What does Fairtrade mean?
Fairtrade & Sustainability - Day Chocolate Company case study
Many farmers struggle to earn enough to keep their families, let alone to plan for a better future, because the world trading system keeps them poor. Fairtrade works by giving small-scale, vulnerable producers a secure, guaranteed price which covers the costs of production. This gives them the security of knowing that they can plan for their future.
Divine and Dubble carry the Fairtrade Mark. This is an independent guarantee from the Fairtrade Foundation that the chocolate is made with cocoa beans bought under internationally agreed Fairtrade terms and conditions. These include a guaranteed, secure price above the world market price for cocoa, an extra social premium payment, long term trading contracts, decent health and safety conditions and a commitment to support for community programmes aimed at empowering farmers to increase their abilities to be self sufficient.
Every tonne of cocoa bought from Kuapa Kokoo is purchased under internationally agreed and independently verified Fairtrade terms. The world market price of cocoa has fluctuated widely in the last few years. The Fairtrade price is guaranteed at $1600 USD per tonne, plus an additional $150 USD social premium. At those times when the world market price is above that level, the Fairtrade price rises accordingly; and the $150 USD per tonne premium is still paid.
We are proving that fair trade is a credible, viable way to trade and reinforce this message through knowledge-sharing with farmers, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and Governments.
For the UK consumer Fairtrade is about being able to make the choice to take part in a dignified trading relationship. Buying Fairtrade is a very simple choice, as the Managing Director of Kuapa Kokoo points out:
We all have to go shopping, and Fairtrade is just going shopping with a bit of respect.
Mr Ohemeng, Managing Director of Kuapa Kokoo
