Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/491365
34 STiR tea & coffee industry international that produces quality. We buy our tea at such premium quality because the farmers and supply chain put such diligence into its production." Elyse Petersen, founder of Tealet, a company dedicated to creating direct relation- ships between tea growers and consumers, thinks fair trade's greatest potential value is in protecting the tea as a vital resource. "The industry that we know now (commodity teas grown in large scale production) is making the global market for tea very competi- tive which makes it very hard for small producers to compete (practitioners of tradi- tional tea production). Every year more and more family-owned tea farms are going wild as younger generations choose to build their lives in the cities as they have seen their parents struggle to get a fair price for their tea in the increasing commodification of tea. Many of the techniques of these tea-making families are passed generation to generation and not documented. A true fair trade system will provide opportunity for small tea producers to be profitable and pass on the skill of tea making to following generations and tea producers in other regions." For its part, Fairtrade International is committed to making the changes that are within their power to make, especially related to long-term sustainability and wages. They are working with Vi Skogen (Vi Agroforestry) and Fairtrade Africa on a new climate adaptation project, AdapTea, that will prepare 21 Fairtrade certified tea pro- ducing organizations in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Kenya to adapt to the impact of climate change. They are also participating in a sizable effort to establish the true meaning of a "living wage." Through the Fairtrade Standard for Hired Labour, certified organizations are re- quired to offer a minimum wage and progress toward a living wage. But what is the living wage for farm workers that takes into account food, housing and other needs? Fairtrade International will work with Social Accountability International (SAI), Good- Weave, Sustainable Agriculture Network/Rainforest Alliance (SAN/RA), UTZ Certi- fied, and the Forest Stewardship Council, Oxfam, the Ethical Tea Partnership, and the industry to make this assessment and develop strategies. Monitoring is an ongoing concern from all sides and it must be addressed. How can a program be implemented effectively if it cannot be monitored accurately? Efforts to report on fair trade progress have increased since the mid-2000s, but there is still a need to go farther, making careful assessments of workers in fair trade areas versus non-fair trade areas, tracking the percentage of crops sold and the impact of the unsold crops on livelihoods, comparing outcomes for large shareholders with small scale growers, and evaluating how premiums are spent and who benefits. The future of fair trade Rahim believes that consumers will push the movement over time. They will become more savvy about the companies truly committed to fair trade as opposed to those who are only engaging for marketing reasons. "Some brands dibble and dabble in it," says Rahim. "Five out of 50 products are certified and it's a marketing thing. It is about being outward facing versus inward integration. Over time the consumer is going to sniff around and figure out who is authentic. They will learn about the ethos of the company." Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee in Canada presents a similar approach regarding the future of socially responsible companies. Their primary area of concern is sustain- ability and creating strong relationships with their farmers and producers. In 2014 they released the EcoCup, a more environmentally safe version of the single cup capsule for machines like Keurig. "We believe that within five to ten years, this type of sustainability effort will be the cost of entry to an agrocentric industry," says John Snell, director of tea procurement and development. "Once you are into the work, it becomes evident that there are cost and brand equity benefits. As soon as you start to build a comprehensive set of morally obligated principles around your supply and sales structure it begins to resonate with corporate social responsibility (CSR) messaging for our customers. They see us doing the heavy lifting for them." This lesson is certainly one that will resonate for coffee and tea companies look- ing to promote their fair trade involvement and with greater Fair Trade sales, comes greater capacity to enact true change. Equal Exchange worker-owner Phyllis Robinson (center) visiting an small- scale organic tea farm associated with the SOFA cooperative, Sri Lanka. Photo courtesy of Equal Exchange. Fairtrade Standard for Hired Labor In 2012 Fairtrade International launched a new effort to improve workers' rights which has now culminated in a new Fairtrade Stan- dard for Hired Labour for producers of flowers and plants, fresh fruits and vegetables, tea, herbs and herbal teas and sports balls. The project involved meetings with 400 workers in 14 countries and interviews with 170 factory and plantation managers. Input was also col- lected from trade groups, retailers, unions, NGOs, and others. Tenets include: * Affirming a Freedom of Association for workers that allows discussions of unionizing, democratically elected workers associates, and the right to collective bargaining. * Engaging in the organizations new liv- ing wage efforts. * Ensuring that a general assembly of workers will be convened at least annually to approve the spending of fair trade premiums. Management may participate and advise but may not vote. * Affirming the right of temporary and migrant workers to be elected as representa- tives for the advisory premium committee and if most of the labor is migrant, allowing a portion of the premium to be distributed in cash.