Why I choose fair trade

CEBU, Philippines - A couple of days ago, when I was in Cebu, a friend gave me a bar of Cadbury chocolate and I was so happy because I noticed that it had a Fair Trade mark on it.

For almost a decade, I always try to show my support to fair trading. One time I made fruitcakes using Fair Trade Certified ingredients like dried fruits, sugar, and even coffee. These I gave out as Christmas gifts to special friends. And when I'm in Cebu, I try to volunteer some of my time at the Fair Trade Shop along Osmeña Boulevard, especially if they have activities and events.

The last volunteer gig I had with Fair Trade was a surprise to me as I became an instant host for a forum that they sponsored on the Social Enterprise Bill, which was just filed in Congress. The forum was part of the Fair Trade Week celebration in Cebu, whose aim was to raise awareness on Fair Trade as well as raise funds to help support the training of farmers on organic and natural farming.

So, why do I support Fair Trade?

1. Fair Trade is fair. Fair Trade believes in fair trading, meaning they purchase their raw materials at a fair price, if need be, using prices at the supermarket as benchmark. Some farmers are actually at the losing end when it comes to the trading of raw products. In Cebu, dried mango is the most concrete example. Fair Trade Certified brand TruFood purchases its raw materials at a price higher than any of Cebu's commercially-produced dried mangoes. While others would buy mangoes from farmers at 20 to 30 pesos per kilo, Southern Partners and Fair Trade Corporation would purchase them at 50 to 60 pesos per kilo. This ensures that the farmers are able to make money from all their toils in the farm. Aside from this, Fair Trade principles dictate that companies that are fair trade certified should implement fair labor practices, including good working conditions for its workers and, in the least, providing them with at least minimum pay and benefits, as prescribed by our labor laws.

2. Fair Trade is eco-friendly. One of the ten basic principles of fair trade is respect for the environment. Fair trade makes sure that the source of its raw materials are sustainably managed, preferring local sources over those that need to be shipped. This ensures a better price for the fair trade organization and lesser on the consumer's carbon footprint brought about by transporting the raw products to the factories and finally to the supermarket, before ending up in the refrigerator. Production is also manual as fair trade also exists to provide livelihood opportunities for communities. Manual production lessens the use of fuel, giving fair trade produced products better carbon footprint during manufacturing, and even until distribution.

3. Fair Trade is quality. Fair trading entails that the product being sold is of good quality, otherwise it would not be considered of top quality. This is the dilemma constantly faced by manufacturers, the reason why they always seek labels to tell the buying public how safe or responsible their company is. Fair Trade companies do not believe that because they work for a cause, customers should be satisfied with making do with substandard products; rather, Fair Trade makes sure that the products they produce are highly competitive and of high quality. The Fair Trade mark is a guarantee for quality, per se, ensuring that as consumers we get the best of the lot.

4. Fair Trade is healthy. Most fair trade products strive to be organic, meaning, they go the extra mile to ensure that fair trade marked food products are not produced with chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers. Some Fair Trade organizations are also at the forefront in the campaign against genetically-modified food (GMOs) believing that these can be harmful to our health. Many fair trade food items are also naturally made with zero to the least possible additives. In addition, Fair Trade allows consumers, especially young people, to learn how their food are produced, where the raw materials came from, and how people and communities are involved in ensuring that we get only the best products with the Fair Trade mark.

5. Fair Trade helps. The main principle of Fair Trade is to provide opportunities for producers who have the need and interest but don't have the resources to start a business and a meaningful way of life. The help that Fair Trade companies extend to farmers and other producers is not just on buying their products at a fair price but also through capacity and capability building. This would include opening doors of opportunities for small producers and farmers, through skills enhancement trainings, product development, capability and capacity building, and even by providing linkages to potential clients. In this regard, Fair Trade empowers small producers and farmers, allowing them to grow individually and as a community. Fair Trade is business centered on responsibility.

So the next time you go shopping for sugar, coffee, chocolate, grains, fruits, or even clothes and sports gears, look for the Fair Trade mark and choose Fair Trade.

Here's a funny Fair Trade ad from the UK. They are aiming for 1.5 million individuals making that step towards fair trade choices.

Will you make that step?

Visit Tribo's Cup at http://tribong-upos.xanga.com, or follow the writer on Twitter at @tribong_upos. (FREEMAN)