Fair trade has long been a standard for consumers in Europe. And now with Ben & Jerry’s pledge to source all of its ingredients from fair trade certified producers by 2013, the United States will become a larger market for fair trade goods. And it should.
One group of farmers who benefit from fair trade is banana growers. Long exploited by middlemen, or coyotes, who would often pay the lowest price, banana farmers are now gaining a fair price for their products from Ecuador to Ghana. The purchase of fair trade products gives farmers the chance to boost their education and guarantee their children’s education; allows them to invest in technology; and farm more sustainably, with the adoption of practices including composting and the avoidance of composting.
Fair trade is gaining momentum in Japan, too. Daabon Japan is one company that has seen success with its fair trade certified products. Paying a few more pennies a pound is a minimal premium to pay for the difference that fair trade can make abroad. Of course, if fair trade banana commercials could be as outrageous and silly as the one abroad, then all of us will become even bigger winners!
Leon Kaye is the founder and editor of GreenGoPost.com and its advisory division, GGP Media. Contact him to discuss how he can work with your organization or event.
His focus is making the business case for sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
He writes for San Francisco-based Triple Pundit, Inhabitat and now The Guardian, for which he writes about waste, water, and green building. He has also written for AIA's Architect Magazine.
Leon lives in Los Angeles, and when he has free time, he enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking, weightlifting, and planning his next trip to one of the 50+ countries he has visited. He has an MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business and is also a proud graduate of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) and Cal State-Fresno.
