Who Owns Fair Trade?: My Response

The other day, guest blogger Shayna Harris posed the question: Who OWNS Fair Trade? The question stems from a recent debate that took place at the London School of Economics where panelists from the Fair Trade movement came together to discuss this topic. When I first heard about the debate, I kept trying to work out the question and an answer in my mind.

It's a complicated question with an even more complicated answer. For one thing, the idea of Fair Trade is so diverse and as Fair Trade consultant, Pauline Tiffen stated during the debate, Fair Trade is a concept that is constantly evolving and being redefined. That - as Shayna points out - is why Fair Trade is not 'ownable'. "Redefinition, uncertainty, and plurality of interpretation is important, because it allows for ‘more jostling' so that we can push Fair Traders to do more and deepen their integrity."

I both agree and disagree with all that. Yes, it is hard to see 'ownership' over an idea and Fair Trade in essence started out as an idea. However, through the years, I believe that Fair Trade has grown into something bigger from an idea into a movement, a trading system, a value system, a unifying mechanism, a course of action, a platform for peace, justice and environmentalism, a tool of empowerment and so much more. Fair Trade is comprised of the concrete and abstract, and through the years has grown into something that isn't quite perfect and has sometimes been described as "slightly less unfair trade". Nonetheless, Fair Trade has grown from an idea into something that has been able to make some positive (as Pauline Tiffen put it) "Obama-esque" change.

So, if it is more than an idea, maybe it can be 'owned'. Panelist and CEO of the National Smallholder Farmers' Association of Malawi, Dyborn Charlie Chibonga mentioned the word 'partnership' and that is how I see Fair Trade -- a partnership. Looking at a tenet of Fair Trade, where the producers are organized into a cooperative where all the members have equal share, equal say and equal ownership, such is the Fair Trade movement. Everyone involved has some sort of ownership, from the producer to the retailer to the consumer to the organizations, to the activists. Everyone involved has a stake in the movement, is driving it and redefining it and working to build trust and integrity and is making sure that Fair Trade continues to grow and creating positive change. A great thing I have come to learn from being in the movement is the close relationships that are developed not only with the farmers or producers, but with fellow activists and consumers. There's a sharing of stories and ideas and cultures. Fair Trade is like a community -- a cooperative community of everyone working together for a common goal of developing a better system of trade that puts value on justice for people and for nature.

Of course, my response does not put into question the larger issues that were brought up in the debate such as the inclusion of multi-national corporations taking on the Fair Trade Mark and next steps of Fair Trade as a business model. For that, I highly recommend checking out what Pauline Tiffen has to say about the current status of the Fair Trade movement and the future of it. OR, you can actually ask me to send you over the text because I actually transcribed it for myself. (I know)

So, who owns Fair Trade? I would say the Fair Trade community and it is up to those in the community to continue to educate people about the movement in order to expand. It is not exclusive, but rather should be inclusive to make sure that all parties benefit equally.

[image: cartoonstock.com]