ABSTRACT
The market is traditionally defined in economics as the interaction between supply and demand. The sustainable market is usually studied through the dyadic relationship between consumers and companies. This chapter addresses the sustainable market from a neo-institutional perspective and encourages managers to get involved in the sustainable market, not only for reasons of profitability but because there are institutional restrictions to be met. It relies on the case of fair trade in France to show how a sustainable market has been constructed and has become an institution. The chapter underlines the isomorphic effects between the organizations that were instrumental in the institutionalization of fair trade. It sets out the legitimation strategies used by two major actors on the French market: Artisans du Monde, a historic fair trade association, and Alter Eco, the first private enterprise specializing in fair trade. The chapter stresses the importance of the notion of transparency and its definition as a means of legitimation for the actors.
