How Fair Trade Has Made a Difference
Education: UNIPCAFEM finances and awards a small prize each year for schoolchildren who show special interest in the environment.
Product Certification
Flowers Program
Giving Fair Trade certified blooms are the best way to show one cares about the person receiving the flowers as well as about the workers on flower farms. Fair Trade certification ensures that workers on large-scale flower farms have access to unions, receive better wages, and work under safe labor conditions with protective equipment and proper training. Growers are able to keep the best workers because of these benefits, leading to better productivity and better flower quality. In addition, Fair Trade certification provides workers vital financial support in the form of the Fair Trade premium: 10 percent of the commercial price of every stem sold is allocated to a development fund that gives workers the opportunity to invest in the future of their communities. Fair Trade certified flowers are becoming increasingly popular and are available nationwide in popular retail outlets such as Whole Foods Market. Since the Fair Trade Certified floral program launched in 2007, U.S. consumers have purchased over 20 million Fair Trade stems, resulting in an impressive $600,000 in community development funding for workers to reinvest in their communities.
Featured Producer
UNIPCAFEM is a small producer association located in Southern Minas Gerais. The group was founded in 2005 and became Fair Trade Certified™ in 2007. UNIPCAFEM has a strong relationship with the municipal school in its rural community and is dedicated...
Wholesalers and Retailers
How to Sell Fair Trade Flowers--Requirements for Retailers & Brands
- Wholesalers that buy Fair Trade flowers in bulk for mixed bouquets that will bear the Fair Trade label also need to be certified by Fair Trade USA, but retailers do not need to be certified to sell Fair Trade Certified flowers.
- Sign a Fair Trade USA certification and licensing agreement.
- Purchase Fair Trade Certified flowers from a registered importer.
- Submit all packaging, sales and marketing material carrying the Fair Trade Certified logo to Fair Trade USA for approval.
- Submit quarterly reports on Fair Trade Certified flower purchases and product sales. Undergo, and comply with, regular desk audits and on-site audits.
- Please note: Processed formats and by-products may also be eligible for certification. For example, if a cosmetic product contains flower essence from Fair Trade certified producers, the cosmetic may be eligible for Fair Trade certification.
Importers
How to Import Fair Trade Flowers
- Sign a Fair Trade USA certification and licensing agreement.
- Purchase Fair Trade Certified flowers from Fair Trade producer groups or exporters certified by FLO-Cert.
- Sell Fair Trade Certified flowers to other Fair Trade registered traders and operators.
- Upon purchase directly from a Fair Trade producer, pay a Fair Trade premium on top of the commerical price --see the Pricing Database for premium information
- Pay the designated Fair Trade premium directly to the bank account of the farm workers organization -- see the Pricing Database
- Submit quarterly reports to Fair Trade USA on Fair Trade Certified imports and sales. Undergo, and comply with, regular desk audits and on-site audits.
- Pay licensing fee to Fair Trade USA on all Fair Trade Certified flower purchases.
