As a result of a joint effort of a group of academics and actors of the Fair Trade movement led by Commerce Équitable France, the fifth edition of the International Guide to Fair Trade Labels is now available.

It represents a unique contribution to the differentiation, evaluation, and comparison of the different labels of Fair Trade and Sustainability standards that proliferate in any sector and industry.

More specifically, the guide analyses the effectiveness of Fair Trade Labels, their standards, and monitoring criteria, assigning them a score for their economic, social, governance and environmental performance.

Moreover, it includes information on domestic or local Fair Trade Initiatives, namely a recent development of the fair trade concept, intended to extend the geographical scope of Fair Trade certification to marginalized producers, wherever they may be located, including OECD countries.

Finally, the guide contributes to shedding light on the shortcomings of corporate initiatives and their sustainability programs, when it comes to transparency, monitoring measures, and overall commitment.

In short, this guide opens the curtains on what lies behind the labels and the values they stand for. This knowledge helps consumers choosing mindfully to purchase the labels that match their values and deserve their trust.  Truth is that trust is the scarcest of all commodities and it is built on transparency, which is the strength of the Fair Trade movement, together with the unity and clarity of its commitments and the widespread efforts to hold onto its principles, in the creation of a fairer and more sustainable global economic system.

Find more information here.