With Fair Trade experiencing monumental change in the past few months, committed stakeholders in N. America have started a dialogue initiative to clarify the direction for the Fair Trade movement in N. America with the goal of upholding its benefits for marginalized producers around the world.
The initiative, called the N. America Fair Trade Stakeholder Council, will begin with around 40-50 nonprofits, advocacy organizations, committed companies, producer/farmer/ worker groups, academics and others, who will hold conference calls and email discussions over several months before attending an in-person summit April 30 – May 2, 2012. Fair Trade Resource Network (FTRN), Fair World Project (FWP), and Domestic Fair Trade Association (DFTA) comprise the Organizing Committee leading the initiative.
At present, the Council seeks to advance these 4 goals:
- Define fair trade and the movement, what they are and what they are not
- Organize the North American fair trade movement under a coordinated infrastructure with a common vision
- Reach agreement on a plan for cooperation and accountability within the movement
- Develop a clear external message for the movement
As the Council gets more organized and gains more momentum, it intends to periodically share its major ideas & highlights with the public, and to occasionally invite public comment. In balancing efficiency with inclusiveness and transparency, the Council intends to maintain open, clear and transparent communication channels with stakeholders in other organizations, as well as other producer and consumer regions, to collaborate as much as possible.
For a list of Council participants and information about how non-participants can get involved, please click here.
Small Farmers. Big Change. 
I’m glad to see at least the beginnings of a coordinated effort to advance fair trade in the wake of its abandonment by Fair Trade USA/Transfair, but I hope there will be some direction and assistance to others over the next couple of months, even as the Stakeholder Council works.
Thanks for posting this. Is this meant to be an open and transparent effort or closed to a list of undisclosed (as of yet) participants chosen by the initiating groups? No list of participants is apparent on the initiating groups’ sites, nor is there information about how interested stakeholders can engage. I hope these factors change as, ironically, it seems to be taking the much criticized FTUSA approach of having a small, hand-selected group develop a position then putting it our for feedback.
Dear Chris,
The movement was officially one week old when I posted this. I understand your skepticism and would encourage you to try and have a bit of patience as the work gets underway. The list of participants is currently up on all the organizing committee sites, as well as on our own blog: https://smallfarmersbigchange.coop/2012/01/10/more-news-from-the-north-america-ft-stakeholder-council/ In addition to the names of Council participants are ways in which folks not on the Council can participate. I’m sure that the lead organizers are open to suggestions and feedback. Thanks again for your interest, and of course, feel free to weigh in as things proceed.
Thanks!
Phyllis