ABSTRACT
Trade can— and should— be used as a vital tool and catalyst to help close the gaps that exist across society. Fairer trade can create sustainable change by narrowing the gap between rich and poor, by creating opportunities for social and economic change, and by fostering respect for human rights and the world's precious natural resources. It's hard enough to choose among so many alternatives, but the fair trade option presents another challenge. Nearly everyone has an idea about the meaning of fair trade, yet few are really sure what it means or why it is different from free trade. Fair trade refers to an alternative marketing strategy that aims to mitigate the inequitable trade relationships that have come to characterize the world economic system. In general, proponents share an underlying fair trade philosophy that economic relationships should work in favor of a more equitable and sustainable global society.
