Nowadays, manufacturing practices lead to increased overexploiting of Earth’s natural resources. Consumers want to “buy wisely” and know the origin of the products they choose. They want to be sure that these products have been produced in an ecological and humanitarian way. A FAIRTRADE mark guarantees consumers all of that. The FAIRTRADE certification confirms that a product has a humanitarian, natural, and sustainable origin.
What is the main goal of FAIRTRADE?
FAIRTRADE aims to protect workers vulnerable to unfair exploitation. The primary role of the FAIRTRADE organization is to control trade relations between farmers and entrepreneurs.
What are the types of FAIRTRADE?
The types of FAIRTRADE certifications can vary in appearance depending on the product.
- Coffee is the most commonly marked product. In this case, the logo resembles two teardrops (one green and one blue with a black circle) on a black background with a caption. Other products with the same mark include bananas and nuts.
- The same FAIRTRADE mark, but with an arrow on the left side, is used for products with multiple ingredients, such as chocolate or muesli, or products maintaining mass balance, like tea packaging or fruit syrups.
- The FAIRTRADE mark on a white background indicates that the product has only a few certified ingredients. In this case, on the right side, there should be the word INGREDIENT with an arrow.
- The FAIRTRADE certification mark on a black background is for gold. When a product contains gold, it is certified with the FAIRTRADE mark and the word “GOLD” on a strip next to the mark. This indicates that only the gold is certified, not all product ingredients.
How to get a FAIRTRADE certificate?
Any company in the food industry can apply for FAIRTRADE certification. They only need the consent of FLOCERT, which is the only organization authorized to issue such certificates.
It’s necessary to send an application to join, pay the application fees, and finally accept a specialized group of FLOCERT auditors, who will examine the company and write a report about it. This report will determine compliance with the certificate’s requirements. Once obtained, the certificate is only valid for three years. After that, the application must be renewed.
To be considered a holder of FAIRTRADE, certain standards must be met. All members of the FAIRTRADE organization are obliged to ensure producers are provided with appropriate social conditions, including:
- Prohibition of child labor
- Guarantee of worker health protection
- Ensuring environmental protection during the creation of product ingredients
- Protection of women’s rights
- Assurance of minimum prices to workers
- Countering discrimination and forced labor.
What can you gain from FAIRTRADE certification?
Having a FAIRTRADE certificate can significantly increase interest in the product and attract more sales. More and more people check whether a product is certified, so it is worth investing in having the marks of this organization on your product. It can significantly increase the company’s value in the eyes of consumers.