Fair Trade Is...
Fair trade is a system of exchange that seeks to create greater equity and partnership in the international trading system by
* Providing fair wages in the local context,
* Supporting safe, healthy, and participatory workplaces,
* Supplying financial and technical support to build capacity,
* Ensuring environmental sustainability,
* Respecting cultural identity,
* Offering public accountability and transparency,
* Building direct and long-term relationships, and
* Educating consumers.
Fair trade is not about charity. It is a holistic approach to trade and development that aims to alter the ways in which commerce is conducted, so that trade can empower the poorest of the poor. Fair Trade Organizations seek to create sustainable and positive change in developing and developed countries.