FREE Summer / Fall 2018
C A N A DA’ S V O I C E F O R S O C I A L S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
What does it mean to earn a living wage?
Rooibos Tea Soccer Balls Forced Labour: Taking a Stand
CANADIAN MUSEUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Shop with confidence and conscience
Offering an array of ethically sourced and fair-trade products. boutique.humanrights.ca #AtCMHR
publisher’s letter
Moving Forward Together Publisher | Sean McHugh Managing Editor | Erik Johnson Editor | Bryce Tarling Contributors | Jennifer A. Clark, Julie Francoeur, Sarah Heim, Kimberly Leung, Torrye McKenzie, Will Richter
Cover Image | At Bodega Furlotti in Mendoza, Argentina, Luisa Delgado sorts fair trade grapes, grown by Vinãsol, a co-op of 19 small farmers. Photo by Éric St-Pierre. This image appears in St-Pierre's book Fair Trade: A human journey (Goose Lane Editions, 2012)
We want to hear from you! 514 – 207 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 1H7 1-604-685-6005 | editor@cftn.ca
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one are the days of working and living in isolation. Through global supply chains, international trade agreements, and wider access to travel, internet, and media, humanity is more interconnected today than ever before. This interconnectivity brings a free flow of ideas—some good, some bad. Either way, this boundless mass of information has potential to bring us together or drive us apart. Indeed, some people choose to turn inward and detach from the global village, drawing energy from us-versus-them mindsets. Now is not the time to run and hide. We must embrace interconnectivity and openness, and in doing so, put people and the planet first. We need to work together to find balance between the constructed world—that is, our infrastructure, industries, financial systems, communities— and the natural world. In addition, we must ensure our constructed world works for everyone. Canada can be a leader in achieving this, but for that happen, individual Canadians need to step up. We can’t wait for businesses and governments. As individuals, we can shape the world when we vote, interact with others, shop for food, and make long-term financial investments. Each Canadian has capacity for influence, and I hope the stories in this issue inspire you to embrace yours. At the same time, let’s also strive for unity with those here in Canada and in other nations who may not share our views. When we move forward together, we can create lasting change. So let’s get out there and create a peaceful, healthy planet that’s governed by systems that benefit everyone. Sean McHugh Publisher, Executive Director Canadian Fair Trade Network
Canadian Fair Trade Network Réseau canadien du commerce équitable
The Canadian Fair Trade Network (CFTN) is a non-profit organization that works with civil society and industry stakeholders to advance awareness and support for fair trade in Canada. It supports collaboration and best practices within the fair trade movement to increase Canadian commitments to international social responsibility. Fair Trade Magazine is published by the Canadian Fair Trade Network. Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without publisher’s written permission. Not responsible for unsolicited editorial material. The information provided in this magazine is for educational and informational purposes only. Fair Trade Magazine makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it provides but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors or omissions.
summer
/ fall 2018 | issue #12
Why Fair Trade?
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Rooibos: Hot Tea, Hot Commodity
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Why Canada Needs to Stand Against Forced Labour in Supply Chains
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Understanding a Living Wage and Living Income in the Fairtrade System
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Shifting Focus from the Steal
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Performance and Sustainability: Fairtrade Soccer Balls
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Fair Trade Programs
20
Book Review: Eat for the Planet
22
CZC-127336-1606-2015
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Why Fair Trade? We Canadians depend on others to grow many of the products we enjoy every day: cocoa, coffee, fruits, vegetables, and much more. Unfortunately, the supply chains that bring these products to us are often long and convoluted. They lack transparency, and this can lead to exploitation, low pay, poor working conditions, and environmental devastation. Yet we can take an active role in changing this. We can build solidarity with the people who grow our food by choosing fair trade.
Fair Trade Is Respect and Equality Fair trade isn’t just an economic model. It’s a partnership between consumers and producers, based on mutual respect. With fair trade, producers receive a guaranteed minimum price for their products. This price reflects market value and recognizes the incredible effort it takes to grow food and produce goods. Wilson and family, Ecuador © Fairtrade Max Havelaar
And a Little Extra to Help Close the Gap When businesses purchase fair trade–certified products, they deal directly with the producers. They pay fair market prices plus an additional fair trade premium. Producers use this premium to grow their businesses or fund community development projects—like schools and healthcare centres. Ultimately, fair trade sees producers lead their businesses, shape their communities, and set their own course toward economic independence.
Mutually Beneficial Long-Term Commitments Typically, fair trade businesses and producers negotiate long-term trading partnerships— this adds stability at both ends of the supply chain. Producers can rely on these commitments to plan for the future. Businesses selling fair trade products can count on a steady supply of high-quality goods.
Fair Trade Promotes Gender Equality Many fair trade co-ops have benefitted from strong women leaders and managers. Fair
Fair trade standards
trade aligns with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy and Goal 5 of the UN’s
Fair trade certifiers, organizations, and
Sustainable Development Goals. The best fair trade certifiers protect gender equality and
producers work together to create and enforce
empower women and girls through their standards.
standards for production, labour, trade, and more. These standards ensure the system
Fair Trade and Climate Change
works for producers and not against them.
Our everyday purchases affect people and the planet. Fair trade standards limit pesticide and chemical use, promote sustainable agricultural and soil regeneration techniques, and
Third-party certifiers mark products with
support reforestation and water management projects. In addition, fair trade carbon credit
a seal or label to signify that the product
programs provide additional revenue for producers.
has met their standards. The Canadian Fair Trade Network currently recognizes Fairtrade
When we choose fair trade products, we stand against poverty in the Global South. Yet fair
International, the Small Producers’ Symbol,
trade isn’t a handout. Fair trade products are noted for their high quality and are produced
the Fair Trade Federation, and the World Fair
in a way that respects human dignity and the health of our planet.
Trade Organization.
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feature
Rooibos: Hot Tea, Hot Commodity BY K IM BER LY LEU NG
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f you’re a tea lover who’s familiar with only black and green teas, it’s time to acquaint yourself with red tea—also known as rooibos tea. Brewed from the leaves of its namesake plant, rooibos boasts a subtle but distinctive taste that its many fans enjoy—the tea is exported to over 30 countries, resulting in approximately 6,000 tonnes exported worldwide every year. This herbal drink, however, offers more than an impressive flavour profile. A quick online search will yield hundreds of results associating this simple tea with a myriad of health benefits, ranging from the prevention of diabetes to easing of allergies. Although these claims have not yet been scientifically proven, researchers have found antioxidant and
antimicrobial properties associated with the plants. Other studies have found a correlation between drinking rooibos tea and better health outcomes, such as lowered cholesterol levels, improved reproductive functions, and enhanced anti-inflammatory effects. The tea has been touted in the media as a trendy superfood, no doubt due to its appeal to the health-conscious.
Rooibos Production Unlike most other tea varieties that can be grown and cultivated in multiple countries, rooibos tea is sourced solely from South Africa. Rooibos grows in a small parcel of land in the mountainous Cederberg region of the country, thriving under harsh heat in sandy soils. It’s also
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an extremely labour-intensive crop, and processing the plants is still largely done by hand. For traditional rooibos tea, workers bruise and wet the harvested leaves as part of the oxidation process to encourage the release of flavours and compounds. The leaves are then dried in the sun before being graded and sent to exporters for further processing. I n genera l , com merci a l t ea plantations are known for low wages, limited worker rights, and unsafe working conditions. And like other teas, the majority of rooibos is produced on large plantations. However, a few operations have managed to f lourish despite their smaller size. The Wupperthal Original Rooibos Cooperative is one of them. For many
Naturally caffeine free, rooibos tea is popular with tea drinkers around the globe
of Wupperthal’s farmers, growing and cultivating rooibos is a family trade, passed down from previous generations. Deeply committed to the principles of fair trade, the co-operative achieved certification in the late 1990s. This freed them from conventional distribution methods, allowing them to negotiate directly with fair trade buyers. Liz Bandelin, who founded the BC-based Nu-Tea in 2003, sources her rooibos tea from the Driefontein Small Farmers Co-op. Located about 200 km north of Cape Town, this farm boasts a host of certifications, Fairtrade and USDA Organic among them. The 36 farmer-members, as they’re called, founded their business using the Fairtrade model in 2010. It’s a stark difference from life at conventional rooibos farms. As Bandlelin puts it, “The farmers have pride of ownership, a say in the future of the co-op, and earn
a higher income. In the conventional farming model, the farmers have no ownership and receive a lower wage for their labour. The Fairtrade model gives
The presence of tea plantations in the fair trade rooibos market puts emerging producers at risk. them extra income to pay for a better quality of life and education for their children.”
The Legacy of Apartheid Through co-operative agriculture, fair trade provides business and land ownership opportunities for black South
Africans, who were all but prevented from owning land under apartheid laws. Yet the success of these small co-operatives is threatened by largescale rooibos farms entering the fair trade market. While there are solid reasons to certify these operations, a particularly delicate issue arises in the case of rooibos tea. Intentionally or not, the presence of tea plantations in the fair trade rooibos market puts emerging producers at risk. Plantations benefit from economies of scale, broader access to financial resources, and greater clout in the market. In addition, since the end of apartheid in the early 1990s, the South African government has introduced a number of policies intended to help reduce economic inequalities between its racial groups. In some cases, these policies place their focus on farms that use hired labour—at the exclusion of smaller CF TN.C A |
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Rooibos, or Aspalathus linearis, grows in South Africa's Cederberg Mountains and nowhere else Š Winfried Bruenken
co-operatives, dampening the intended equalizing effects that fair trade can offer these operations.
they face and many are making provisions accordingly. While the impacts of climate change may be an unfortunate inevitability, adapted farming techniques may mitigate Changing with the Climate some of the negative effects. Some studies also suggest that Rooibos farmers face other challenges as well. Because the crop distribution of rooibos growth will shift rather than just grows in only one part of the world, it is particularly sensitive contract, reducing the overall loss of suitable land. to the realities of climate change. While studies on the topic Several of the farm co-operatives have worked to solidify are limited, informal reports from farmers in the region their positions in the market by expanding their activities to indicate a change include processing in the moisture and packaging. levels of the soil, The Wupperthal requiring the co-operative farmers to modify in particular is Because rooibos grows in only one part of the world, it is their techniques par tnered with to retain water. Equal Exchange, particularly sensitive to the realities of climate change. Several studies a US-based fair show t hat t he trade distributor distr ibution of that also works to rooibos plants has raise awareness begun migrating and streng then to higher latitudes and elevations, likely to cope with the the ethical principles behind the movement. Awareness and increase in temperatures. While the impacts of climate change action are vital to the change process. While there are are still unknown, many models forecast an overall contraction areas that undoubtedly require further attention and in rooibos appropriate soils. Because the rooibos industry is negotiation, there are also signs of progress, and much to worth about US$40 million and employs thousands of South be hopeful about. Africans, its future viability is exceptionally important. As with other fair trade commodities, there is still much Kimberly Leung is a Toronto-based freelance writer with a special interest in work to be done. Rooibos farmers are aware of the challenges sustainable and ethical living. 8 | F A I R T R A D E M A G A Z I N E ¥ C A N A D A’ S V O I C E F O R S O C I A L S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y
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essay
Why Canada Needs to Stand Against Forced Labour in Supply Chains BY SA R A H H EIM
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n 2014, three Eritrean refugees filed a lawsuit in Canada against Nevsun Resources Ltd. They accused the mining company, headquartered in Vancouver, BC, of being complicit in the use of forced labour during the construction of a mine in which Nevsun holds a 60 percent majority ownership. The Bisha Mine in question is located in Eritrea, a country controlled by what Human Rights Watch calls “one of the world’s most oppressive governments.” Ruled by Isaias Afwerki, who’s been in power for 25 years, Eritreans are obliged
to serve 18 months in national service, but many are forced to serve indefinitely with no safe reporting mechanism for voicing their grievances, leaving thousands in arbitrary detention. In Canada, the three Eritrean refugees claim they were forced to work on the Bisha Mine by Segen Construction, a company owned by the Eritrean ruling party and hired by Nevsun to build the mine. The case is now headed to the Supreme Court of Canada as Nevsun appealed on the grounds that the lawsuits should be
Canadian 10 | FA companies I R T R Ashould D E Moperate A G A Zabroad I N E ¡with CA clean N Asupply D A’ S chains VOIC and E no FO forced R SO labour C I A L S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y
heard in Eritrea. Nevsun’s appeals have been rejected so far, since any Eritrean hearings would not be independent from the government. This is the first lawsuit in Canada based on abuses of international human rights law, and the case clearly shows the need for a Canada-wide regulatory structure that enables Canadian courts to address labour rights breaches that take place abroad. Despite global rallying around the cause—and because Canadians consumed up to $34 billion worth of products that were possibly made by child and slave labour in 2016—Canada risks falling behind. In June 2011, the United Nations ( U N ) Hu m a n R i g ht s C ou n c i l unanimously passed the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The principles outline obligations for state governments and businesses to have standards for respecting human rights and freedoms—specifically in preventing forced labour and modern slavery—in their supply chains. The UN Guiding Principles represent a platform for coordinated multilateral action on regulation of businesses in the field of forced labour, and a growing number of governments around the world are taking legal action to ensure the accountability and commitment of businesses in addressing forced labour in their supply chains. The Canadian House of Commons recently tasked the Subcommittee on International Human Rights to investigate and study the issue of firms using forced labour in their supply chains, seeking input from Canadian
civil society groups, non-governmental organizations, industry associations, politicians, and government officials. While the process has brought together multiple stakeholders, the subcommittee is missing some crucial regulatory goals, and I suggest the following be considered for Canada’s human rights regulations: 1. Companies should provide clear and accessible information on supply chains used to create their products. This should include details on where raw materials and intermediate goods are produced, by whom, and who they are sold to. Access to this information is even more important for products with complex supply chains. 2. Canada should provide immediate and automatic protection for foreign workers who claim human rights abuses by Canadian firms. The three plaintiffs in the Nevsun case have been granted refugee status in Canada— however, this is presently a case-by-case decision rather than routine practice. 3. The subcommittee should look more thoroughly into company audits and consider establishing an independent regulator to ensure supply chain transparency. Nevsun's audits, for example, found nothing wrong at the Bisha Mine, stating that “there is no forced labour in the Eritrean mining sector.”
While the Nevsun case will get its due process in the Supreme Court, possibly setting a new precedent for other similar claims, this type of scrutiny in the interest of protecting human rights and freedoms has a long way to becoming the norm. In the meantime, while the Canadian House of Commons determines its policy on the issue, Canadian consumers can support the cause by looking for products that are certified by organizations such as Fairtrade International, which take a robust market-based approach to regulation. Any product bearing the Fairtrade Mark has been sourced from a producer organization that has undergone rigorous auditing by the FLO-Cert system, which follows transparent, independent, and globally consistent standards. This ensures, among many things, adherence to strict labour protections and a fair price paid to producers. Canada, it’s time to innovate—and not just follow the footsteps of others—in keeping up our reputation as a global human rights champion. Most businesses have not and will not regulate themselves. Sarah Heim is in her last year of International Studies at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, where she also heads the International Studies Student Association and sits on the board of the Canadian International Council.
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growing change
Understanding a Living Wage and Living Income in the Fairtrade System BY J U LIE FR A NCOEU R , EX ECU TI V E DIR ECTOR , FA IRTR A DE CA NA DA
Doris, a Peruvian banana worker © Sean Hawkey
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ebates are heating up all across Canada as various provinces increase minimum wages. How much is a fair wage in rural Manitoba? What’s the cost of decent housing in downtown Montreal? How many part-time jobs and side hustles do you need to make a living income in British Columbia? Now transpose these questions to a coffee farm in rural Ethiopia, a banana plantation in the Dominican Republic, or a garment factory in urban Bangladesh. These are questions
we at Fairtrade International have been asking for a long time. Now we’re starting to find answers.
Connecting Income and Sustainability Fairtrade has sustainable livelihoods as its ultimate goal, to be achieved through trade on equitable terms. Income and sustainability are closely related. In order to enjoy sustainable livelihoods, small-scale farmers and workers need to earn enough income for a decent
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The data shows that coffee farmers rely on a variety of revenue streams, from selling cash crops, like beans and maize, to working off the farm. standard of living, so they can send their children to school, eat nutritiously throughout the year, afford decent housing, save for unexpected setbacks, retain future generations in farming, and allow elders to retire with dignity. Fairtrade is built on long-term trading relationships that share the benefits of trade more equally. This means companies like our partners here in Canada establish longterm commitments and relationships with the producers they source from. For over 25 years, we at Fairtrade have set minimum prices to cover the costs of sustainable production and provide farmers with a safety net against price drops in world markets. However, as we continue to monitor the impacts of the system, we’ve learned that more is needed to lift smallholders and workers out of poverty. Therefore, we are now fully revisiting the pricing models to include bigger margins that allow smallscale farmers and workers to make a decent livelihood. But just how big should these margins be? This is where it gets technical, but also very powerful.
and build the pathway to living wages. We knew that a major barrier to higher wages is the absence of collective bargaining. Trade unions are a vital force that helps ensure prosperity is shared. Yet companies often treat trade unions as adversaries rather than partners. We also knew that to start the journey toward a living wage we needed to be able to quantify it. What should factory and plantation workers be paid? And to answer this we needed to know the cost of decent standards of living in very specific places. What does decent housing cost in Dhaka, Bangladesh? What does a basket of nutritious food cost for a family in Piura, Peru? So we built, with other certification bodies, the Global Living Wage Coalition and pioneered the use of the Anker methodology, which is now recognized as the best system for measuring living wages across the world. We have now completed 13 living wage benchmark studies starting with the countries where the highest amount of workers are employed in Fairtrade farms and factories. We
A Living Income and Living Wage We differentiate “living income” and “living wage” to account for the very different realities of small farmers and workers. Think of living income as a decent revenue level for a freelance contractor and living wage as a decent monthly salary for an employee. A living income is sufficient income generated by a farming household so every member of that household can afford a decent standard of living. A living wage is sufficient wages for a worker and his or her family to afford a decent standard of living. A decent standard of living includes food, water, housing, education, healthcare, transportation, clothing, and other essential needs, including provision for unexpected events.
So What’s a Living Wage for Workers? While our standards have always required Fairtrade-certified plantations and factories to pay their workers at least the legal minimum wage and make their way toward a living wage, we had no clear data as to what this living wage was. In 2013, we fully revamped our approach to workers’ rights to make our call for freedom of association even stronger | 13 Darmon, an Indonesian coffee farmerC©FNathalie T N . C ABertrams
How Do We Reach a Living Income for Farmers? Wages and income have remained largely static in agriculture in the Global South over the past decades. At the same time, the salaries of Canadian executives continue to rise. In 2016, Canada’s 100 highest paid CEOs made $10.4 million on average—a historic high. That’s 209 times the average wage in Canada and almost 1,200 times the average annual income of Vietnamese coffee farmers, who were the highest earners among those studied in our research with True Price. Many CEOs on this list work in the food and apparel sectors, where at the other end of the wage chain, farmers and workers who grow coffee, cocoa, cotton, bananas, and more struggle to earn enough to cover the costs of living. To make sure farmers earn living incomes, we need to do the following:
Ensure Sustainable Pricing We need to make certain that the prices paid for Fairtrade goods at their sources are sufficient to cover living wages and living incomes.
Grow Fairtrade Sales We need to increase the volume of Fairtrade products sold on Fairtrade terms to enable significant revenue.
Improve Sustainable Yields We need to work with producers so they can reach adequate and sustainable productivity levels, so their farms can be resilient in the face of climate change.
Support Efficient Farm Management Practices
Zeddy, a Kenyan coffee farmer © Fairtrade International
We need to encourage farmers to calculate their production costs and make informed decisions that improve the profitability of their farms and strengthen their bargaining positions with industry partners.
Boost the Efficiency of Small Producer Organizations For small producer organizations to generate value for their members and be recognized as reliable business partners, we need to encourage resiliency, internal coherence, and efficient business performance.
Use the Fairtrade Premium Strategically We need to work alongside producers to use Premium funds as an instrument for achieving organizational sustainability and to fund producer-led initiatives geared toward increased farm profitability and sustainable livelihoods for farmer and worker families.
Push for Change We need to show governments, policy makers, and companies that fair and effective market systems can deliver living incomes.
learned very interesting things along the way and confirmed many of our field observations. We learned, for example, that a living wage in the Dominican Republic is more than double the national minimum wage level. That a living wage is more than triple the minimum wage in Bangladesh. Now that we have hard numbers, all publicly available, we can start working with actors in various supply chains toward paying all workers a living wage. Starting with bananas, we made a commitment to ensure all workers on Fairtrade-certified banana farms will be paid a living wage by 2020. Similarly, with our newly introduced Fairtrade Textile Standard, we have a well-defined timeline by which Fairtrade companies need to pay the full living wage to garment workers.
What About a Living Income for Small Farmers? As the most studied and researched ethical certification system, Fairtrade has a lot of insights on the impacts of prices
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paid to co-ops, and even to individual farmers. But we wanted to learn more about the household incomes and day-today financial demands of the workers and farmers who work with us. In 2017, we embarked on a journey to understand living income for farmers growing coffee, the most iconic Fairtrade crop. We worked with social enterprise True Price to conduct an assessment of coffee farmer incomes in seven countries: Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam. This study, one of the most comprehensive on farmer earnings ever undertaken, revealed that coffee farmer households, on average, earned about 50 percent of their income from coffee production. While this percentage varied greatly by origin, the data shows that coffee farmers rely on a variety revenue streams, from selling other cash crops, like beans and maize, to earning wages working off the farm. Of the coffee farmer households sampled, on average, those in India, Indonesia, and Vietnam earn a living income. However, according to the study, only Indonesian farmers currently earn a living household income from coffee production alone. Twenty-five percent of Indian farmers, almost 50 percent of Indonesian and Vietnamese farmers, and 100 percent of Kenyan farmers do not currently earn a living income. While some Kenyan coffee farmers are making a profit on their farms, on average Kenyan farmers produce coffee at a loss. We know that farmers who can’t provide a decent livelihood for their families are unable to reinvest in their farms. Therefore they cannot uphold adequate productivity levels, and their yields decline. As a consequence, these farmers get trapped in a vicious circle of poverty.
take a holistic approach. Higher farm revenues can be obtained through sustainable pricing, increased sales on Fairtrade terms, increased farm yields from sustainable agriculture, and added value. Costs can be reduced by improving efficiencies at farms and co-ops. Advocates can push for change and demand that governments and companies support farmers and workers by creating environments where farmers can expect to earn living incomes. A combination of these paths, tailored to the particularities of each commodity and region, will enable us to improve farmer and worker income. Right now, Fairtrade International is working with CLAC (the network of Latin American and Caribbean Fairtrade producer organizations) to study coffee farmer incomes in Latin America. As we gather more reliable data and further grasp the impact of every cent, we will be better equipped to bring transparency and take collective action toward a living income for all the farmers, workers, and families producing the goods we eat, wear, and use every day. We have a long way to go. Julie Francoeur is Executive Director of Fairtrade Canada.
Paths to a Living Wage and Living Income While the coffee industry aims to be a sustainability leader, the fact is that many of the 17.7 million small-scale coffee farmers around the world continue to struggle to make ends meet and support their families. In order to invert the poverty trap and make significant progress toward living income for smallholders, we need to CF TN.C A |
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essay
In the garment industry, known for cutthroat competition and murky supply chains, many workers are paid poverty wages
Switching Focus from the Steal BY J EN N IFER A . CL A R K
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tyle breaks down barriers. We go to lengths to interact with people whose style we admire, even if we don’t know them. We compliment them. We ask where they found such a cool/ coordinating/perennial piece. Do not dismiss this everyday interaction for anything less than the opportunity for influence it presents. In this simple transaction, we can enact change. We can tell them, in a can-youbelieve-it voice, the rock bottom price we paid for the beautiful blouse or statement shoes, and bask in the excitement of making such a “steal”—a rush not unlike the shopper’s high we felt in buying it. But just as shopper’s high gives way to remorse, the steal has its own shadow. It’s a looming cloud that everyone is aware of, but not everyone chooses to acknowledge. When I pick up a T-shirt in a trendy shop and it costs only $4, I know that someone wasn’t paid a living wage to create it. That someone suffered in order
to keep costs down. That if I buy that top, I am fueling an enormous and incredibly unfair business, one that primarily impacts women, and often children. As a feminist, as well as a human being, this concerns me. According to War on Want, as many as 85 percent of Bangladeshi garment workers are women. Other research estimates up to 90 percent. In addition to tiny wages and extreme hours, women garment workers are vulnerable to sexual harassment and discrimination without recourse. The International Labour Office (ILO) estimates that there are still 152 million children involved in child labour around the world. Of those, 48 percent are aged only 5-11 years old. But, you say, things are changing! My clothing company of choice has a code of conduct on their website! They have a social responsibility report! They’re trying! Faci n g i ncrea si n g consu mer demands for transparency, many companies have at least nodded in the direction of ethical practices. This can
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take the form of a code of conduct, a sustainability promise, or—even more vague—a responsible sourcing policy. Unfortunately, these statements may not even be worth the website space they occupy. Despite the confidence they may instill in shoppers, these same codes, according to ILO analysis, can be “unknown, unavailable, or untranslated at production facilities in developing countries.” Workers simply don’t know about the promises being made about their welfare. Furthermore, requests by workers for information can be viewed dimly, met with hostility, or worse. Fault cannot be completely heaped at the feet of well-meaning brands, however. The sheer immensity of the global apparel industry is daunting and confusing. Companies enlist megasuppliers, or global supply chain managers, to keep up with the demand for fast fashion and ever-changing trends. Megasuppliers are like ivy, stems spiralling out in different directions, splitting work orders between thousands
of factories, in a multitude of countries. This increases competition and directly impacts conditions for workers. This climate drives the murkiness that surrounds clothing production. Companies themselves can’t verify their supply chains, let alone guarantee that they are free from unethical practices. At its heart, this cutthroat competition is driven by one thing: consumer demand for low prices. Our consumption of fast fashion fuels this cycle of plentiful cheap clothing, delivered in a constant stream. A knowing blindness to the facts is required to buy these goods at rock bottom prices. In this global economy, our choices and actions impact on others around the world. So, I am dropping fast fashion. I am choosing slow, deliberate, lasting. Even if it takes a bit of extra effort and money, my clothes will demonstrate who I am to the world. They will not only do so by their appearance, but by the quality of their composition, by the ethical and sustainable methods with which they were created. The way my clothes were made will say as much about me as the way they hang, coordinate, and flatter me. My outside appearance will reflect my inner principles. When someone remarks that they like my Converse, I will say thank you and reply that I love them, too, but they’re not Converse. They’re Etiko and made of sustainable materials by people who were fairly treated and paid a living wage. Etiko, a family-owned Australian company with Fairtrade, Organic, and BCorp certifications, prides itself in respecting the human and labour rights of its suppliers, from rubber tappers to garment workers. When I get compliments on my People Tree dress, I can say with confidence #whomademyclothes. I will know that those people were treated fairly, paid a living wage, and encouraged to organize and unionize. An independent fair trade company, People Tree is an ethical leader, certified by the WFTO, Fairtrade International, and the Soil Association. I may no longer be able to brag about the steal, but I can feel good about using my dollars to support change in the world. And perhaps by sharing the feel-good factor about my style, by focusing on the production chain and paying attention to where my clothes come from, others will want to switch their focus, too. Passionate about ethical and sustainable initiatives, Jennifer A. Clark wears many professional hats. Her roles include freelance writer, educator, and blogger, as well as communications and marketing coordinator. CF TN.C A |
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on the ground
Performance Meets Sustainability: Fairtrade Soccer Balls BY K IM BER LY LEU NG
that the cost of materials, labour, and shipping is about $4. This is not sustainable.” While VOLO balls cost more t h a n t he lowquality machinestitched ones you might find at a bigbox store, those Workers inspect Fairtrade soccer balls extra dollars get © VOLO Athletic you a well-made ball, hand stitched ver 270 million people are for durability and designed to meet the involved in soccer—or football, performance standards of FIFA, the as it’s known in most countries. When governing body for soccer around the you factor in occasional players, kids world. They’re also handmade in Sialkot, leagues, and spectators, you’ve got the Pakistan, on Fairtrade terms. world’s favourite sport, hands down. Historically, Sialkot was known This kind of popularity demands more as the soccer ball capital of the world, than just a few balls. producing up to 85 percent of the world’s As the founder of VOLO Athletics, supply at its peak. When a series of a Fairtrade soccer ball distributor media reports in the mid-1990s revealed based in BC, James Milligan knows a the use of child labour in Sialkot’s thing or two about soccer balls. A small sports ball industry, the city became upstart in an industry dominated by the epicentre of a major labour reform. heavyweights and big names, VOLO The International Labour Organization, must exceed consumer expectations. together with UNICEF and Sialkot “We don’t have the brand recognition Chamber of Commerce and Industry, of Nike or Adidas. So our balls have to entered into the Atlanta Agreement, speak for themselves.” which intended to improve working For that reason, Milligan specializes conditions and eliminate child labour in offering quality balls at a mid-range in Sialkot’s sports ball industry. The price level. Most consumers won’t buy an agreement made progress, but child expensive ball from an unknown brand, labour has not yet been fully abolished, and while fair trade products are often and poor working conditions are still competitively priced, they’re not usually endemic at factories located outside the the cheapest option. Milligan reports region, in countries like China, India, being shocked by rock-bottom prices of and Thailand, where many lower quality some conventional balls. “When a soccer soccer balls are made. ball is sold for $8, you have to wonder While the Fairtrade Mark ensures who’s paying the price. If retail markup the sustainability of each VOLO soccer is approximately double, this means ball, those who play with them can vouch
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for their quality. Milligan has created branded balls for non-profits, special events, and soccer leagues. VOLO also supplies balls to Dasovic-Neil Coaching, a soccer training and development service run by Canadian Soccer Hall of Famers Andrea Neil and Nick Dasovic, whose high standards and interest in using sustainable products led to a partnership with VOLO. With their input, Milligan tweaked the designs to meet their requirements for training and practice sessions. As Neil puts it, “We chose VOLO over other products because of the company’s commitment to ethics and the well-being of the people involved in production.” Milligan pays for his orders upfront, and the factory workers earn a consistent wage, independent of demand or market factors. When it comes to sports ball producers, Fairtrade standards require that workers are paid at least minimum wage as well as a premium. These premiums are used to fund basic health insurance, a subsidized grocery store, worker transportation, water purification systems, and daycare facilities. This summer, as the 2018 World Cup unfolds and we look forward to Canada co-hosting the 2026 tournament, the urge might strike to pick up a shiny new soccer ball. If it does, consider choosing a Fairtade-certified soccer ball. Fairtrade certification is vital in assuring accountability and transparency in the industry. When you buy Fairtrade, you can be confident that your soccer ball was made without child labour, in safe conditions where workers are paid a living wage. Kimberly Leung is a Toronto-based freelance writer with a special interest in sustainable and ethical living.
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fair trade programs
Calgary's Road to Designation BY TOR RY E MCK ENZIE
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n 2016, Calgary’s Fair Trade Town campaign launched with three volunteers—Erin Bird, Farzad Olya, and Gary Ellis— and a few wild expectations. The initial goal was to reach designation in a year and a half, by World Fair Trade Day in May 2017. Two and half years later, Calgary remains undesignated. Still, the campaign has been notable for other successes. Fair Trade Calgary sits as a venture within Engineers Without Borders, a registered charity. This allows the organization to accept sponsorship and maintain a stable operating structure. By attending community events, the group has earned recognition in the city. According to Bird, the committee has developed “strong partnerships with organizations including Ten Thousand Villages, the Kindness Market, and the Marda Loop Justice Film Festival, just to name a few.” Along the way, the committee has pushed for other designations in the city. Morrison Hershfield received its Fair Trade Workplace designation in June 2016, and Calgary Arts Academy its Fair Trade School designation in April 2017. Fair Trade Calgary is also an active voice for Canadian fair trade fashion. In March, at the National Fair Trade Conference, committee members hosted a fashion show to highlight Canadian designers working with Fairtradecertified cotton. This past April, the organization participated in Fashion Revolution Week. The committee hopes to see Calgary designated by World Fair Trade Day 2019. Recent encouraging developments suggest that this goal is possible. Calgary City Council is now considering adding social procurement to its sustainable, ethical, and environmental purchasing policy. Meanwhile, the organization plans to continue forging relationships with businesses and community groups.
Fair Trade School Bans Nestlé Staff, teachers, and students at Strathcona Christian Academy Secondary (SCAS) in Sherwood Park, Alberta, are taking a bold stance for the support of fair trade. Since receiving its Fair Trade School designation last fall, Strathcona has been a leader in the program. Yet SCAS reached a new level of commitment with a school-wide ban on all Nestlé products. The ban coincides with a promise to increase the availability of fair trade products. Why did the school decide to ban Nestlé? Staff member Cindy Christensen explains: “Our school is a Christian school, and if we take our faith seriously, we should be showing love and standing up for those who do not have a voice.” Teens Against Violent Oppression (TAVO), the student group leading the fair trade campaign at SCAS, is largely responsible for the change. As each division phases out Nestlé products, they will be replaced by fair trade alternatives. For example, the school purchased over $3,000 worth of Camino products this past school year. Student council has already eliminated Nestlé products from its events, and is working with TAVO to source fair trade items for regular staff meetings next year. The school understands that sourcing ethical products takes extra planning. “This takes energy and time, and can be daunting,” says Christensen, “but then we remember why we are doing this.” To smooth the transition, the school has planned regularly scheduled Camino wholesale orders starting in the fall. This type of commitment may seem large, but for staff and students at Strathcona, eliminating non–fair trade products is the next step of their Fair Trade School designation. The school believes that modelling ethical consumerism on an institutional level will help reinforce these behaviours for students. Want to learn more about FAIR TRADE DESIGNATIONS? Visit cftn.ca/programs
Strathcona Christian Academy Secondary, and its Teens Against Violent Oppression group, is
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SFU Inspires Fair Trade Leaders
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Erik Sagmoen (left), one of SFU’s Fair Trade Ambassadors, during the CFTN’s Origin Trip to Ecuador in 2017
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imon Fraser University (SFU), a Fair Trade Campus since 2012, is continually finding ways to expand its commitments to fair trade. During the past two years, the school has focused on finding innovative ways to engage students. Through the Canadian Fair Trade Network’s Origin Trips program, SFU has sent students to South and Central America to learn firsthand about fair trade from farmers and producers. “The Origin Trips program is an opportunity for students to gain a personal relationship with fair trade,” says Mark McLaughlin, Chief Commercial Services Officer, SFU Ancillary Services. “It is one thing to read or hear about the benefits that fair trade brings to farmers and workers, but it is much more profound to witness it in person.” SFU students have visited producing communities in Costa Rica and Ecuador over the past two years. Prodpran Wangcherdchuwong recalls her trip to Costa Rica in 2016. “It was eye-opening to see that a co-op we visited had 6,000 members, but also disappointing to hear that only 10 percent of its products are sold as fair trade.” Students who have participated on these trips have returned to campus
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with inspiring stories and a deeper understanding of the opportunities and limitations of the international fair trade movement. Another way that SFU is growing its commitment to fair trade is through the Fair Trade Ambassador program. The Ambassador program is focused on educating students about fair trade and giving them tools and resources to engage the wider student community. Five SFU students joined the program in 2017. “The program helps our department and other campus administrators engage, support, and learn from our students,” says McLaughlin. “It has helped us create a line of communication with the wider student population to facilitate the exchange of ideas surrounding fair trade on campus.” Megan McMahon, who participated in the program, says, “You can get out of it what you want. I was able to develop particular skills through hands-on experience, which was really empowering and rewarding.” Erik Sagmoen, also involved in the program, says, “It definitely changed my perspective and shaped the career path I plan to pursue.” SFU has 10 students signed up for the program for this coming school year— that’s double last year’s cohort.
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Designation numbers as of June 19, 2018.
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book review
Eat for the Planet By Nil Zacharias and Gene Stone Abrams Image, 2018 160 pages, $24.99 ISBN: 978-1-4197-2910-2 R E V IE W BY W ILL R ICHTER
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ooks and films promoting veganism typically advance three main arguments: animal welfare, human health, and the environment. Eat for the Planet, co-authored by Nil Zacharias and Gene Stone, deals almost exclusively with the latter. The book’s message is simple: our dependence on industrial animal agriculture is destroying the planet and endangering the survival of that one species to which we are all so particularly attached—human beings. As the authors write, “We may be feeding ourselves, but we are also feeding our extinction.” Laid out in a succinct, almost booklet-like fashion, the book outlines the various ways in which animal agriculture is driving the natural world to the brink. Though the authors often use friendly, full-page graphics to make
the statistics-heavy material more accessible (in one instance the book features a poop-filled Empire State Building), there is no escaping the subject’s direness. The first issue is land. It turns out keeping 20 billion animals in agricultural bondage takes a great deal of space—45 percent of the planet’s land surface, according to the authors (other estimates, though lower, are still significant). Much of that is for crops used in animal feed. It’s an inefficient system. For example, one acre of land can, when all factors are considered, produce an estimated 50,000 pounds of tomatoes, 40,000 pounds of potatoes, or 30,000 pounds of carrots. Or it can produce 250 pounds of beef. With the human population expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, such ratios become important. Another issue is fresh water. Put simply, there isn’t enough of it, and animal agriculture needs a lot of what we have. When factoring in water for feed, it takes an estimated 1,800 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, 576 gallons for pork, and 468 for chicken. By contrast, a pound of potatoes needs only 119 gallons. Dairy cows are even thirstier. When including feed, drinking water, and water for sanitation, you need an estimated 2,000 gallons of water to produce just one gallon of milk. Added together, the average meat-and-dairyconsuming person’s water footprint amounts to 4,200 gallons per day. It’s unsustainable. At our current rate, according to one United Nations report, 75 percent of the world’s population will be confronting water scarcity by 2050. Then there’s climate change. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) pegs livestock production’s portion of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions at 14.5 percent, with other estimates ranging
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up to 51 percent. Those emissions come from the animals themselves, from farming practices that rely on intensive petrochemical use in artificial fertilizers and pesticides, and from transportation. In total, calorie for calorie, animal protein production is about 10 times as fossil-fuel intensive as plant protein production. Compounding the problem is widespread deforestation to create room for livestock and the farms needed to sustain them. The most egregious example is the Amazon rainforest, where 80 percent of deforestation is due to cattle ranching. So even as greenhouse gas-belching factory farms increase their sprawl, they demolish the forests that might capture and store those very same emissions. Eat for the Planet is packed with such grim, useful information, and anyone interested in a quick primer on all the ways in which industrial animal agriculture is decimating the planet would be well-served to pick it up. Beyond the issues already mentioned, the book also describes the calamitous role factory farming plays in species extinctions and air and water pollution. On the other hand, as good as this book might be for bolstering the arguments of a committed or even wavering vegan, it might be less successful in convincing a skeptic. After laying out reams of data in favour of their arguments, the authors at times overindulge their inner dramatists, often projecting, without citation, a future plagued by “global war,” genocide, and other atrocities if we don’t change our ways. If that’s true, they need to show their work. Transparent appeals to fear are rarely convincing. And besides, the facts alone are bleak enough. Will Richter is a freelance writer and a regular contributor to Fair Trade Magazine. He lives in Vancouver, BC.
We are now offering Fairtrade sugar! When your customers buy Lantic&Rogers Organic and Fairtrade Sugar, they are helping cane sugar farmers purchase water purification systems, hire better teachers and even aid in buying donkeys–essential in carrying cut cane crop up hillsides.
Our Fairtrade sugars are also available in 20kg, 40kg and other industrial sizes. Contact your Sysco or GFS representatives or contact Lantic&Rogers Customer Service: WEST, 1 800 661-5350 / westsales@lantic.ca • EAS, 1 888 526-8421 / csr@lantic.ca
