Every year on the second Saturday of May, the World Fair Trade Organisation celebrates World Fair Trade Day to raise awareness of the Fair Trade business and how it promotes social and economic justice, changing lives and improving communities globally. At Quattro Foods we support Fair Trade wherever we can and we’re delighted to help spread the word about Fair Trade principles and practices.
What does the WFTO aim to achieve?
With a goal of inspiring consumers and food-related businesses as well as policymakers to understand and embrace Fair Trade processes and products, the organisation is working towards a more equitable and sustainable world. 2024’s #BusinessRevolution theme encourages businesses to explore how they can make real and lasting change globally.
So how can we all become part of this movement which is critical to the protection of our food sources and to the wellbeing of the hundreds of thousands of people who work in the food industry?
As one of the UK’s leading food manufacturers, we understand the importance of the origins of the food we consume and the quality of the living and working conditions of the people who create it.
Chocolate for change
Chances are you ate a little, or a lot, of this snack staple this week. We did! And we’re guessing millions of others did too. The universal language of chocolate spans continents and generations. Where would we be without the humble cocoa plant? We love to eat it, but what about the conditions of many of those who grow it? Sadly, they can be pretty basic at best, appalling, unsanitary or even dangerous at worst.
World Fair Trade Day – making real and lasting change
We would certainly enjoy our favourite treat a whole lot more if we knew the source was healthy and fair, so how can we help make a difference? That’s exactly the purpose of the activities around World Fair Trade Day.
Here’s an opportunity for all of us to work towards a world where we can lend a hand to farmers, producers and their families, with real-life incentives and support for healthy and sustainable communities.
Although more than 1.4 million farmers and workers worldwide produce Fair Trade products, many more do not have access to these benefits. Being part of the Fair Trade Organisation ensures that farmers and producers get help to achieve sustainable and equitable trade relationships. These benefits range from fairer – and higher – prices paid for goods to improved social and environmental standards of the management and export process.
How can you help?
And if you’re not a food professional? Anyone can lend a hand, even those not involved in the industry. The simple consumer can help by keeping eyes open and being aware of how we shop and eat. Every time you buy a Fair Trade product you make a difference to farmers and workers around the world.
Which foods are Fair Trade?
The things we eat every day are the food products we should be most alert about. Fair Trade products include bananas, cocoa, coffee, tea, sugar and fruit.
This World Fair Trade Day let’s do what we can to fight poverty, exploitation and climate change.