Why does Amanprana choose for organic and Fair Trade?

Unfortunately, fair trade is not self-evident. Million-dollar companies often abuse their power to keep their purchase prices as low as possible, sometimes even below the production price. Because of unfair trade, many farmers and workers - especially in the South - live in poverty and great uncertainty, because the income of farmers can collapse in an instant due to changing prices on the world market. FairTrade was therefore created after WWII as a response to the conventional way of trading and with the aim of offering vulnerable producers and workers a stable income and combating poverty among them. Their basic principle is: as little harm as possible to people and the environment. Amanprana products must therefore be organic, ethical, sustainable and fair. Is fair trade always fair, is organic automatically fair trade and why does Amanprana choose organic and fair trade?

Is fairtrade always fair?

Many new fair trade labels have been added in recent years. Unfortunately this does not mean that all labels are 100% free of exploitation. For example, sometimes they only look at the farmers but not at the workers in the processing industry; and sometimes not all the ingredients in a product are certified. And some labels have insufficient independent checks. In addition, not all labels protect farmers and workers to the same extent. In order to create more overview, Flocert was founded in 2003. This is an independent certification organisation that guarantees the neutrality of the Fairtrade system and covers many - but not all - Fairtrade logos. It works in the field and carries out regular and ad hoc audits to check compliance with the criteria and standards of the Fairtrade system.

Is organic always fair trade?

Organic is not automatically a guarantee for fair trade and fair trade is not automatically organic. If a product states that it is organic, this means that it meets strict environmental requirements, but it does not mean, for example, that a farmer receives a minimum guaranteed price. However, there are now also products that are both Fairtrade and organic certified, such as bananas, tea and coffee. Because Amanprana considers it very important that their products are - where possible - fair trade and always organic, the company drew up its own Amanprana FairTrade charter, which includes their coconut oil, coconut blossom sugar, coconut flour, vanilla and cocoa. Many Fair Trade organisations have also become unaffordable. By drawing up their own Fair Trade charter, they set the bar very high. Amanprana's coconut project, for example, provides work for 300 families in Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Amanprana thus also gives opportunities to local populations, small initiatives and idealistic projects.

With the Fair Trade Fund Amanprana gives back to the world

From Amanprana's vision, both the raw materials and the production process are responsible for FairTrade. All products are in any case certified organic. So no GMOs, parabens, pesticides, phenpxyethanol or other products of synthetic origin and no animal testing. Amanprana used to have to pay a lot of money to control organisations purely to be certified Fair Trade. Now they invest this money in the Fair Trade Fund. In addition, 5% of the purchases of their Fair Trade products goes to this fund, compared to 3% before. This money is used for health care, the environment, purchase of means of production, education, infrastructure and a guaranteed minimum price for the products. In this way, Amanprana is working - over the long term - on ecological and sustainable partnerships that benefit all parties.

The difference between FairWorld and FairTrade

The FairTrade and FairWorld labels at Amanprana overlap. Whereas FairTrade mainly focuses on (fair) trade and the associated process, FairWorld focuses more on the framework conditions, specifically to strengthen the position of women. FairTrade and FairWorld are both part of development cooperation. The Amanprana FairTrade charter focuses on:

✔ Decent working conditions, free from child labour, forced labour or so-called 'starvation wages'. And where discrimination and dangerous working conditions are also excluded.
✔ Freedom and transparency: where everyone can join a trade union, everyone's privacy is respected, there is a normal working week, and everyone is free to end their employment.
✔ Nature and environment: whereby endangered species or protected areas are not harmed and natural ecosystems are respected.
✔ Fair prices: where producers can count on a generous minimum price that covers their costs, and where local laws on wages, social security and working hours are respected.
✔ Families and people: where long-term partnerships are chosen, training and coaching is encouraged and new jobs are created at a local level.
✔ FairWorld: where the equality of women and men is a basic right, the position of women and other disadvantaged groups must be equal, and sexual stereotypes must be eliminated.