English Newsletter - November 2019

Fair Trade Sustainability Alliance

Collaborative Excellence and Accountability

November 2019

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Among all the bad news that we’re served daily, the good news just doesn't get the attention it deserves. Did you know that the number of people living in poverty has halved in the last 50 years, that infant death rates are consistently declining in almost all countries and that 60% of all girls attend school regularly? For more facts, read Hans Rosling’s book “Factfulness” – I’m sure you’ll find many surprising facts there. The challenge is that most of this happens in urban centers. The regions where we work, the rural areas of this planet, are not on the forefront of those developments. To illustrate this, last year I read an article about the Philippines that estimates the average amount spent on a patient in the urban centers is about 10 times higher than that for a patient in the rural areas. A staggering ratio, even when considering the higher wages paid in urban areas. Despite the overall progress our work remains meaningful today as it has in the past, supporting rural areas to transform into verdant and vibrant places for living.

For the FairTSA Team

Winfried Fuchshofen

Introducing the FairTSA Standard 4.0!

We would like to introduce you to our completely overhauled new standard version 4.0! After 5 years we decided to incorporate our own best practices and lessons learned in a completely new standard version. Before we go into details, let us assure you there will be enough transition time to comply with any new or stricter requirements that apply to your organization.

Here are some of the new features:

~ An introduction that describes what we are about, how we work and structural elements of the program.

~ Reorganized and reformatted so that it is much easier to reference.

~ Easier readability so that an interested layperson would be able to understand the main requirements.

~ Reference to all ILO conventions our labor requirements are based on to increase clarity.

~ A separate Guide for Inspection and Certification gives additional guidance and clearly spells out the difference between major and minor non-compliances. The definition of sanctions is now more precise, making the decision-making process for certification agencies easier.

~ The requirements for Social Responsibility Certification are easier to discern.

~ For textile operations we offer two new certification options: one is based on the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and another one on the Global Recycled Standard (GRS).

~ Introduction of a new logo on a test basis for Socially Responsible Processing of non-food products. We do this mostly to support smaller processors and manufacturers and let them participate in our lean and inexpensive certification system. We will closely monitor the development of this program.

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You can now download the DRAFT from our standards web page HERE!

We look forward to receiving your feedback and recommendations to [email protected] .

The comment period continues through January 15th. After that time, we will review the feedback, incorporate the items we find helpful in advancing the cause, and will comment on the changes incorporated.

We intend to publish the FINAL version in February 2020.

New Web-based Application Procedure for Producers

All producer applications in both English and Spanish are now available for online submission via our website. You can access the application forms via the home page at www.fairtsa.org or under the Producer Resources page by clicking here . Once an application has been submitted, the applicant will receive an email confirmation with a copy of the submitted application for record-keeping. There is also a link to the downloadable document on the application page. Once filled out, it can be submitted via email, if that is preferable.

Congratulations to Lucy Bee!

Big Congratulations to Lucy Bee Coconut Oil for their GOLD and SILVER awards at the Free From Skincare Awards on July 30th! This is such a huge honor from a competition that rigorously rates skincare products based on their use of high quality, natural, and ethically produced ingredients and the effectiveness of their use . Their winning line of soaps is FairTSA Fair Trade certified, meaning they are ethically produced via fair wages, labor protections, and community development projects that help producers improve infrastructure and strengthen their communities long-term. Thank you to Lucy Bee for their continued work and dedication supporting ethically produced Fair Trade products! For more details on the award click here .

Introducing . . .

New FairTSA Licensee

Greenfield Products, LLC

Founded in 2016, Greenfield Products of Los Angeles, CA are active participants in shaping the market by providing healthier options to those who look for organic, fair trade, local, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free options. They look for the best products for their customers who are making a conscious effort to find better, natural choices and market under the brand name “ Nature’s Greatest Foods ”.

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