Equal Exchange Wages Campaign

WEST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. — Weeks after revisions to Fair Trade USA’s widely criticized certification policy pacified some critics, the third-party certifier is the target of another contentious campaign.

The latest gripe comes from worker-owned cooperative Equal Exchange here, which has set out to create the awareness necessary for consumers, retailers and other stakeholders to support what it deems authentic fair trade.

“It’s no longer sufficient to look for fair trade seals, you need to go further and learn more,” spokesman Rodney North told SN.

Equal Exchange is opposed to extending fair trade benefits beyond smallholder farmer co-ops no matter the standard-setting body, but specifically points to FTUSA’s plan to include farmers unable to access the support of a co-op and farm workers employed by plantations and estates that produce coffee, sugar and cocoa.

FTUSA maintains that independent small farmers have already benefitted from fair trade in categories like cotton and rice, as have workers on large flower, tea and banana farms, with banana workers in particular earning over $2.8 million in community development premiums since 2004.

Equal Exchange certifies most of its 77 coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, sugar, almonds and olive oil products against IMO’s (Institute for Marketecology) Fair for Life standards for social accountability and fair trade in agriculture, manufacturing and trading operations. But a few of its private-label items bear FTUSA’s seal.

Despite the link, Equal Exchange did not submit feedback to FTUSA during its public comments period on a draft farm workers standard. “It’s not just about having this or that criteria tweaked,” explained North. “We’re trying to re-found the fair trade movement.”

Over 800 individuals, retail food co-ops, non-governmental organizations and faith-based groups have signed on to the campaign, which encourages retailers to look beyond the different fair trade seals and favor fair trade brands that source commodities from smallholder farmer co-ops, North told SN. So far, 43 food co-ops have gotten behind the effort, he said.

“While they will probably continue to carry many of the same products that carry the FTUSA seal, they might begin to shift the product selection towards brands like Equal Exchange, Dr. Bronner’s and Divine, that practice authentic fair trade,” he said.

Equal Exchange hopes that retailers will educate their shoppers and local communities and when approached by vendors or brokers offering fair trade products, communicate their expectations.

Meanwhile, FTUSA says it’s open to hearing Equal Exchange’s concerns. “We don’t think it tends to be super-productive to try and create confusion publicly for folks who may not have the depth of knowledge in fair trade that people in FTUSA and Equal Exchange do,” said Mary Jo Cook, chief impact officer for FTUSA, of the campaign.