Fairtrade Foundation
The Fairtrade Foundation exists to improve the position of poor and marginalised producers in the developing world. It encourages UK industry and consumers to support fairer trade and to purchase fairtrade products. The FAIRTRADE mark is an independent guarantee that producers in developing countries receive a fair deal.
“We don’t need charity, we are not beggars. If we are paid a reasonable price for our coffee, then we can do without charity” - Isaias Martinez, Mexico.
The problems experienced by poor producers and workers in developing countries differ greatly from product to product. To address this there are two sets of generic standards:
- one for small farmers
- one for workers on plantations and in factories
Producer organisations are encouraged to:
- continuously improve working conditions and product quality
- to increase the environmental sustainability of their activities
- to invest in the development of their organisations and the welfare of their producers/workers
The Fairtrade Foundation, with its international partners, checks that approved products continue to meet these criteria.
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