Pod of the Month: Fair Trade - Organic Colombian
With Earth Day fast approaching, we wanted to spotlight one of our favorite #compostable pods; Fair Trade Organic Colombian!
While Fair Trade Organic is becoming a common term these days, you might be wondering, "what exactly does Fair Trade organic mean in terms of coffee?" And you're not the only one! There are a lot of certifications out there, and it can be hard to keep them all straight. We feel it is important to offer and support Fair Trade Organic coffees for both environmental and ethical reasons, which are both key elements of the certification.
Fair Trade Coffee
WHAT IS FAIR TRADE?
Fair Trade ensures that farmers and workers get a fair deal for their hard work. This means better prices and wages, safe working conditions, environmental protection, and additional Community Development Premiums to invest in much needed projects like education, health care, and clean water.
WHY IS FAIR TRADE COFFEE SO IMPORTANT?
Coffee farmers and farm workers across the globe face many challenges:
• Extreme poverty and food insecurity
• Vulnerability to climate change and diseases
• Volatile market prices and middle men
• Unregulated working conditions and labor rights abuses like forced labor
• Exposure to harmful chemicals
Generations leaving farming Fair Trade empowers farmers and workers to address these challenges and build strong businesses and thriving communities in these ways:
• Sets a minimum price to protect farmers when the coffee market price dips too low
• Provides access to finance and agricultural loans
• Helps farmers earn additional Community Development Premiums, which are invested in much-needed community projects, as well as in quality and productivity
• Fosters long-term relationships with buyers
• Ensures health and safety on the farm
HOW DOES A FARM GET CERTIFIED?
To earn certification, farmers must grow and trade according to rigorous social and environmental standards. These standards help to protect fundamental human rights, prevent forced and child labor, establish safe working conditions, regulate work hours and benefits, eliminate harmful chemicals, and empower producers to make decisions democratically.
WHERE DO FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS COME FROM?
Fair Trade products come from over 80 countries across the globe. There are now more than 12,000 different Fair Trade Certified products available in North America, ranging from coffee and tea to cocoa, sugar, grains, produce, flowers and even clothing.
WHO BENEFITS FROM FAIR TRADE?
• For farmers, Fair Trade means: protection of fundamental human rights; safe working conditions; money for community development; democratic organization; ability to improve product quality and capacity; access to markets.
• For companies (brands, retailers), Fair Trade means: resilient, transparent supply chains; a simple way to achieve sustainability and responsible sourcing goals; supporting producer communities across the globe.
• For consumers, Fair Trade is: a way to shop your values and vote with your dollar for a better world.
For more information on Fair Trade visit www.FairTradeCertified.org
