BAFTS' Membership & Marketing Coordinator's thoughts on her first Spring Fair

The beginning of last week saw Kathryn, BAFTS’ Marketing and Membership Coordinator, head off to Spring Fair at the NEC Birmingham with Board member and Manager of Gateway World Shop, Hazel Dobson, to spend two full days briefly meeting most of the other Board members, then catching up with as many BAFTS’ suppliers as possible. It was also an opportunity for Hazel to place orders in situ, and for Kathryn to visit several potential new members.

The exhibition space was as vast as people had indicated: so many halls packed with row upon row of white stands, which took on a disorientating similarity after several hours. We worked out the best approach hall-wise and went round, speaking to members, taking photographs, asking how things were going, and I was amazed at the sheer diversity of products on offer. I was equally impressed by the huge amount of passion which our suppliers put into their businesses. It was the first time I had met many of them in the 11 months since I joined BAFTS; some I had already had a chance to speak to at Harrogate in July, but one day had not been enough time to see everyone then.

One question which cropped up with one or two potential new members was the issue of some of their products coming from China. One of these suppliers had previously applied for membership of BAFTS several years ago, not quite fulfilled the criteria, and believed this aspect had probably had something to do with it. Certainly, this whole topic is one which requires further investigation, if fair trading practises are ever to take a serious hold there. Whilst China used to be linked with cheap labour, it has become an economic super-power over the last few years, and knows that the world is watching its progress. 

A second topic which saddened me a little was the feeling by some seemingly very committed fair trade businesses who do not wish to join BAFTS, that “fair trade” is being watered down too much into “ethical trade” and moving away from one of its grassroots aims of seeking out marginalised, disadvantaged and impoverished producers; an environment to which they do not want to belong. It was necessary to hear that sentiment, in order to understand where some fair trade businesses are coming from, but working out how to bridge that gap will take some serious thought.

Teaching the young about Fair Trade ...

TEACHING THE YOUNG ABOUT FAIR TRADE ..

Alongside my part-time role as BAFTS’ Marketing and Membership Coordinator, I also work a couple of lunchtimes in BAFTS’ shop, Gateway World Shop, Durham and have a teaching qualification. So, when a primary teacher enquires as to whether we can do something by way of a visit to the shop and a little lesson about Fairtrade/ Fair Trade I jump at the chance.

Hazel Dobson, Manager of Gateway World Shop, and I are greeted by 10-11 six to seven year olds and their teachers. The props (FAIRTRADE Mark certified goods from the shop such as tea, cocoa, sugar and muesli; and crafts such as a picture frame, knitted finger-puppets, and a wooden Christmas decorations, alongside leaflets and posters) are laid out either side of me and the finger puppets help tell a story.

We start by using the Santa Claus finger-puppet and ask the pupils how they would feel if their brothers and sisters asked for 10 presents and got ten, but they asked for the same number and only got 5. The whole concept of unfairness is introduced to them on a level and in an example with which they can identify. We ask them how they might feel to be treated unfairly...words such as angry, sad, disappointed are expressed.

Then we swap to the two finger puppets which could just about pass for farmers (they are actually two Josephs from a Nativity set) pretending that they are brothers, both tea growers, and each have ten fields to tend. We suggest they have spent an outlay of £25 a year on their crops, as an easy figure to remember. But one brother is offered £20 for his whole crop (non-Fairtrade) whereas the other is offered £40 for his exact same crop (Fairtrade). We look at the difficulties which the brother might encounter with his shortfall – hunger, sickness, lack of education for his children, despondency, debt – and what extra the other brother might be able to do with his profit -a simplistic version of a fairer wage which covers outlay and gives the farmer a premium. We suggest he could repair damaged houses and schools, install a tap with fresh water for the community, feed their families better, pay for medicines, and buy more crops to sell more next year, which would increase his profit. Interestingly enough, several of the children suggest that he could give some of his extra money to his brother to help him out....

We explain briefly about the differences between the FAIRTRADE Mark (www.fairtrade.org.uk) and BAFTS’ products (www.bafts.org.uk), and how the children can make sure that products are fairly-traded. The pupils get a chance to look at and touch the products on show, and ask questions. All very basic, but they went away knowing what it feels like to be on the receiving end of unfairness, and the sort of products available, which will hopefully help them to remember how Fair Trade helps make farmers, growers and craftsmen feel good about themselves, and might encourage them to pass the message on to their wider families too. As a parent myself, I am well aware how powerful my own children’s “pester-power” can be....and the pupils must have enjoyed the session, as we have been invited to a fair trade coffee morning next week as well!!

Kathryn Sygrove

BAFTS’ Marketing and Membership Coordinator.

7th Fair Trade Towns' Conference in Oslo 28-29th September 2013 and BAFTS' members' role in upholding credibility

KINDLY WRITTEN BY BAFTS' MEMBER, RITA VERITY of SONIA'S SMILE

Fairtrade Norway recently hosted the 7th International Fairtrade Town Conference on 28-29th September, where a gathering in Oslo of representatives from 23 Countries shared stories and ideas about their campaigns http://www.fairtradeoslo2013.com/ The rise of Fair Trade Towns Internationally, shows no signs of slowing down. At around 1,400 it is increasing almost daily and, as the two words suggest, it is now no longer about only the FLO label. This very recognisable mark has been the tool we have used in the UK to build the foundation of Fairtrade Towns, a grassroots campaign movement bringing awareness of the injustices inherent in trading systems to the public. These images are a photo of the Olympics, the "Big Tent" approach from Fairtrade International and Oslo: http://gallery.mailchimp.com/2482186a46f7ac25208f098c9/images/Oslo_Olympics.JPG http://gallery.mailchimp.com/2482186a46f7ac25208f098c9/images/FT_Internat_Big_Tent_Oslo.JPG http://gallery.mailchimp.com/2482186a46f7ac25208f098c9/images/oslo_c.jpg This conference heard a lot about the 'Big Tent' approach used by the National Steering Committee in the USA which is about working closely with other certification bodies for purposes of the criteria, and therefore it is an inclusive model that works to promote and drive sales of a wide range of Fair Trade thus benefitting many more producers in the Global South. Following on from the resolution passed in Rio to introduce a certification label for crafts means we are widening the whole fair trade market while at the same time raising the profile and recognising those who are striving to do the most for the vulnerable people we represent. I was particularly inspired by the opening speaker Erik Solheim who is now a special envoy for the UN having previously been Norway's Minister of the Environment and International Development. He is doing amazing work and his passion shines through, gaining him many awards including the UNEP's 'Champion of the Earth'. We heard about Seoul which will be the largest Fair Trade city in the world when they achieve the status, having a population of 10 million. Other speakers included James Bennett, Head of Brand and Out of Home for Fairtrade International. He explained the work done with the Olympics not only to get Fairtrade products included in the procurement, but also get the Fairtrade logo on the publicity and promotional materials. Given that Coca-cola and other global brands were the main sponsors this was an incredible achievement. In small workshops, we had discussions on our own campaigns and working with local authorities and schools etc. The message I always take from any gathering of people who are involved with trade justice is that we all understand that we can and must do something. From the Ministers and the Mayors to the volunteers and individual shop owners like myself we all know that we are changing the world one purchase at a time. I am very fortunate to be in a position to go to these conferences and spend time with others who believe wholeheartedly that it is our duty to campaign against unfair and unjust practices.  Fair Trade Towns campaigns are made up of individuals, the majority of whom have nothing to gain financially, they are not shops, importers or suppliers. They are simply people with a conscience who do not want to enjoy cheap luxuries at the expense of another persons life and they spend time and money campaigning to bring about this change. Being a member of BAFTS should mean that we go over and above normal business practices, and that should be far more than just 'not exploiting' the producer. Paying a fair price should be the starting point only and not using child labour at the expense of their education similarly so. BAFTS shops should be the face of Fair Trade on the High Street and I know many are involved and leading Fairtrade Town campaigns. If we are to be a credible member organisation we have to demonstrate that we comprise of businesses and individuals with a common goal and are committed to the 10 principles set out by the WFTO. I am grateful to the board for the work put in to oversee the running of our organisation but as Fair Trade continues to grow and is gaining strength, the scrutiny of our members is also key to our credibility. Being a member of BAFTS gives us all the privilege of participating in the process of ensuring that we uphold the principles and work together to keep our organisation at a level, at which we are all proud to be a member. I urge everyone not already involved in playing a part of this incredible social movement to find out more about either Fairtrade Towns or participate in the work which the BAFTS board are doing.

Who is BAFTS?

BAFTS Week 2013 runs from 21 to 28 September and members across the UK will be celebrating with special promotions. So who is BAFTS? Below you'll find a few key points about the British Association for Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers

• BAFTS is a member organisation. It is run by its members for the benefit of its members and their customers.
• It was founded in 1995 to be the voice of fair trade retailing in the UK
• BAFTS has 138 members in all four countries of the UK, as well as the Isle of Man and the Isle of Wight. 
• 47 Shop members who buy from fair trade wholesale suppliers in the UK and sell directly to the public in a range of ways - bricks and mortar shops, market stalls, craft stalls, websites etc.
• 12 Direct Sourcing Retail members who work with producers in the developing world, import goods and sell directly to the public via shops, websites and market stalls.
• 79 Supplier members who work with producers in the developing world, import their goods and sell to retailers including BAFTS shop members.
• 25% of BAFTS members have a turnover below £25,000 a year.
• 60% of BAFTS members have a turnover below £100,000 a year.
• 3% of BAFTS members have a turnover in excess of £1,000,000 a year.
• BAFTS suppliers work with producers in 28 countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America:
• In a BAFTS shop you may find goods from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines, Palestine, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Rwanda, Mali, Ghana, Egypt, Morocco, Malawi, Madagascar, Senegal, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Haiti and Mexico
• Products include: Toys, Furniture, Ornaments, Clothing, Bags, Scarves, Jewellery, Homewares, Cards and Wrapping Paper, Kitchenware, Gifts, Christmas decorations, 
• Skilled artisans work with a huge range of materials including: soapstone, wood, ceramic, glass, mosaic, sawdust, papier mache, recycled metal, wire, tin, iron, steel, aluminium, fabric, crochet, knitting, weaving, appliqué, silversmithing, beaded jewellery from glass, paper, wood, metal, shell
• BAFTS is a member of the World Fair Trade Organisation  
• If you are a retailer or wholesaler selling at least 70% fairly traded goods, you could consider joining BAFTS. Check out the "Join BAFTS" section on the BAFTS website: http://www.bafts.org.uk 

BAFTS' member Myakka earns Top Ethical Ranking from The Ethical Company Organisation

Halfway through our first BAFTS' week, we are delighted to share the news that our member Myakka has been awarded a Top Ethical Ranking from The Ethical Company Organisation. Read about it direct from Myakka's own words, and share with us in wishing them sincere congratulations!

Myakka is celebrating success with an impressive top ranking in the latest furniture research completed by The Ethical Company Organisation. The research rates companies according to their commitment to the environment, animals and people and within the furniture sector, research also looks specifically at Rainforest Timber and wood sourcing policies of each of the companies. Specialist fair-trade furniture retailer, Myakka received a top Ethical Company Index (ECI) score of 100 in the latest research, ahead of large high-street retailers such as Homebase, John Lewis and B&Q. For more information please go to www.myakka.co.uk William Sankey, Research Director from The Ethical Company Organisation said “We hope this latest batch of research will enable more ethical consumers to source their goods from the most responsible players in the furniture business.  We particularly commend Myakka for their strong ethical performance.” www.ethical-company-organisation.org The 11th Annual Ethical Shopping Guide is now available to buy. Myakka has been awarded the Ethical Accreditation for their corporate social responsibility since 2009 and earned their place in the Good Shopping Guide also.  This leading directory provides detailed information on everything from banks to butter, washing machines to jeans to help consumers make informed decisions on shopping with a clear conscience. Simon Whitehead, Founding Director of Myakka said “We are delighted to have received such a high ranking in the latest research. Consumers are becoming more aware of the sourcing of products and The Ethical Company Organisation provides clear guidance and external verification which is invaluable to consumers.” Established in 1999, Myakka offers fair trade furniture and home accessories to customers across the UK through their mail order catalogue and e-commerce website.  The company has been members of BAFTS (The British Association for Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers) since 2006 and source the majority of their exclusive lines directly from manufacturers in India, Thailand and Indonesia. In response to consumer awareness, this week also sees the launch of the inaugural BAFTS' Campaign Week.  Running from 21-28 September, the event is designed to raise awareness of over 150 BAFTS' members selling fair trade products across the UK.

Official Press release Wording for BAFTS' week 21st-28th September 2013

BAFTS (The British Association for Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers) is delighted to announce its first ever campaign week from 21-28 September. Set up in 1998, BAFTS is a membership organisation for suppliers who import, and shops who sell, a minimum of 70% fair trade goods from recognised sources. Its members are vetted by peer review on an annual basis, and customers can shop or order with confidence from a BAFTS member, knowing that this organisation has had its fair trade principles monitored and assessed annually.   

BAFTS is a member organisation of the WFTO (World Fair Trade Organisation) and also of WFTO-Europe. BAFTS is also recognised by the WFTO as the national fair trade networking organisation in the UK, and adheres to their Ten Principles of Fair Trade. For full details, please go to http://www.bafts.org.uk/resources BAFTS prides itself on the fact that its members work to bring about changes in the status of developing world producers through Fair Trade retailing and campaigning. Most members have links with Fairtrade Towns’ campaigns across the country and are passionate about Trade Justice.

The primary aim of the week is to raise awareness of BAFTS and its almost 150 members, independent businesses who sell fairly traded goods in locations all around the UK. It is also an attempt to answer the questions: what about products for which there is no FAIRTRADE Mark ? How can we be sure that they are fairly-traded? Whilst many consumers recognise the FAIRTRADE Mark thanks to successful publicity by the Fairtrade Foundation, and campaigning by Fairtrade towns, this is not the only organisation dedicated to fair trade. Items that can be certified Fairtrade are usually products that are grown, like cotton, rubber and food. The Fairtrade Foundation describes the situation thus:

  ‘Fairtrade certification and its system of minimum pricing were designed for commodity products. It is technically difficult to adapt this model of standardized minimum pricing to crafts and other products made by small-scale artisans, which are each unique and have highly varied production processes and costs.’

In our opinion, a good starting point for the answers to these questions lies in membership of BAFTS, building on the solid foundation of the WFTO 10 Principles of Fair Trade, and adding to the mix a community with a wealth of experience, commitment, passion and shared goals.

BAFTS represented at the Scottish Fair Trade Nation Celebration in Perth 7th September 2103

It was a long day full of expectation and excitement. As Marketing and Membership Coordinator for BAFTS, I was travelling up to Perth to represent our organisation, take part in the Celebration, meet some existing members and possible new ones, and sit on a panel discussion about "Scotland as a Fair Trade Nation: What Next?" My role there was to say how BAFTS (amongst other organisations) could help Scotland now that it had already achieved Fair Trade Status.

I presented soon after noon, following on from representatives from Pekerti, a WFTO producer group from Indonesia. A few technical problems meant that the system on which all the presentations were stored was not linked to the Internet, so it was not possible to show the "For a Few Pesos More" video, but everyone got the lyrics and a link to the Youtube Video. I spoke about BAFTS' history, what we do, and who we are, how we have changed, member benefits, WFTO, and events coming up soon, adding the quip that if there was time left I might sing the lyrics to the audience - thankfully there wasn't! It was hard to know who exactly the audience was (maybe about 30-40 people) as people kept mingling, coming and going, chatting quietly in the background, but I suspect that many were Scottish citizens, a few were maybe committed Fairtrade and fair trade activists, and a few were suppliers or shops (Suzanne Whittingham from Traidcraft told me later that she popped in from manning her stall, but you try and phase out movements when presenting, to focus on what you have to say). I was careful to point out that there may well be some shops and suppliers in the audience who were not members of BAFTS, and whilst that did not mean that these shops and suppliers were not indeed genuine and ethical, we felt that our organisation offered regular monitoring, accountability, community and a shared purpose in promoting fair trade.

The audience seemed to enjoy the presentation, which was speedily followed by Elen Jones speaking about Fair Trade Wales and five years as a Fair Trade Nation. Then we were both whisked away to sit on the aforementioned panel discussion, alongside Barbara Crowther (Fairtrade Foundation), the two Indonesian ladies representing Pekerti, and Martin Meteyard, Chair of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum. Interestingly, Barbara mentioned that the Fairtrade Foundation had been approached to certify Scotland a Fair Trade Nation when they first decided to move towards this, but it had been decided that they should set their own goals and get plenty of evidence of working towards these, before proclaiming that they have achieved them. It took seven years all told!

I stated that I felt BAFTS was in a good position to help them move forward - we already had several Scotland-based shops and suppliers selling their goods that day in their "Market Place" and more around Scotland, so interconnections already existed; many of our members have connections with Fairtrade Towns, so we support the successful growth and campaign around the FAIRTRADE (FLO) Mark; because our organisation is a member (indeed the national network representative) of the WFTO, we adhere to the 10 Principles of Fair Trade, which can be applied in a wider context than the commodity-based FLO Mark, and we were able to share information on our website and social media, plus attend meetings whenever this was geographically possible.

The remainder of the day was spent talking to existing members and taking photographs, chatting to a few ex-members about re-joining, welcoming Traidcraft and chatting with them, buying a few small fair trade gifts (obligatory, of course!), speaking to Oromo Coffee Company (who will be represented at out member meeting at The FIG Tree Centre, Garstang on 23rd September), and listening to Humza Yousaf, MSP for External Affairs and International Development, talk about his support for the Scotland Fair Trade Nation Campaign. I had approached Martin Rhodes, Director at the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, for a photograph, so decided to be bold and ask if a few more representatives of key organisations could be involved too. It rounded up a very stimulating, thought-provoking and exciting day, of which I was proud to be a part.
Below are (L to R)Martin Rhodes, Director of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, Humza Yousaf MSP for External Affairs and International Development, Kathryn Sygrove for BAFTS, Elen Jones from Fair Trade Wales, and Betsy Reed, former Director of The Scottish Fair Trade Forum.