How To Become a Fair Trade Organization

What started out not too long ago as a small trade organization attempting to uplift the lives and living standards of poor farmers and workers in third world countries has no blossomed up into one of the most popular and financially viable business groups to join. In short, by gaining entry into the exclusive market sector that Fair Trade has created, you can and most likely will increase your profits.

Click To the Fair Trade Website

To attain Fair Trade status for your group or business, applying is a fairly simple matter. Simply click to their official website, fill out and submit one of their questionairs. Which questionair you fill out will be determined by what type or types of products that your company or organization will be producing manufacturing or importing. However; the questionair is only the initial process.

Becoming Compliant With Fair Trade Policies

After your questionair is reviewed, you will be contacted by Fair Trade representatives who will instruct you on how to become formally certified by Fair Trade. It is important to bear in mind that being certified by Fair Trade is not a right, it's a privilege and the terms and conditions that your company will have to abide by are very clear and concise. In short, you can expect that you will have to make some changes to your normal operating procedures before you will be deemed compliant.

Making a Direct Connection With Third World Producers

One of the most immediate benefits of becoming a fair trade organization is that your business will be allowed direct access to Fair Trade producer groups in the country or countries you will be importing from. Unlike the speculators and middle men that you may have dealt with in the past these producer groups are in place to assist you in making as direct a connection as possible with the actual producers of what ever it is that you will be importing.

What Is Transfair USA?

(Transfair USA) is the organizational arm of Fair Trade that monitors and verifies all manufacturers and importers that are registered with Fair Trade to insure that they are in compliance with the organizations policies. This is not a matter to be taken lightly because in order to display the Fair Trade logo and identify your organization as being a member of Fair Trade representative of Transfair will have to have access to your facilities and business records.

Monitoring Third World Producers To Insure Compliance

On the producer end of Fair Trade the same rules apply. That is that all producers and manufacturers that have agreed to become compliant with Fair Trade policies will be monitored to insure that they remain so. While the idea of being monitored by a western based organization may seem unnerving to some third world producers, it is important to note that some agricultural producers such as organic cocoa growers in third world countries are now getting double the price for their beans through Fair Trade.

Chris Tyrrell writes for Just Trade, an organisation that promotes and develops third world manufacturers. Visit the Just Trade fair trade website.

Haitian Metal Art - 100% Fair Trade
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