There are several fair trade certifications that have emerged in response to different needs and realities. The main ones discussed are Fairtrade, the World Fair Trade Organization label, the Small Producers Symbol, Ecocert Fair Trade, Fair for Life, and FairWild. Each certification aims to guarantee fair prices and trade practices for disadvantaged producers through monitoring and standards that address issues like working conditions, environmental sustainability, and community development.

1. Quick overview
Responding to different realities in the field, fair trade certifications have multiplied in recent years

2. Fair trade certifications
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Fairtrade is the historic label, the best known of all fair trade labels. Fairtrade Belgium grants its label to over 1,600 products on the Belgian market. This certification is given to products that meet international standards set by Fairtrade International, and chiefly concern production conditions and prices. To provide this guarantee, Fairtrade Belgium and FLO Cert monitor the entire chain, from producer to consumer.
www.fairtradebelgium.be - www.fairtrade.net
In 2011, the membership of the WFTO decided to develop a new type of Fair Trade system to improve Fair Trade practices in the supply chain and to meet the ever-growing demand for a more trustworthy Fair Trade recognition scheme in the international market.
The Guarantee System has five major components: a new membership admission procedure, a Self- Assessment Report, a Monitoring Audit, a Peer Visit, and the Fair Trade Accountability Watch (FTAW). The FTAW is a participative monitoring mechanism that allows the public to report compliance issues regarding Fair Trade Organisations.
Members that passed the GS process achieve ‘Guaranteed Fair Trade Organisation’ status and may use the WFTO Label on their products. The WFTO Product signifies that the practices across the supply chain are checked against the WFTO Fair Trade Standard. www.wfto.com/standard-and-guarantee-system
The "Small Producers Symbol" was officially launched in November 2010 in Honduras. As stated by the National Coordination of Fair Trade in Peru (NCLA), the initiative came in response to Fairtrade International, which no longer exclusively reserves its Fairtrade label to small producers: « FLO, the international organisation that certifies fair trade in the world, has allowed large businesses to become certified to the detriment of small producers ».
The label comprises a comprehensive set of criteria for production, management, respect for the environment, the management of relations between producers and purchasing organisations...
www.tusimbolo.org

3. Fair trade certifications
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Initially established for organic farming in France, Ecocert has gradually diversified its activities in Europe and beyond, creating its own Fair Trade system in 2007, known as EFT "Ecocert Fair Trade in the spirit of solidarity and responsibility".
It gives the consumer guarantees similar to those offered by Max Havelaar. Thus, EFT membership requires payment of a guaranteed minimum price to producers, the existence of a social fund to finance development projects, technical and commercial support of disadvantaged producers and good agricultural farming practices (organic certification is required for bananas, flowers and cotton). Special feature: Air freight is discouraged. www.ecocert.com/en/fair-trade-certification-program
The Fair for Life certification programme was launched in Switzerland in 2006 by the Bio-Foundation and IMO (Institute for Market ecology) with the explicit intention of setting itself apart from the system established by FLO International. The objective was to allow all fair trade producers and operators - including those who were unable to join the FLO system – to benefit from independent certification evidencing their observance of criteria such as: rejection of forced labour and child labour, freedom of association, safe and decent working conditions, etc.
The Fair for Life label is applied to agricultural produce (fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices, oils, etc.), and also to seafood, cosmetics, textiles, crafts and even toys. www.fairforlife.net
The growing demand for natural products in the food, cosmetics and medicinal sectors is putting great pressure on vulnerable plants; threatening local ecosystems and plant collecting communities, who normally belong to the poorest social groups.
FairWild standard guarantees buyers that the products have been harvested and processed in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. www.fairwild.org
Samuel Poos. December 2014
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