How to Achieve Fair Trade Status

Did you know that towns can actually be awarded with Fairtrade status? A town which is rewarded with this recognition has proven its commitment to support the Fairtrade movement. They do this basically by using products with the Fairtrade mark, among other goals which I'll talk about later in this article.

Any area that wants to can try to achieve Fairtrade status, but everyone needs to work towards this goal in unison.

Garstand in Lacashire was originally declare the very first Fairtrade town. After them, many other towns have followed suit. Now there are over 400 Fairtrade towns in all, as well as 200+ more currently working towards Fairtrade status.

Let's talk more about how your town can achieve Fair Trade status.

There are 5 primary goals which each town needs to meet in order to be considered for approval. They're easily remembered as the "Five C's":

1. Council

2. Commerce

3. Community

4. Common Consensus

5. Captains

I'll go into these a bit more in detail, starting with the top.

1. Council. Council refers to the first goal where the local town council must pass a resolution that supports the Fairtrade movement, and all agree to use Fairtrade products (like in local official meetings, public offices, etc...). When making your application, include a copy of the precise wording of the resolution that was passed by the council.

2. Commerce. Fairtrade products must be available in local retail outlets. These should include local shops, retail markets, gas stations, restaurants, bars, etc.. When creating the Fairtrade application, include the locations of all retail outlets that currently sell Fairtrade products.

3. Community. Local community groups should support Fairtrade and use Fairtrade products whenever they can. Community groups include schools, churches, etc... You'll need to show how many community groups in your area currently support the Fairtrade movement, so make it as many as possible.

4. Common Consensus. There should be some form of media coverage and/or events that will raise the local awareness for the current Fairtrade movement that's going on in the town. This will help the populace get energized about the campaign. Keep track of all of the media coverage regarding the Fairtrade campaign, you're going to need it later for your application.

5. Captains. A Fairtrade leadership group is established to make sure that the Fairtrade campaign within the town continues to grow and attract local support. This is the last and most important step to make sure the Fairtrade campaign achieves longevity. With the application, include a list of all of these group members, their roles within the group, as well as full contact details.

After all these goals are met you'll need to submit an application with fairtrade.org.uk. In order to get your application approved make sure you follow the tips listed by each goal.