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Fair Trade in NZ

by BNI New Zealand

Many British employers – from the South Ribble Borough Council to the Chipping Manor Dental Practice to Kings College to the Edinburgh Zoo – are catching on to the benefits of Fairtrade, an organisation devoted to bringing the principles of Fair Trade to the workplace.
When organisations purchase any of the 2,000 products now available – like tea, coffee, juice, biscuits and cotton – they are making a difference in the lives of farmers and workers in the world’s most impoverished countries.  Fairtrade guarantees a farmer in the developing world a fair and stable price that covers his costs and enables his community to invest in clean water, healthcare, education or other community projects.  Laljibhai Narranbhai, a cotton farmer in India, commented  “I did not get any education, but I want to send my children.  The Fairtrade price means I can send them to school.”
After installing a Fairtrade vending machine at headquarters, a Sussex Fire and Rescue Service Deputy Fire Officer said “..for us this is the obvious and right choice to make.  We know that the coffee has been ethically sourced, is certified organic and is environmentally friendly.”
For more information about Fairtrade in the UK www.fairtrade.org.uk/work/

For information about Fair Trade in NZ and Australia – www.fta.org.au

Source: Share International

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2 comments

Heidi Thorne 1 September 2009 - 4:48 pm

Hello BNI New Zealand from a BNI’er in the USA! Thanks, Graham, for inviting me to post re fair trade.

I see fair trade as the next big movement behind that of going green. For the business I am in–promotional products such as imprinted pens, magnets, T-shirts, etc. to promote your business–finding fair trade products is very challenging.

Of the 750,000 products listed in the Advertising Specialty Institute database, less than 100 come up that include fair trade in their description. That’s not to say those are the only ones. But, sadly, many are not. What’s very disheartening is that many products billed as “ecofriendly” are made in areas where fair trade is an issue.

What I’m recommending promotional product buyers do is that if they cannot determine if the product of interest is certified as fair trade, at least know the country of origin, limiting your purchases to products made in countries with fair trade and labor policies.

As we have seen more and more “green” products enter the business-to-business and consumer marketplaces over time, I believe will we see a similar trend for fair trade.

All the best to everyone in BNI New Zealand!

Graham Southwell 1 September 2009 - 11:23 pm

Hi Heidi,
Thanks for adding a comment to the blog and great to meet up with you on Twitter.
All the Best,
Graham

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