World Fair Trade Day

World Fair Trade Day (WFTD) is a global celebration on the second Saturday of May. It is the worldwide celebration of Fair Trade as a tangible solution to the fight against poverty, exploitation, climate change, and the economic crisis that has the greatest impact on the world’s most vulnerable populations.

Fair Trade enterprises work to create better working and living conditions for their employees and communities, in part by providing fair wages to workers. They focus on sustainable, eco-friendly, and environmentally responsible practices, intending to protect our planet. They also emphasize the importance of female-owned companies and ethical business practices.

The global crisis confirms the need for a fair and sustainable economy locally and globally. Trade must benefit the most vulnerable and deliver sustainable livelihoods by developing opportunities for small and disadvantaged producers. Millions of producers and traders, businesses and policymakers, supporting organizations, and volunteers have contributed to the substantial growth of Fair Trade globally.

World Fair Trade Day 2022 will be celebrated on 14th May with a theme is Climate Justice #LetsDoItFair. Climate Justice aims to deliver fair, inclusive, and sustainable solutions to people who are suffering the effects of the climate crisis while addressing the root causes of climate change.

History

The World Fair Trade Day initiative comes via the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) in 2004, which unites citizens, Fair Trade organizations, environmental movements, producers, and consumers around the planet. The World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) formerly known as the International Federation of Alternative Traders, was created in 1989. It is a global network of Fair Trade Organizations and a representative body of 383 members committed to 100% Fair Trade. WFTO is the main monitoring body of the integrated supply chains route and its members represent the Fair Trade chain from production to sale.

The WFTO operates in over 70 countries across 5 regions (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, and the Pacific Rim) with elected global and regional boards. Fair Trade products are sold in thousands of retail stores, supermarkets, and sales outlets in the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America, and feature over 10,000 different products! Fair Trade companies and advocates work with international brands to create and sell Fair Trade certified products while also working with international policymakers and governments to improve workers’ working conditions globally.

But what exactly is Fair Trade?

According to WFTO “Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency, and respect, which seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers. Fair Trade organizations have a clear commitment to Fair Trade as the principal core of their mission. They, backed by consumers, are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade.”

Fair Trade is a global movement of consumers, producers, businesses, and certifiers who consider people and the planet first. They all work together to make sure that they are focusing on treating resources as limited and creating products that benefit the producers who make them and the land that grows them. Fair Trade enables producers in any country—and oftentimes small farmer’s artisans—to improve their lives and communities through sustainable wages and compensation that are often more than double the market average.

How to celebrate

The second Saturday of May is World Fair Trade Day! There are multitudes of ways to celebrate and get involved. Find an event near you. One can contribute to the cause by taking part in public fairs held as part of the day. You can use the power of the Internet to spread the word. Watch and share films/documentaries with themes like poverty, climate change, environment, and how they affect fair trade.

During this time of crisis, we are even more confident that paying fair wages is the best solution to helping our artisans recover and create a better future. Therefore, we hope that highlighting our artisans and small businesses all in one place, will make it easier for you to shop + support them this World Fair Trade Day 2022.

Share your ideas for how everyone can change the world to make it more just, equitable, or just a better place to live. Most importantly, enjoy this beautiful May weekend!