GIVING A FAIR CHANCE
Hundreds of lives have been improved by the Fairtrade system, but there’s still work to do
Julia Nicoara, head of brand and marketing for the Fairtrade Foundation, shares its biggest success stories, and explains why looking out for the logo really does make a difference
We see the Fairtrade logo on so many products, but what does it stand for?
The Fairtrade Mark is a symbol of trust. It tells you that food and products are sourced from producers in developing countries where ingredients or materials are produced in line with the Fairtrade standards.
What are those standards?
We set social, economic and environmental standards for companies, farmers and workers and in turn, they earn a Fairtrade Minimum Price – when the market price is higher than the Fairtrade minimum price, buyers must pay the market price. On top of that, the producers receive a Fairtrade Premium, money which they can then spend on such things as school projects, fresh water wells and ambulances.
How successful has Fairtrade been so far?
Very successful. Last year, in the UK, Fairtrade reported sales of £1.65 billion, an increase on the previous year of two per cent. This directly affects more than 1,466,127 small-scale farmers across the world and 195,701 hired workers in the Fairtrade system. There are now 1.6 million Fairtrade farmers across 74 developing countries who benefit from around £30 million from the Fairtrade Premium, but there’s still more we can do.
It’s Fairtrade Fortnight at the end of February. What are the key messages this year and how can individuals help?
Farmers toil and sweat to provide the food on our tables and the coffee in our mugs, but however hard they work, millions in developing countries aren’t paid what they deserve. We can be part of the solution by choosing Fairtrade. This year, we’re asking people to ‘Come on In’ and meet the producers behind their coffee, tea, gold or bananas. It’s a chance for people to get together and understand different ways of life around the world.
Which products make the biggest difference?
Almost 90 per cent of farmers working through Fairtrade produce one of the ‘big three’ – coffee, tea or cocoa – but areas like cotton and gold are growing, as Fairtrade moves to help even more workers and producers in areas of need.