WFTO product label launched
On 13 February 2016, at the Ambiente Fair, in Frankfurt-am-Main (Germany), the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) launched its international product label that guarantees Fair Trade Organisations operating in every part of the supply chain, from producers to retailers.
The label is backed by a robust and credible Guarantee System. In order to comply with the Guarantee System and use the WFTO label on their products, organizations have to comply with the Fair Trade principles that are: creating opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers, transparency and accountability, payment of a fair price, no child labour or forced labour, long-term trading relations, gender equity and women’s economic empowerment, freedom of association, good working conditions, capacity-building, and respect for the environment. The label can be put on packaging or tags of handicraft and food products as an assurance that the products are produced and/or traded by guaranteed Fair Trade Organisations whose practices are checked against these 10 Fair Trade principles globally acknowledged.
“There are no international public regulations for the certification of Fair Trade products. Private entities can deliberately set up their own criteria and certify single products without considering the practices of the company that sells these products”Rudi Dalvai,President of WFTO explains.“That is why it is of utmost importance to have a label that allows consumers to clearly identify the organisations who are 100% committed to Fair Trade.”
Based on more than 50 years of experience on Fair Trade, the new WFTO label represents an important step towards the recognition thatan alternative economic model, more humane and sustainable at different levels, is actually possible. By buying products carrying the new WFTO label, traders and consumers can make a concrete contribution to create a more just world, to help fight poverty, social injustice and discrimination, to support economically disadvantaged small producers, and to promote the rights of people and respect for the environment.
Today, more than 50 Fair Trade Organisations are already guaranteed and can use the WFTO label. More than 230 in over 70 different countries are underway.
More information about the WFTO guarantee system and the 60 years of Fair Trade history can be found on WFTO website.