Why Ethical Trade?
People who want to shop ethically often feel that they have to choose between an organic product or a fairly traded one. What many don’t realise is that fairness is actually one of the key principles that underpin the organic movement. The third of the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM) principles is the ‘principle of fairness’.
While we believe many organic businesses are already trading ethically, until now the Soil Association organic standards haven’t directly assessed this. The Soil Association Ethical Trade standards were developed to do just that.
At the moment, the standards are voluntary and open to organic companies that want to use the Ethical Trade logo to demonstrate their ethical commitment to consumers. Eventually, we want to incorporate the Ethical Trade standards into the general organic standards in recognition that fairness is an important part of what it means to be organic.
The Ethical Trade standards cover:
- fair and ethical trading relationships
- socially responsible practices
- fair and ethical employment
In order to use the Ethical Trade logo on a product the whole supply chain from producer to brand holder must meet the Ethical Trade standards. They must also be certified organic too.
What’s the difference between Ethical Trade and Fairtrade?
Initially we worked closely with the Fairtrade Foundation to try and develop a joint standard. However, whilst we shared important similarities in our aims and objectives, there were a number of key differences:
- All Ethical Trade products must be organic
- Ethical Trade isn’t limited to specific products, like sugar or bananas. It applies to anything that can also be certified organic.
- Products from both developed and developing countries can be certified to Ethical Trade.
Why in the UK?
Trade injustice doesn’t only affect developing countries. Some farmers and growers in the UK receive payments which don’t cover their production costs and many are being forced to leave the industry as a result. The Ethical Trade scheme seeks to ensure equity and fairness in trading relationships around the world, including the UK.