FAIR TRADE ACCOUNTABILITY WATCH

Do you have knowledge on compliance issues of our member? If you do, please click here to report it.

WHAT IS THE FAIR TRADE ACCOUNTABILITY WATCH?

The Fair Trade Accountability Watch (FTAW) is an online watch system that allows all members as well as concerned stakeholders and the public to raise issues or concerns about a WFTO member’s compliance with the WFTO Standard.

WHY DOES WFTO INCLUDE THIS TOOL IN ITS MONITORING SYSTEM?

It creates a platform for shared responsibility and is a cost saving mechanism. The Fair Trade Accountability Watch is another tool for the Guarantee System to ensure the system is robust. It shares responsibility for the reliability of the system among all stakeholders.

HOW CAN YOU FILE AN ALERT?

Everybody can use this tool to alert WFTO to possible breaches of the WFTO Fair Trade Standard. You search for the member concerned using at least one of the fields (name, type, region and/or country) and click on “post alert” next to the name of the organisation you would like us to investigate. We then ask you to link your alert to a Fair Trade principle. It is not mandatory to leave your name and contact details, but anonymous complaints carry less weight.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AN ALERT IS FILED AGAINST A MEMBER?

WFTO investigates and draws conclusions. When an alert is received, it is shared with the organisation concerned to ask for their side of the story. All information is then forwarded to the Standard and Guarantee System Committee. If the alert is deemed minor because it relates to non-mandatory requirements, or the organisation can provide sufficient evidence the alert is unfounded, it is filed for extra attention in the next scheduled audit. If the alert is found to raise a major compliance issue, an extra audit may be scheduled. The costs for this audit are paid by the organisation that is audited.