Continued Thoughts on Recent Starbucks Decision

The recent Starbucks decision to double their Fair Trade coffee purchases has not gone unnoticed especially in the Fair Trade world. I just wanted to point out a comment left by Jacqueline DeCarlo, a leading Fair Trade activist and author of the Beginner's Guide to Fair Trade, on guest blogger, Shayna's post. Jackie's comment also touches on how the faith-based communities see Fair Trade.

From the perspective of Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade program, I just want to reiterate Shayna's assessment that Fair Trade goes much beyond price and is most transformative when it fully embraces what the Church calls “right relationships.”  Our U.S. work in coffee, chocolate and crafts uplifts those companies that have fully committed to Fair Trade as a business model because we believe Fair Trade mirrors Catholic Social Teaching around values such as the “working for the common good” and “preferential option for the poor.”   While celebrating an increased commitment from Starbucks and the market access opportunities it represents, we also recognize that the bedrock principles of Fair Trade, as Shayna suggests, include long-term trading relationships that seek to restore equity in trade for disadvantaged producers.  There are many merits to large corporations such as Starbucks in terms of reach and scale (our overseas programs work regularly to help farmers sell to a variety of large buyers who accept equitable terms).  Still, fully committed fair traders offer an alternative model of small and medium-size enterprises that are so essential to communities functioning and flourishing.  Please check out http://www.crsfairtrade.org if you'd like to know more about our fully committed partners, our work overseas, or our version of what Shayna calls a continuum, and we somewhat as an "Economic Justice Spectrum."

Thanks for sharing, Jackie. Readers, look forward to more wise words from Ms. De Carlo in the future.

[image credit Jasmin Chua, at www.worstedwitch.com]