The Fair Trade Federation (FTF) is a

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

trade association A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific Industry (economics), industry. An industry tra ...

that provides support to and promotes

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

n businesses that they identify as being fully committed to the principles of

fair trade Fair trade is an arrangement designed to help producers in developing countries achieve sustainable and equitable trade relationships. The fair trade movement combines the payment of higher prices to exporters with improved social and enviro ...

.The Fair Trade Federation. http://www.fairtradefederation.org/. In this vein, it describes itself as "part of the global fair trade movement, promoting a system that aims to pay fair wages and create long-term, direct trading relationships based on dialogue, transparency, equity and respect."

History

The FTF began through alliances formed in the late 1970s when individual alternative trade organizations began holding yearly conferences for groups working in fair trade. In 1994, the group incorporated formally as the North American Alternative Trade Organization (NAATO) and, the following year, changed its name to the Fair Trade Federation. Since then, FTF has focused on supporting businesses aligned with its fair trade ideology in order to expand markets for

artisan An artisan (from french: artisan, it, artigiano) is a skilled craft worker who makes or creates material objects partly or entirely by hand. These objects may be functional or strictly decorative, for example furniture, decorative art ...

s and

farmers A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer mi ...

around the world. FTF has been an active member of the

World Fair Trade Organization The World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), is a global association of 401 organizations who are committed to improving the livelihoods of economically marginalised producers. WFTO has members in 76 countries. Members are primarily fair trade enterpr ...

(formerly IFAT) for many years.

Principles

FTF states that its members are required to commit to the following nine principles in all of their transactions: *Create opportunities for economically and socially marginalized producers *Develop transparent and accountable relationships *Build capacity *Promote fair trade *Payment of a fair price *Support safe and empowering working conditions *Ensure the rights of children *Cultivate environmental stewardship *Respect cultural identity

Membership

FTF members undergo a rigorous screening process to try to ensure adherence to the organization's principles. The Federation does not certify individual products, but instead evaluates an entire business for its commitment to Fair Trade. FTF members include

retailer Retail is the sale of goods and services to consumers, in contrast to wholesaling, which is sale to business or institutional customers. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from manufacturers, directly or through a wholesaler, and t ...

wholesaler Wholesaling or distributing is the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers; to industrial, commercial, institutional or other professional business users; or to other wholesalers (wholesale businesses) and related subordinated services. In g ...

s of agricultural and handmade goods,

café A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-ca ...

s, and coffee shops.

Activities

FTF runs annua
conferences
and offers resources to help entrepreneurs begin and strengthen their fair trade operations. It provides business owners with a forum through which to network with other fair trade businesses and raises awareness about the perceived importance of fair trade.http://www.wiserearth.org/organization/view/fb03ffecf591b0685ccafbd0fb0d9743 In

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

on September 10–12, 2010, FTF cosponsored the

Fair Trade Futures Conference A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Types Variations of fairs incl ...

—the largest fair trade conference in North America.

Partners

World Fair Trade Organization
(formerly known as IFAT) * Equiterre *

Green America Green America (known as Co-op America until January 1, 2009) is a nonprofit membership organization based in the United States that promotes environmentally aware, ethical consumerism. Founded in 1982, by Paul Freundlich, Green America states that ...

*World Fair Trade Organization -

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

International Resources for Fairer Trade International Resources for Fairer Trade (IRFT) is a non-profit organisation registered as a Public Charitable Trust under the Bombay Public Charitable Trust Act. It was founded by Kirit Dave and Jan Simmonds in October 1995. Vinita Singh was the fi ...

(IRFT)

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

Cooperation for Fair Trade in Africa The Cooperation for Fair Trade in Africa (COFTA) is an organized social movement that aims to eliminate poverty through the fair distribution of profits during international trade.Cooperation for Fair Trade in Africa. (2012). Introduction. http:/ ...

*World Fair Trade Organization -

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

La Asociacion Latinoamericana de Comercio Justo LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figur ...

Fair World Project

References

External links

''The Fair Trade Federation''
official website
FTF's Member Directory
{{Fair trade Fair trade organizations Organizations established in 1994