3 ms·

The point of the OP was that fairtrade's standards don't make sense. So why look for their mark?

• pbhjpbhj 16y ago
  Certified fairtrade standards do indicate that which the parent was asking to be shown, that factories have safe and ethical working practices. If you buy fairtrade certified goods then you know (as much as one can, even if you were to inspect the factory yourself) that they don't "beat the workers or subject them to environments that rapidly cause sickness and death either". See some of the assessed standards (certification is by physically present assessors who visit at least once per year except in historically exemplary establishments where visits may be reduced) - http://fairtrade.net/653.0.html http://fairtrade.net/653.0.html, in particular http://fairtrade.net/fileadmin/user_upload/content/2009/standards/documents/04-10_EN_Generic_Fairtrade_Standard_HL_Aug_2009_EN_amended_version_04-10.pdf http://fairtrade.net/fileadmin/user_upload/content/2009/stan... are the generic H&S standards, see for example Section 1.6. Here's another reason to look for the mark, http://fairtrade.net/single_view1.0.html?&cHash=18ecb39c42&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=187 http://fairtrade.net/single_view1.0.html?&cHash=18ecb39c... "ILO and Kuapa Kokoo partner to combat child labour in cocoa" ; http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6575713.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6575713.stm "Labouring for chocolate" BBC report on "child slavery" in cocoa plantations. Of course if you think kids are better off slaving away to keep more of the money you spend on chocolate further up the supply chain, rather than being in school, then don't look for the Fairtrade mark.