Consider
this: You visit the supermarket and buy the Pink Soap, because it
smells nicer than the Green Soap. Immediately, you have toppled a string
of dominoes. The supermarket will recognise the higher demand for the
Pink Soap and order it more than the Green Soap.
The Pink Soap owner will see a rise in sales. To meet the increased
demand, the owner will hire more workers. A new employee will now be
able to fund her child's education thanks to her wages. The Pink Soap
factory landlord will be guaranteed a steady stream of rent income. The
small restaurant by the factory will have more customers. The farmer who
supplies vegetables to the restaurant will have more sales. Thanks to
his increased income, he will be able to purchase more nutritious food
such as proteins for his young family. His children will grow up as more
physically and cognitively adept citizens.
As a consumer, every product you buy and every product you shun play a
part in determining not only the income of some individuals, but the
growth of the economy as a whole.
There is, however, another side to the coin. The Pink Soap factory
does not comply with environmental standards, and dumps all its waste
into the neighbouring lake. The small restaurant's primary water source
is this lake. The owner has hired more people, but has not expanded the
premises; hence the workers operate in a congested, hazardous
environment.
And this is why you should care about the source of your products,
especially due to the lack of compliance with and enforcement of health,
safety and environment standards in our country.
What is Fair Trade?
Contrary to popular belief, fair trade is more
than an embroidered bed sheet with the background story of a woman in
rural Bangladesh who makes them for a living. As consumers, we get to
see only the retail side of it; however, the question of fairness arises
much earlier, when the production process initiates. The concept of
"Fair Trade" seeks to tackle exploitation of workers in developing
countries by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the
rights of, marginalised producers and workers. According to the World
Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), fair trade has 10 principles that must
be complied with in the supply chain, which not only includes producers
but also the buying behaviour of organisations and individuals.
Making Fair Trade Mainstream
If you visit fairs such as the Dhaka
Craft Bazaar, you will be pleasantly surprised at the amount of small
fair trade firms and their beautiful products. However, you are unlikely
to come across them on a regular basis. In this regard, foremost
natural dye organisation Aranya is one of the few firms who have
successfully brought fair trade principles to the masses through their
handicrafts and clothing line. The question, though, is why aren't more
fair trade organisations competing in the mass market?
"When I started Aranya, I followed the commercial business model, but
I wanted to establish favourable working conditions and supporting
benefits for my employees. So I had adopted the fair trade principles
incidentally," says Ruby Ghuznavi, Executive Chairman of Aranya Crafts
Ltd. and Honorary Member of World Crafts Council-Asia Pacific Region.
For fair trade to be sustainable, perhaps the key is to work the
other way round. "Instilling fair trade best practices in commercial
operations is possible, if producers are made aware of the long term
benefits of looking after employees' and consumers' wellbeing," adds
Ghuznavi.
Misconceptions about Fair Trade
Fair Trade is not charity; to
purchase fair trade products is a mark of consciousness, and to produce
fair trade products should be viewed as a smart business decision that
will improve operations.
Fair trade goods are also mistakenly perceived to be more expensive,
but they are actually competitively priced because they eliminate the
middlemen, who take a sizeable chunk of earnings as commission.
Fair trade is not just about highlighting your company externally;
internally, the practices fair trade promotes, such as safe working
conditions, will go a long way in increasing the efficiency of a
business due to staff satisfaction, a fall in appeals for sick leave,
and hence higher staff retention rates.
Rephrasing Fair Trade to "Fair Corporations"
The 10 principles of
fair trade should not only apply to business who seek the "fair trade"
label; in fact, it is unfortunate otherwise, as it this implies people
who do not fall under this label do not comply with such basic
standards.
The concept of fair trade has created quite a stir in first world
countries due to some of the terrible working conditions of developing
countries displayed in the media. Incidents such as the Rana Plaza
collapse further confirmed the need to address workers' rights when
manufacturing any product.
While other countries are concerned about the welfare of our
workforce, time and again it is apparent that a lot of our local
producers are not. The attitude of producers regarding their employees
need to change; due to the huge supply of labour, we tend to grossly
undervalue our workers. On the other hand, it is true that importers
pressure local producers to cut down on costs as much as possible. To
really bring fairness to trade, there has to be a mutual acknowledgement
of the value of human beings who are involved in the production
process.
As consumers, we play an integral part in deciding what goods we buy,
and we should consider the impact our purchases have on people behind
the scenes as much as we can. Realistically, we might be inclined to buy
the cheaper product. But if it is not a question of price and there are
substitutes available, it is our responsibility to consider where the
products we buy come from. Every purchase can make a difference.
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed
Model: Azim, Meghla
Wardrobe: Aranya
Location: Aranya Production Centre
Special thanks to Ruby Ghuznavi
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The writer is a Feature Writer, Star Lifestyle, The Daily Star.
