parish policy on fairtrade
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St Agnes Birch-in-Rusholme with St John with St Cyprian Longsight
Church of England Diocese of Manchester
St Agnes Birch-in-Rusholme with St John with St Cyprian Longsight
Church of England Diocese of Manchester
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![FairTrade [image: FairTrade logo]](../sitebuilder/images/fairtrade-260x120.jpg)
In July 2005 our Parish was awarded Fairtrade status by the Diocese. This
means that we use only Fairtrade tea and coffee at all parish events and
endeavour to use Fairtrade alternatives to other drinks and foods when ever
possible.
means that we use only Fairtrade tea and coffee at all parish events and
endeavour to use Fairtrade alternatives to other drinks and foods when ever
possible.
A guide to Fairtrade and how the FAIRTRADE Mark works
The FAIRTRADE Mark
The FAIRTRADE Mark is a certification label awarded to products sourced from the developing world that meet internationally recognised
standards of fair trade. By participating in Fairtrade, producers are able to use the additional income to strengthen their organisations and
invest in social, environmental and business improvements. Just as importantly, they are able to learn more about markets and marketing, and
take more control of their lives.
A fair price
The first Fairtrade label was launched in 1988 in the Netherlands and applied only to coffee. It was a specific response to the collapse of the
world coffee price, which fell for some years to far less than the cost of production, and led to much suffering for coffee farmers and their
families. Today, Fairtrade standards are set for a range of commodities from the developing world including tea, sugar, cocoa, fresh fruits. The
standards include a Fairtrade price which covers the cost of production and a premium which is invested in the local community.
Under Fairtrade labelling, there are two sets of generic producer standards; one for small farmers and one for workers on plantations and in
processing factories. The first set applies to smallholders organised in co-operatives or other organisations with a democratic, participative
structure. The second set applies to organised workers, whose employers pay decent wages, guarantee the right to join trade unions and
provide decent housing, where relevant. On plantations and in factories, minimum health and safety as well as environmental standards must be
complied with, and no child or forced labour can occur.
As Fairtrade is also about development, the generic standards distinguish between minimum requirements which producers must meet to be
certified Fairtrade. Progress requirements also encourage producer organisations to continuously improve working conditions and product
quality, to increase the environmental sustainability of their activities and to invest in the development of their organisations and the welfare of
their
members or workers.
Trading standards stipulate that traders must:
• pay a price to producers that covers the costs of sustainable production and living;
• pay a premium that producers can invest in development;
• make partial advance payments when requested by producers;
• sign contracts that allow for long-term planning and sustainable production practices.
UK companies
Fairtrade can only work if commercial companies are willing to buy from registered producers on these Fairtrade terms. Those that do can
obtain a licence to use the FAIRTRADE Mark on specific products in the UK, by signing a legal agreement with the Fairtrade Foundation. The
Foundation monitors the licensee companies to ensure that they buy from the registered producers and observe the terms for any product
labelled as Fairtrade. The Fairtrade Foundation receives regular audit reports from the companies, which detail which producers they buy from,
and the prices paid. These are checked with the producers, and independent auditors are employed to verify the companies’ records.
FAIRTRADE Mark products
Currently, more than 900 retail and catering products from coffee to wine carry the FAIRTRADE Mark in the UK. Retail sales of Fairtrade
certified products are increasing by over 40% each year:
Consumer awareness
Results of the many market research surveys (MORI) conducted over the last few years indicate that there is growing awareness of, and
potential demand for, Fairtrade products. The survey in May 2003 found that:
• Understanding of the meaning of the original FAIRTRADE Mark was 33% (compared to 24% in 2002). This was measured by the percentage of
total respondents who correctly associate the symbol with the strap-line ‘Guarantees a better deal for Third World Producers’.
• 25% of the general public claimed recognition of the FAIRTRADE Mark (compared to 20% in 2002).
Producers
Worldwide, Fairtrade is working with 433 producer organizations in 49 countries, with benefits reaching around 5 million people – farmers,
workers and their families. You can read about the impact Fairtrade has had on producers’ lives on the Fairtrade Foundation website at www.
fairtrade.org.uk/suppliers_growers.htm.
“Before, I was someone that took a box and loaded it onto a train. That was my only responsibility. In this new system, I have become an
international businessman.” – Arturo Gomez, Costa Rica.
“Through Fairtrade we have been able to organise ourselves. Before the Fairtrade Label initiative came to our plantation, we had to beg the
owners for just a little thing. But they still did not listen to us. Now we are able to discuss matters together with the management…. We have
been empowered and are able to discuss plantation matters with management in a team spirit.” – Ruplal Raj, Makaibari, India
Find out more at www.fairtrade.org.uk
The FAIRTRADE Mark
The FAIRTRADE Mark is a certification label awarded to products sourced from the developing world that meet internationally recognised
standards of fair trade. By participating in Fairtrade, producers are able to use the additional income to strengthen their organisations and
invest in social, environmental and business improvements. Just as importantly, they are able to learn more about markets and marketing, and
take more control of their lives.
A fair price
The first Fairtrade label was launched in 1988 in the Netherlands and applied only to coffee. It was a specific response to the collapse of the
world coffee price, which fell for some years to far less than the cost of production, and led to much suffering for coffee farmers and their
families. Today, Fairtrade standards are set for a range of commodities from the developing world including tea, sugar, cocoa, fresh fruits. The
standards include a Fairtrade price which covers the cost of production and a premium which is invested in the local community.
Under Fairtrade labelling, there are two sets of generic producer standards; one for small farmers and one for workers on plantations and in
processing factories. The first set applies to smallholders organised in co-operatives or other organisations with a democratic, participative
structure. The second set applies to organised workers, whose employers pay decent wages, guarantee the right to join trade unions and
provide decent housing, where relevant. On plantations and in factories, minimum health and safety as well as environmental standards must be
complied with, and no child or forced labour can occur.
As Fairtrade is also about development, the generic standards distinguish between minimum requirements which producers must meet to be
certified Fairtrade. Progress requirements also encourage producer organisations to continuously improve working conditions and product
quality, to increase the environmental sustainability of their activities and to invest in the development of their organisations and the welfare of
their
members or workers.
Trading standards stipulate that traders must:
• pay a price to producers that covers the costs of sustainable production and living;
• pay a premium that producers can invest in development;
• make partial advance payments when requested by producers;
• sign contracts that allow for long-term planning and sustainable production practices.
UK companies
Fairtrade can only work if commercial companies are willing to buy from registered producers on these Fairtrade terms. Those that do can
obtain a licence to use the FAIRTRADE Mark on specific products in the UK, by signing a legal agreement with the Fairtrade Foundation. The
Foundation monitors the licensee companies to ensure that they buy from the registered producers and observe the terms for any product
labelled as Fairtrade. The Fairtrade Foundation receives regular audit reports from the companies, which detail which producers they buy from,
and the prices paid. These are checked with the producers, and independent auditors are employed to verify the companies’ records.
FAIRTRADE Mark products
Currently, more than 900 retail and catering products from coffee to wine carry the FAIRTRADE Mark in the UK. Retail sales of Fairtrade
certified products are increasing by over 40% each year:
Consumer awareness
Results of the many market research surveys (MORI) conducted over the last few years indicate that there is growing awareness of, and
potential demand for, Fairtrade products. The survey in May 2003 found that:
• Understanding of the meaning of the original FAIRTRADE Mark was 33% (compared to 24% in 2002). This was measured by the percentage of
total respondents who correctly associate the symbol with the strap-line ‘Guarantees a better deal for Third World Producers’.
• 25% of the general public claimed recognition of the FAIRTRADE Mark (compared to 20% in 2002).
Producers
Worldwide, Fairtrade is working with 433 producer organizations in 49 countries, with benefits reaching around 5 million people – farmers,
workers and their families. You can read about the impact Fairtrade has had on producers’ lives on the Fairtrade Foundation website at www.
fairtrade.org.uk/suppliers_growers.htm.
“Before, I was someone that took a box and loaded it onto a train. That was my only responsibility. In this new system, I have become an
international businessman.” – Arturo Gomez, Costa Rica.
“Through Fairtrade we have been able to organise ourselves. Before the Fairtrade Label initiative came to our plantation, we had to beg the
owners for just a little thing. But they still did not listen to us. Now we are able to discuss matters together with the management…. We have
been empowered and are able to discuss plantation matters with management in a team spirit.” – Ruplal Raj, Makaibari, India
Find out more at www.fairtrade.org.uk
