There is a good chance that you will have heard of Fairtrade, but knowing exactly what the foundation does may not be as clear. The next two weeks are dedicated to this organisation and are known as Fairtrade Fortnight. To mark this event, Coinadrink Limited the vending machine company will share a collection of articles explaining more about Fairtrade, what 2021 is dedicated to, and how we show our support as a trusted vending machine supplier.
This first article will explain a little bit more about Fairtrade in case you weren’t already aware. This will deliver a welcome starting point as we dive deeper into Fairtrade Fortnight right through to the 7th March.
The background to Fairtrade on Fairtrade Fortnight…
The Fairtrade Foundation dates back to 1946, when Ten Thousand Villages, a Fairtrade organisation today, began buying needlework from Puerto Rico in 1946. The first official ‘Fairtrade’ shop which sold these products opened its doors in 1958 in the USA. Soon enough, the organisation began to make its way to UK shores. Oxfam began selling crafts made by Chinese refugees and by 1964, the Fairtrade Foundation was officially formed. And poorer countries and developers have been benefitting ever since.
What does the Fairtrade Foundation support?As stated on their website, buying Fairtrade and supporting the foundation ensures you have the power to change the world every day. With simple changes to your purchasing habits, you can make sure farmers get a better deal on their products. These include coffee beans, fruit, chocolate and clothing.
But that’s not all. The Fairtrade Foundation also fights to provide better working conditions and local sustainability, largely helped by forcing companies to pay a fair price. Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.
In short, then, supporting the Fairtrade organisation is a simple way to give coffee farmers and other workers the recognition that their hard work deserves.
The foundation works hard throughout 74 countries over four continents, including Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, India and Sri Lanka. It aims to boost awareness by holding events and campaigns, such as Fairtrade Fortnight in February/March and Fairtrade Month across October.
If a product is Fairtrade registered, it will carry the specialist mark.
Facts and Figures.Here’s a little snippet of some interesting information regarding the Fairtrade Foundation.
- There are more than 1.65 million farmers and workers in Fairtrade certified producer organisations.
- There are 1,226 certified producer organisations across 74 countries.
- 26% of all farmers and workers are women.
- Small producer organisations spent 31% of their Fairtrade premium on investments supporting productivity or quality improvements.
- On plantations, workers spent 26% of their premium on education.
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The post On “Fairtrade Fortnight”, what exactly is the Fairtrade Foundation and what does it support? appeared first on Coinadrink.
