ABSTRACT
Fair Trade is simultaneously a multi-faceted movement and a market whose proponents are in favor of sustainable economic, social, and environmental well-being for people and the planet. As a solidarity movement, advocates for fair trade support (i) producers being paid a fair wage or price, (ii) the sustainability of production, and (iii) opportunities for dignified livelihoods through reducing the number of actors in the commodity chain in the economic exchange of goods. The fair trade market is populated by consumers, producers (who are also consumers), and third-party certifiers. Consumers, for their part, seek to act out ethical and sustainable purchasing practices by buying third-party certified fair trade labeled goods in the marketplace. Producers, who sell their products under the label, are tasked with upholding a variety of standards for sustainability (e.g., protection of biodiversity; prohibition of use of hazardous substances) in their production practices and community development efforts. Third-party certifiers create, maintain, and surveil the standards for production under fair trade labels and certify producers.
