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