The Fairtrade Foundation

Earlier this month I wrote about “Chocolate – the bitter truth”, which featured videos from the Panorama investigation into child trafficking and slavery in the cocoa production industry. The Fairtrade Foundation is a non-profit organisation which exists to promote trading standards and practices in favour of the poor and disadvantaged in the developing world. Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers. As well as implementing fair trading practices they also do a lot of community development work, such as building schools and water and sanitation projects.

Most people will already have heard of Fairtrade chocolate and coffee, but they work in other industries too such as cotton, gold and bananas. They are urging consumers like ourselves to switch to Fairtrade products.

Watch the “Swap your choc” video in which the Fairtrade Foundation explains why you should buy Fairtrade chocolate rather than any other.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV4ywE_gPSU&feature=related

Look out for their Fairtrade Fortnight in 2012, which will take place from 27 February – 11 March. They’ll be asking everyone to “Take a Step” for Fairtrade in 2012 – starting with Fairtrade Fortnight. Keep an eye out for more details over the coming months.