News for caffeine-fuelled campaigners!
From Transfair USA, a non-profit organisation which certifies and promotes fair trade products in the States:
Starbucks, one of the largest buyers of Fair Trade Certified coffee, will double its purchases to 40 million pounds in 2009, making the company the largest purchaser of Fair Trade Certified™ coffee in the world.
“This commitment from Starbucks could not have come at a better time for coffee farmers as they face the threat of climate change, higher prices and brace themselves for a global slowdown,” said Rob Cameron, ceo of FLO. [Fairtrade Labeling Organizations] “The partnership combines the expertise of Fairtrade in delivering grassroots-based farmer and consumer empowerment in global markets, with Starbucks incentive-based program for improvement of coffee quality and farmer incomes. Together, we believe we can forge a model of trade for sustainable development that the coffee industry has never before seen.”
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4 Comments
Excellent. I can’t say I’m a huge fan of Starbucks, but one company of that size investing in Fairtrade coffee is worth thousands of little independent coffee shops.
If we’re going to have the big coffee chains (and we the people seem to want them, or we wouldn’t go there in preference to the local caff), it’s great news if they’re able to do some good into the bargain.
Yeah, certainly not a bad thing, but it doesn’t make Starbucks a morally good company, particularly given their history of penalising trades unionists and poor employee relations.
Wow. That 3.7% is going to go to a whopping 7%.
It’s actually 6% going to 12% according to lattest numbers. However, read carefully on other news websites there is more posted than on here. TransFair USA, CI, the FLO,are INTEGRATING the process of certification with Starbucks “Shared Planet”. This means the FLO (Fair Trade) will be involved in certification of CAFE Practices coffee which Starbucks currently purchases. Their goal is to have 80% of their coffee Fair Trade Certified by 2012, and eventually 100% Fair Trade Certified. The information is out there, you just need to look for it, and most of the critics are too lazy and/or noy open to even accepting the idea that Starbucks may go this route. Lot’s of information is now available on Fair Trade websites and news websites. Watch for the Fair Trade logo on Starbucks cups in the coming years. I applaud them – And I am glad to see that CAFE Practices is getting the attention it deserves from the FLO and other Fair Trade Organizations.