Fair Trade chocolate is chocolate that has been sourced and produced while respecting the three pillars of sustainable development: people, planet and profit, or in other words:
Fairtrade International, created in 1997, is an association of three producer networks and twenty national labelling initiatives. They develop Fairtrade standards, license buyers, label usage and market the Fairtrade certification mark in consuming countries. The Fairtrade International labelling system is the largest and most widely recognised standard setting and certification body for the Fairtrade label. Fairtrade International, which is the non-profit arm, oversees standards development and licensing organisation activity. The association’s vision is to connect disadvantaged producers and consumers, promote fairer trading conditions and empower producers to combat poverty, strengthen their position and take more control over their lives. Their mission is to promote better trading conditions and empower producers, at the same time as focusing on a wide range of commodities (cocoa, vanilla, sugar).
FLO-CERT, the for-profit arm, handles producer certification, inspecting and certifying producer organisations in more than 50 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
More information about Fairtrade is available on their website www.fairtrade.net