Fair for Life Social & FairTrade Certification

The Swiss Bio-Foundation and the Institute for Marketecology (IMO) will present the new version of the Fair for Life Social & FairTrade Certification Programme at Biofach. At the same time, the new Fair for Life Logo will be presented. While the general focus of the logo remains on Fair for Life and the leaf, the term “Fair” is placed more prominently. From the very beginning, “Life” was in the centre of the programme: improving the lives and livelihoods of marginalised producers. But “Life” is no privilege of humans; meaningful consideration of the lives of animals and plants as well as their habitats is part of the environmental criteria of Fair for Life, as symbolised by the label’s leaf.
 
In respect of the principles of the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Setting Social and Environmental Standards (P005, Version 5.01 - April 2010) comments were invited and considered from a wide range of stakeholders through public consultation in two consultation rounds. The certification programme consists of the general programme with scope, objectives, background and all core principles and criteria; in addition, separate detailed control modules are part of the Fair for Life programme, which contain guidance texts on all criteria as well as the control points that will be verified during audits. The well-known high standards of Fair for Life certification have been strengthened in particular with regard to freedom of association, health and safety, social responsibility and responsible community relations, environmental criteria and fair trade pricing requirements. In addition to the general criteria new adapted modules for specific production situations: wild collection, processing and artisan groups, mining, and touristic services have been developed. New composition rules for food, cosmetics, health care and beauty products and other products made from agricultural raw materials, e.g. textiles, have strengthened the labelling and control requirements.
 
“The Fair for Life Programme can be applied worldwide, but all hired labour und producer groups in higher income countries must prove their fair trade focus and benefits on marginalised groups during the application process” states Florentine Meinshausen, the main author of the programme. For Fair for Life operations without certification that confirms good production practice, responsible handling of agrochemicals and responsible soil management (e.g. organic certification) the Fair for Life Integrated Production Criteria are now formally part of the programme. Florentine Meinshausen concludes “Fair for Life shall be fair for all: decent working conditions along the chain of custody, revised unified criteria for Fair for Life buyers, intermediate handlers and brand holders.” Fair for Life Social & FairTrade certification and labelling has gained quick acceptance in high quality markets worldwide, as it offers many complimentary benefits to existing fair trade systems, such as a comprehensive range of products and a wide scope of eligibility. Operations certified according to Fair for Life get access to the worldwide growing fair trade market.

IMO