Alternative and responsible form of commerce that promotes a fair relationship between producers and consumers.
Fair commerce is an alternative and responsible form of commerce promoted by businesses, celebrities, non-governmental organizations, the UN and political and social movements (pacifism and environmentalism among them), to create a just commercial relationship among producers, intermediaries and consumers.
The establishment of respectful, commercial relationships seeks to:
- Guarantee a fair salary for workers.
- Improve health and safety conditions in the workplace.
- Promote equality of opportunity for women.
- Protect children’s rights.
- Safeguard ethnic minorities.
- Preserve the environment.
Likewise, fair trade values quality and organic production; it tries to avoid, when possible, intermediaries between producers and consumers; it informs the consumers about the origin of the product.
The most widely recognized definition of fair trade has been agreed upon by FINE, an informal umbrella of the four main Fair Trade networks.
(Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International, International Fair Trade Association, Network of European Worldshops and European Fair Trade Association):
“Fair trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, which seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers – especially in the South. Fair Trade organizations (backed by consumers) are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade.”
Fair, or alternative, trade attempts to prioritize the sustainable development -economic, social, environmental- of the communities.
Fair trade aims to respect the idiosyncrasies of towns, their culture and traditions, as well as their basic human rights, as established by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- More information about fair trade, in Wikipedia.