Fair Trade Supporter Newsletter (December 2021)

We are inviting sustainable fashion SMEs to join our business network on the Common Objective platform.  The World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) and the partners of Small But Perfectly Formed Project, in cooperation with Common Objective, are building a hub to facilitate cooperation between like-minded ethical fashion entrepreneurs and professionals to support transfer of knowledge, skills, and best practices. The new hub on Common Objective will host everything SMEs need to level up their sustainability and circularity strategies. Members will have access to a resource library of tools and resources, as well as the ability to attend digital events, workshops and networking sessions. You can find more information about this network here.

This month we are taking you to Lebanon to get to know the first Fair Trade town in the country. The town of Menjez prides itself for promoting sustainable development and agriculture. In 2013, the town was formally declared a Fair Trade Town as a recognition for their efforts to create an enabling environment for farmers and local food processors to strive, maintain their production levels and strengthen their capacities. They are also acknowledged for improving the technical and business skills of farmers through training sessions ranging from agro-ecological practices to entrepreneurship. Menjez is also in a long-term partnership with the Saint-Péray commune in Southern France, a cooperation that aims to enhance agricultural development, capacity building, in addition to the preservation of natural resources and local heritage. Ultimately, through this partnership, Saint-Péray will be recognized as a Fair Trade Town. Learn more about the Fair Trade Towns in Lebanon here.

Fairtrade International and the Fair Trade Advocacy Office (FTAO) joined forces to commission a study on Fair Trade Public Policies around the world, authored by Veselina Vasileva and Didier Reynaud as independent researchers. The research was made possible thanks to financial support from the European Union and the Charles Léopold Mayer Foundation for the Progress of Humankind (FPH). For more information and to download the full study, click here. Translations into Spanish and French are envisaged and will be made available on that same page at a later stage.

Invest in change. We are crowdfunding to help Fair Trade Enterprises through the current challenges. Let’s support them so they can continue pursuing their social and environmental mission. Together, we have raised  €15K to help support Fair Trade Enterprises to come to Berlin in August 2022 to attend the Fair Trade Summit. We’re almost there. Help us meet our goal. The summit is an opportunity for Fair Trade Enterprises to meet potential business partners, discuss innovations to tackle the current challenges of the pandemic and climate crisis. Join our efforts and take action. Donate today through this link.