Skip links


Fairtrade

POSITION STATEMENT
Soroptimist International Crosby is committed to supporting, using and promoting Fairtrade, wherever possible. We believe that Fairtrade can make a difference to the lives of women throughout the world by improving living and working conditions for women who grow the things we buy.

Our club will:

  • ensure that Fairtrade and Fairtrade issues, and the concept of ‘fairness’, are embedded into our club’s Programme Action and the culture of the club
  • promote Fairtrade by raising awareness  through our social media messages and content and in direct communication with our immediate contacts (through a dialogue and by sharing this position statement) and within our wider community. We will be aiming to taking part in Fairtrade Fortnight, and highlighting relevant Fairtrade activities in our newsletters
  • ensure Fairtrade is a visible part of our Programme Action activities
  • use and  encourage use of Fairtrade products wherever possible, at our meetings and events we organise or attend

WHAT IS FAIRTRADE?

Fairtrade is a trading partnership that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers.

The key objectives of the Fairtrade Standards are to:

  • ensure that producers receive prices that cover their average costs of sustainable production
  • provide an additional Fairtrade Premium which can be invested in projects that enhance social, economic and environmental development
  • enable pre-financing for producers who require it
  • facilitate long-term trading partnerships and enable greater producer control over the trading process
  • set clear core and development criteria to ensure that the conditions of production and trade of all Fairtrade certified products are both socially and economically fair as well as environmentally responsible

FAIRTRADE and GENDER EQUALITY

Fairtrade believes the role of women in agriculture needs more visibility, recognition and value, and that gender equity is important to social sustainability. Currently, 350,000 women farmers and workers are part of Fairtrade, a quarter of the total.

The Fairtrade Premium is often used to support women to develop new ways of earning income or cut down on the time they spend on unpaid tasks by improving access to water, healthcare, childcare and transport – benefits that could encourage them to take a greater role in their organisations.

FAIRTRADE & THE UNITED NATIONS

Fairtrade links to the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Goal 5 – Fairtrade supports gender equality and empowers women and girls by:

  • setting standards that don’t discriminate (e.g. on labour conditions, environmental protection, access to decision-making)
  • training women to lead (e.g. practical training in skills such as finance, negotiation and decision-making)
  • seed-funding locally-driven women’s initiatives  (using the Fairtrade Premium to raise awareness of women’s rights)
  • challenging historic gender-based patterns (e.g. forming all-women farming co-operatives)
  • breaking down stereotypes of ‘women’s work’ (thus enabling women to become role-models for other women)
  • developing interventions to dismantle inequality (e.g. training on combatting sexual harassment)

BUYING FAIRTRADE – consumers’ choice 

There are over 6,000 Fairtrade products including … beauty products, cotton, fruit, vegetables, fruit juice, gold, grains, herbs & spices, sugar/spreads/oil, sweets/snacks, tea, wine. When we shop, we can aim to look for the FAIRTRADE Mark.

Further details from Fairtrade Foundation

This position statement is supported by all SI Crosby club members.