and reviews international Fairtrade standards and supports farmers and workers to make the most of market opportunities. Read more at 2. FLO-CERT GmbH is a limited company in charge of the inspection and certification of farmers, workers and traders. It operates independently of any other interests, and follows the international ISO standard for certification bodies (ISO 65). Read more at The Fairtrade minimum price defines the lowest possible price that a buyer of Fairtrade products must pay the producer. The minimum price is set based on a consultative process with Fairtrade farmers, workers and traders and guarantees that producer groups receive a price which covers what it costs them to grow their crop. When the market price is higher than the Fairtrade minimum price, the trader must pay the market price It s what makes Fairtrade unique. It s an additional sum of money paid on top of the Fairtrade minimum price that farmers and workers invest in social, environmental and economic developmental projects to improve their businesses and their communities. They decide democratically by committee how to invest the premium. Farmers/workers must meet environmental standards as part of certification. Producers are required to work to protect the natural environment and make environmental protection a part of farm management. They are also encouraged to minimise the use of energy, especially from non-renewable sources. 44

45 By choosing Fairtrade, shoppers in the UK are ensuring that farmers and workers receive a Fairtrade premium to invest in economic, social and environmental products of their own choice. It means they can implement a range of environmental protection programmes which contribute to the range of solutions needed to address climate change and ultimately benefit us all. To give two examples, tea workers in India have invested some of their Fairtrade Premium into replacing the traditional wood-burning heating with a solarpanelled system. Coffee farmers in Costa Rica have used the premium to replant trees to prevent soil erosion and have invested in environmentally friendly ovens, fuelled by recycled coffee hulls and the dried shells of macadamia nuts. This means that they no longer need to cut forest trees and so can preserve the rainforest and the oxygen they produce. By choosing Fairtrade products, you can help farmers and workers preserve their own environment and allow them to have a positive social benefit in their community. Climate change hits the poorest in developing countries hardest. This includes people whose livelihoods depend on agriculture. Through the Fairtrade Premium farmers and workers have a little extra to use when harvests fail, or if they need to change to growing a different crop if the climate becomes unsuitable for the way they currently farm. Many Fairtrade products, such as coffee, tea, flowers, sugar and rice are 100 per cent Fairtrade. However there are other products, such as cakes, biscuits, ice cream and chocolate, in which the ingredients are a mixture of Fairtrade ingredients from developing countries (such as sugar, cocoa, honey and vanilla) and ingredients sourced more locally from UK or European farmers (such as milk, flour or eggs). These are known as composite products. To take account of this, the Fairtrade Foundation has developed requirements for where and how the FAIRTRADE Mark may be used based on FLO policy. The main principles of these requirements are: 100 per cent of any ingredient that can be Fairtrade certified, must be Fairtrade certified. Any product may carry the FAIRTRADE Mark if more than 50 per cent of its total ingredients (calculated by dry weight) are sourced from Fairtrade certified producer organisations. If the total Fairtrade certified ingredient content is less than 50 per cent, the product may still be eligible if it has one significant Fairtrade ingredient that represents more than 20 per cent of the product s dry 45

46 weight. An example of a significant ingredient might be an orange juice drink made of 20 per cent Fairtrade certified orange juice and the rest water. Fairtrade certification and pricing were designed for commodity products. It is hard to adapt the Fairtrade model of standardised minimum pricing to crafts and other products made by small-scale artisans, which are unique, made of varied materials and have highly varied production processes and costs. However, FLO is working with WFTO to explore whether we could certify these products in the future. From See this web page for more frequently asked questions The FAIRTRADE Mark was established specifically to support the most disadvantaged producers in the world by using trade as a tool for sustainable development. We do recognise that many farmers in the UK face similar issues as farmers elsewhere, not least ensuring that they get a decent return for upholding social and environmental standards in their production. However there are also some major differences. For example, farmers in developing countries often have little infrastructural support, social security systems or other safety nets available if they cannot get a fair price for their products. Our Fairtrade standards, and our expertise, are specifically focused on enabling producers in developing countries tackle poverty through trade. If the Foundation diverted its own attention from this mission, this could potentially end up diluting the benefits of Fairtrade for the very farmers and workers we were established to support. We agree that the principles behind fair trade may provide useful insight into the debate on improving the situation for UK producers. However, the Foundation is not convinced, that a labelling scheme is the right solution to the problems affecting UK farmers. A plethora of similar sounding labelling initiatives could result in confusion for consumers and undermine both the local cause and the global situation we care so deeply about. Rather than yet another label, the Foundation believes a more rigorous investigation by government and the industry itself is needed. This should look into the causes behind the problems being experienced by domestic producers, so that more robust and wide reaching policy tools can be identified to benefit all affected farmers, and to reassure all concerned shoppers. 46

47 Buy both! We recognise that many farmers in the UK face similar issues to farmers elsewhere, not least ensuring that they get a fair return for upholding decent social and environmental standards in their production. We therefore support the promotion of sustainable production for UK farmers but our specific role will continue to be supporting farmers from the developing world. Fairtrade isn t in competition with UK farmers and buying local and buying Fairtrade need not be mutually exclusive. Fairtrade focuses mainly on products such as coffee and bananas that can t be grown in temperate climates or products that can t be grown in sufficient quantities in the EU e.g. grapes and oranges. For some items such as honey and flowers, local supply is not able to meet the total demand - it has been estimated that both UK flowers and honey account for less than one-third of the UK market - and so imports are necessary to meet demand. Other products, such as apples, are seasonal in both the UK and places like South Africa, and for as long as shoppers want to buy apples out of season, there is a demand for fruit from other countries. Often the choice facing shoppers is not necessarily between local honey and Fairtrade certified honey but between Fairtrade honey and conventional honey imported from, say, the US or China. It is up to each person to weigh up these choices and shop accordingly. Ultimately, it is up to each person to do what they see as being in the interests of people and our planet. What is important is that we all try to make informed choices wherever possible. We are committed to raising awareness of ways in which buying products carrying the FAIRTRADE Mark is empowering and strengthening the future for disadvantaged farmers and workers in developing countries. 47