99 Support your cause

99

SUPPORT YOUR CAUSE

There are people who think that organic farming, fair trade for developing countries, banning animal testing, reducing landfi ll and lowering carbon emissions are passing fads which can be incorporated into their marketing strategy until it’s more fashionable to support a new cause. For others it’s their life’s work.

The idea There are organisations, foundations and associations whose role is to encourage customers to buy ethical products, from Fair Trade chocolate to vegan cosmetics, organic cotton clothes to unpackaged vegetables.

They are funded by their partner organisations, who pay for the following: to have their products scrutinised, for advice on how to get them up to standard, and for the right to put the certifi cation mark on their own packaging.

The idea is that the mark will help to distinguish a brand from the others who aren’t certifi ed, and that this will encourage customers to buy it. Even if people don’t normally seek out organic or fairly traded goods, when there is a choice, they prefer to have the good feeling that they are helping out in a small way when they buy the certifi ed product. No-one would buy Divine chocolate just because it’s got Fairtrade certifi cation, and 45% of the company is owned by their cocoa producer, Kuapa Kokoo. It just happens to be one of the tastiest

chocolates on the planet (in my view) and it’s very good value.

Kuapa Kokoo is a co-operative based in Ghana. They were already selling their cocoa butter to Europe, and they had Fairtrade status. They formed the Day Chocolate Company in 1998 with Twin Trading and The Body Shop, with the support of Comic Relief and Christian Aid, named in memory of Richard Day from the Twin Trading team. In 2007, they changed their name to Divine Chocolate Ltd, a brand which is self-explanatory when you’ve tasted it. They pay for certifi cation and carry the Fairtrade mark on their chocolate packaging, so as well as sharing their recognisable logo, they are also promoted during Fairtrade Fortnight. The Fairtrade site at fairtrade.org.uk lists all the producs with their certifi cation on sale in the UK.

In practice • Products and ingredients can be traded fairly, or organic or cruelty free without having certifi cation, but they don’t get the logo on their goods, or the publicity that goes with it. The more partners the associations have, the stronger their own brands will become. • If you feel strongly about an issue, you probably already know the organisation that deals with certifi cation. Joining will help to bring the issue to a wider audience. • To campaign in other areas, you can align your brand with a charity or social enterprise and work in partnership with them.