Articles - Miscellaneous

Traidcraft

As the current issue of New Internationalist (NI no 395) amply demonstrates fair trade is now both a global issue and a source of some confusion about what it really is. It could be argued that this is the inevitable consequence of the success of the movement, and, of wider concerns about ethical consumption. Fair trade as well as other issues about ethical consumption are now being embraced by the major corporations and supermarket chains. We now have Nestle, as well as have Starbucks, producing their own brand of fairly traded coffee, Marks and Spencer attempting to buy up the world stocks of organic cotton and Walmart (Asda) muscling in on buying up world stocks of organically produced food. The worry is that the transnationals are trying to capitalise on fair trade's success with the minimum of commitment and investment, resulting in what Albert Tucker in NI describes as 'the battle for fair trade's soul'. For example the fair trade flowers from Kenya are still being grown with the diminishing waters of Lake Naivasha before being air-freighted to European supermarkets. Also it is now quite possible to buy a garment made of organic cotton which has been produced in a developing world sweat shop. One obvious safeguard is to look for the fair trade logo, although only a proportion of fairly traded goods are registered with the Fair Trade Foundation . (Reprinted by kind permission of the New Internationalist, www.newint.org)

So where does Traidcraft stand amidst these murky waters? As the current Traidcraft bulletin (Dec 2006) spells out a fair-trade certificate guarantees
1) a fair price which covers the cost of sustainable production
2) An extra premium to invest in community projects
3) Defines standards for the health, social, and economic welfare of the producers as well as for the protection of the environment.
In addition Traidcraft seeks to work in partnership with mostly small scale producers on a long term basis, to lobby Governments to advance the cause of fair trade and seeks to demonstrate ethical business practices.

As a demonstration of Traidcraft working practices I would draw attention to the fair trade banner which adorns the Traidcraft table at the back of church. This was produced by the Zimbabwean factory, Design Inc, in the dark days when their whole future was threatened. Traidcraft invited people to put up the money in advance for these banners to give the factory work. In all over £6,000 was raised and with this money Design Inc has bought 103 plots of land for its workers who had their homes destroyed in the Government's land clearance programme. So, supporters of our stall can take some credit for this heartwarming success story.

Jill Vogler

© St Edmund's Church, Roundhay - Charity Number 1131904