 ASK
OUR EXPERTS...
I have been noticing the mention of “Fair Trade” on a lot of natural
beauty products and import jewellery. What does this mean exactly?
By RWM Experts
Fair Trade, generally explained, is about ensuring that the original
producers - including the workers, artisans and their families - of imported
goods get a fair price, fair wage, fair treatment and fair opportunities.
Fair trade is really about social and global responsibly. For producers of
products such as skin care lines and for importers of products such as
jewellery, choosing Fair Trade is a conscious decision.
Reality is that in third world countries many foreign corporations have
gotten away with establishing “sweatshops” where they grossly underpay and
mistreat their employees. These companies are only concerned about profit.
Fair Trade ensures that the “working class” earn a fair wage; a wage that
meets if not exceeds the minimum wage in their country. Fair Trade also
ensures a humane working environment. The more we, the consumer, support
Fair Trade, the more sustainable these Third World or developing countries
become.
Think about it, in Canada we take it for granted that we can make a wage
that exceeds our basic needs allowing us the luxury to save for a better
lifestyle, such as buying a home, educating our children, etc. We also take
it for granted that our skill-set opens doors to higher-paying jobs and
better positions in the workplace. In developing countries much of the
“working class” are horribly denied these opportunities due to greed,
prejudice and uncapped illegal activity.
Choosing to buy Fair Trade products gives you, the consumer, the power to
create global security and economic self-sufficiency. Not only does Fair
Trade protect the working class in the developing countries from systems
which hinder their upward mobility, this social movement ensures that they
are protected by standards similar to those enforced in countries like
Canada. Fair Trade also empowers the Third World working class to become
stakeholders in their own organizations and to be more active in achieving
greater equity in international trade.
This social movement is a compassionate statement voiced by more and more
producers and consumers everyday. According to FairTrade Labelling
Organizations International in 2006 over 1.5 million disadvantaged
producers worldwide were directly benefiting from Fair Trade while an
additional 5 million benefited from Fair Trade funded infrastructure and
community development projects.
To have your questions answered by our lineup of Experts, email
experts@risingwomen.com
|
