Making paper from elephant poo? That’s exactly what Elecosy does, a fair trade company founded in 2013 in Kanegem, West Flanders. Co-founder Frank Cockerill talks about his commitment to the environment and rural communities in Sri Lanka and India.
MEPs are calling for binding legislation that makes companies accountable for any violations of social and environmental rights in their supply chains. The European Commission plans to submit a draft directive in June. During its plenary session on 10 March 2021, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on corporate due diligence – corporate social responsibility […]
A circular economy is regularly presented as a possible solution to the environmental crisis facing the world today. The question is: is that economic model compatible with fair trade? How can fair trade apply circular economy principles, and what benefits would this bring?
Despite an agreement with Ghana on a more remunerative price for farmers, Côte d’Ivoire is unable to maintain the price of its cocoa. The pandemic and sluggish demand are not helping, but the manufacturers are also playing their part.
Due to climate change the suitable production area for coffee will be reduced with 50% by 2050. Climate change is, unfortunately, an irreversible process in the short-term. If we want to keep our lovely cup of coffee, we must respond to it with bold initiatives that require the implication, flexibility, and innovation from all the coffee value chain actors. Four possible solutions can prevent the unavoidable last cup of coffee.
In 2002, a number of farmer groups near the Nyungwe Forest in southwest Rwanda set up the coffee cooperative KOAKAKA. Step by step they expanded their organisation to include around 70 collection points where members bring their freshly picked berries, and two washing stations where the first steps of the process take place. With TDC’s coaching in marketing and business support, they managed to have a 69% increase in the sales price.
On Thursday 4 February, Minister of Development Cooperation Meryame Kitir and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Employment Pierre-Yves Dermagne received the letter from two signatories, Ann Claes (JBC) and Bruno Van Steenberghe (Kalani), at the Evere branch of JBC.
The fair trade movement has always been environmentally conscious. Yet fair trade and environmentally conscious agriculture have for a long time developed separately, without looking for parallels. However, in recent years they have gradually grown closer together and sometimes they merge completely.
The EU wants to launch a legal framework for corporate due diligence with regard to human rights and the environment by 2021. “I see more and more support, also from companies. They are the ones asking for more certainty, to create a level playing field”, said European Commissioner Didier Reynders at a debate on the topic of CSR in company supply chains on the 29th of September.
Coronavirus, climate change, exploding inequality, destruction of biodiversity…the increasing number of crises is forcing us to face facts: we need to take a different approach to trade. We must accelerate the ecological and solidarity-based transition our society needs. And fair trade is the trump card to help achieve this.
