The Fair Trade Story: Doing the Right Thing!
Do you know about fair trade? Fair trade is the only ethical form of trading, helping farmers and artisans develop business skills and sustainability, by creating a global farmer's market! Be fair, be just and be globally minded for all.
Fair Trade & Equality for All
I finally got around to adding the Fair Trade Federation member logo on this site, after applying, getting approved and paying my annual dues. I've been so busy with my new day job (as a director for an educational company), that I've not had time to blog or update my websites.
Globally Minded can now be found on the Fair Trade Federation directory. Being a part of a growing movement of socially conscious buyers and consumers is very gratifying because I know fair trade works, improving and empowering artisans and families we support.
Globally Minded fair trade and handcrafted jewelry is available for wholesale and retail. We really prefer to market our jewelry in retail brick and mortar stores. Sales of our products benefits Globally Minded Works, Inc., a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit, supporting women and children in Guatemala.
Although we live in a world of injustice and inequality, fair trade and equality for all are worthy causes to support. Join our efforts to make life better for all; commit to buying fair trade handcrafts, gifts and products.
Fair Trade: Equitable Empowerment for the Poor
Immigration, or border crossing, into the US is becoming a hot political issue. Republicans are intent upon closing the borders and enforcing immigration law, while democrats discuss guest worker programs and citizenship for illegal immigrants. Mexico and Central America account for 3/4 of the 12 million undocumented people in the US. To the shame of Mexico and other Central American countries, they fail to create enough jobs for the population. As a result, its citizens cross borders to work in the US to send money home to their families. Although both sides of the border must work on the issue of migration, Mexico and Central America must build a better economic situation so people don't feel the need to migrate the US.
Paul Rice, the founder and president of Transfair (the only fair trade certifying organization in the US), promotes fair trade coffee, tea, chocolate, bananas, rice, flowers, and other agricultural products from Mexico and other developing nations. Rice states that Transfair's goal is to to "give people the tools and market access to lift themselves out of poverty."
Globalization has increased trade and economic growth, but often the poor receive no benefit. A viable means for economic development in impoverished nations is fair trade, the equitable empowerment for the poor. Fair trade helps to make free trade more just for farmers and artisans living in poverty. When you buy fair trade products, including handcrafts, you can rest assured that the farmers and/or artisans are receiving a livable wage for their work.
With Valentine's Day coming, buy Globally Minded fair trade jewelry on Amazon and fair trade flowers for your loved ones!
Fair Trade Federation Approved our Application!
Excerpt from our acceptance email:
"Congratulations! I am delighted to welcome Globally Minded as a new member of the Fair Trade Federation. Your membership with FTF is an annual contract. FTF agrees to promote your business and your business agrees to adhere to each of our Fair Trade criteria. In accepting this membership, you're committing to following FTF's fair trade criteria in your business transactions. If you begin to work with any new suppliers, you are obligated to follow these same criteria, including establishing long-term rather than one-time trade partnerships, ensuring producers earn fair wages and have healthy working conditions, supporting environmental sustainability, and offering fair employment opportunities."
Globalization and Fair Trade
As a result of living and working in remote villages in Guatemala, I became keenly aware of the need for ethical sourcing, also known as empowering the poor through fair trade. We all know that globalization is making the world smaller, providing the opportunity for the developing world to more actively participate in global trade. What some don't know is that many products imported into the US are unethically sourced. What does unethical sourcing mean? In short, it is the concept of profits over people. Too often in the trade transaction we see businesses (large and small) demand lower and lower prices for a product, at the expense of the producers, farmers and communities where the product is sourced. Another way to look at it, in practical terms, is making money at the expense of human dignity: the utilization of child labor, poorly ventilated and lit facilities, use of known toxic chemicals, withholding pay or paying late, long working hours without breaks, and so forth.
Globally minded people care about those at "the bottom of the pyramid" and advocate for justice for the oppressed. It is the act of being a global citizen, knowing that we are all a part of the whole. We must take responsibility to ensure that people everywhere, in the US and the world, are treated with dignity and respect. Certainly, our world is far from utopia, however, we can and should make the world better by caring for the poor through ethical trading. Globally Minded is concerned for the rights of artisans in Guatemala; we care for the artisans and communities we support and abide by fair trade principles. Globalization and fair trade must go hand in hand to promote justice for all.
Support fair trade. Help the poor. Make a difference. Be globally minded.
The Darker and Bitter Side of Chocolate
Many of us like chocolate and some of us are even addicted to chocolate. Chocolate can be very comforting, like a hot chocolate during a cold day, a piece of chocolate cake after dinner, chocolate kisses on Valentine's Day, and chocolate mousse on that special date. Before you run off to raid your pantry, I'd like to tell you another side of chocolate, the darker and bitter side of chocolate, where child labor, corruption and accusations have given rise to war.
The Ivory Coast produces 40% of the world's cocoa beans, a whopping $1.4 billion industry, according to the International Cocoa Organization. Sadly, farmers in rural areas earn a third less than government set levels, about $0.55 per 2.2 pounds. The farmers are so poor they don't even have the ability to take their beans to Abidijan, the nation's capital and economic center, where they could fetch a better price. In addition, and more alarming, is the war that rages within the Ivory Coast because of the economic disparity of villages harvesting cocoa beans. It has become a very ugly business, where people are mercilessly killed and children are forced to pick beans instead of going to school, just so you and I can indulge in the sweetness of our addictions.
So what do we do about this? Some say, "Stop eating chocolate, it will be good for the Ivory Coast and good for the waistline". I agree. However, for those chocolate addicts who just can't stop the nibbling, buy fair trade chocolate at Divine Chocolates or Equal Exchange. By eating fair trade chocolate, you can indulge your cravings while doing good. Delicious!
Amazon.com - Selling and Fulfillment
Globally Minded is more than a blog about green living and fair trade. We also sell fair trade products, handcrafted by Mayan women artisans in Guatemala. We are very excited about our new partnership with Amazon.com to sell and market our beautiful products. We are also using the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) services, so now you can buy our handcrafted, fair trade jewelry directly on Amazon and they will ship, deliver and handle all of our customer service issues.
What are you waiting for? Buy our fair trade products and make the world more beautiful!
Child Slave Labor: Zero Excuses
Once again we see another high profiled clothing retailer - this time The Gap - caught red handed for child slave labor in India. These poor children, sold into slavery by their desperate and impoverished family members, were forced to work in sweatshops without pay for as long as 16 hours a day. Now, granted, The Gap blames their sub-contractor - but come on, surely the Gap has the resources to investigate their supply chain and the factories where their clothing line is fabricated? There are ZERO excuses for child slave labor. It is abhorrent to me. Children need to be valued, protected, cared for, educated and loved - not given to become slaves for corporations and the sake of the mighty dollar.
So what can we do? Co-op America has some great ideas:
- Reduce and reuse - Hand-me-downs are in! These days you can buy used clothing on eBay and upscale used clothing stores, as well the local Goodwill.
- Buy fair trade apparel
- Look for clothing with the UNITE label (the union created from the merger of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees and the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union)
- Check their source - Co-op has a directory that is quite useful
- Go deeper - Co-op America has a Responsible Shopper Directory to help you identify socially responsible companies.
Black Gold: Buy Fair Trade Coffee
Go see Black Gold - It will open up your eyes to the plight of the poor coffee farmers in Ethiopia as well as the explosion of coffee demand around the world. Fair trade is the only socially responsible solution to empowering the poor. Be a more savvy consumer - buy fair trade and contribute to a more equitable world. Click here to see the photo gallery.
Fair Trade: Treating Artisans with Dignity
Have you ever wondered where your bracelets, necklaces, accessories, gifts, household items and other products were made? Better yet, have you ever wondered who made them? Globalization has resulted in the outsourcing of production of goods and services to such countries as China, Thailand, India, Guatemala, Mexico and beyond - so that companies can seek a greater financial return. The love of money has sadly seduced many companies to cut their costs at the expense of human dignity. The treatment of artisans, workers, and employees anywhere must be monitored, evaluated and improved so that dignity, respect and value are nurtured. Have you ever considered that although cutting costs at the expense of human dignity may result in a short term financial increase, the long haul may be more costly? How you ask? Higher absenteeism, lower productivity, greater turnover, gossip. Indeed, the translation of financial losses goes on and on when there is an absence of value for people.
Let's be honest. Think of your own responses when you were treated unjustly versus when you were valued, appreciated and rewarded in the workplace. Feel the difference? We all like credit - monetary or other rewards - that validate our work and human-ness. So why do we treat employees, workers, and artisans overseas with such little concern or regard? Sadly, because many are short-sighted, valuing profit over people. The exciting news is that although globalization is making the world smaller and more competitive, more and more companies are embracing corporate social responsibility (CSR). CSR is a growing movement, radically challenging the course of old business methods, while championing for better stewardship of our environment and the ethical treatment of all workers - globally.
We've all heard of one of Jesus' saying to "treat others as you would have others treat you". This is true in every relationship, including business relationships. Globally Minded seeks to make the world a better place by treating its artisans through fair trade, or dignity and value. We only partner with organizations and cooperatives that value the treatment of its producers through fair trade business practices. Although we make sure that our producers are paid a fair wage, many of our producer groups are small and have not yet gone through the lengthy certification process. However, when you buy from Globally Minded you can have peace of mind because we honor our artisans with fair rewards. Indeed, we exist to improve lives, build more equitable communities through business and education, and to promote beauty and goodness through each purchase.