What started out not too longago as a small trade organization attempting to uplift the lives and livingstandards of poor farmers and workers in third world countries has no blossomedup 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 hascreated, you can and most likely will increase your profits.
Click To the Fair TradeWebsite
To attain Fair Trade statusfor your group or business, applying is a fairly simple matter. Simply click totheir official website, fill out and submit one of their questionairs. Whichquestionair you fill out will be determined by what type or types of productsthat your company or organization will be producing manufacturing or importing.However; the questionair is only the initial process.
Becoming Compliant With FairTrade Policies
After your questionair isreviewed, you will be contacted by Fair Trade representatives who will instructyou on how to become formally certified by Fair Trade. It is important to bearin mind that being certified by Fair Trade is not a right, it's a privilege andthe terms and conditions that your company will have to abide by are very clearand concise. In short, you can expect that you will have to make some changesto your normal operating procedures before you will be deemed compliant.
Making a Direct ConnectionWith Third World Producers
One of the most immediatebenefits of becoming a fair trade organization is that your business will beallowed direct access to Fair Trade producer groups in the country or countriesyou will be importing from. Unlike the speculators and middle men that you mayhave dealt with in the past these producer groups are in place to assist you inmaking as direct a connection as possible with the actual producers of whatever it is that you will be importing.
What Is Transfair USA?
(Transfair USA) is theorganizational arm of Fair Trade that monitors and verifies all manufacturersand importers that are registered with Fair Trade to insure that they are incompliance with the organizations policies. This is not a matter to be takenlightly because in order to display the Fair Trade logo and identify yourorganization as being a member of Fair Trade representative of Transfair willhave to have access to your facilities and business records.
Monitoring Third WorldProducers To Insure Compliance
On theproducer end of Fair Trade the same rules apply. That is that all producers andmanufacturers that have agreed to become compliant with Fair Trade policieswill be monitored to insure that they remain so. While the idea of beingmonitored by a western based organization may seem unnerving to some thirdworld producers, it is important to note that some agricultural producers suchas organic cocoa growers in third world countries are now getting double theprice for their beans through Fair Trade.
