Fair trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency, and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to producers and workers.

Fair trade is an essential and crucial element of Bean There Coffee Company. For too long coffee producers have been exploited and treated unfairly through the practices of globalised free trade. Bean There deeply believes in trading fairly and ethically with coffee producers in Africa thereby supporting the coffee farmers, their families, and communities. Fair trade is not an obligation but an opportunity to actively support development, growth, and social empowerment.

At Bean There we view direct fair trade as a hand up and not a hand out. Fair trade is not about special treatment, but rather fair treatment, and it extends beyond farmers and producers to the staff of Bean There, our suppliers, and our customers.

All types of trade, free trade and fair trade, are based on relationships; the economic relationships between the various steps in the supply ladder. Without relationships trade in general would be close to impossible. Relationships involve people; people seeking equity, profit, quality, and value. When the relationship links of the trade chain are weakened through dishonesty, manipulation, and exploitation, trade as we currently know it will begin to fall apart. The free trade chain is only as strong as its weakest link; the weakest link has historically been the baseline producers of the products flogged across the world. Fair trade is not necessarily an alternative to free trade, but rather a method of conducting free trade in a way which strengthens the links in the trade chain to create sustainability, opportunities, and higher quality products.

Bean There enhances these trading relationships through practicing direct fair trade which involves travelling to the country of origin, personally selecting the coffee, meeting the coffee farmers and their community, and partnering with already established programs or initiating new programs. Regardless of certification, Bean There operates according to direct fair trade principles and we believe in not discriminating against amazing coffee which lacks “certification” but rather building a healthy and sustainable trade relationship with the producers.

Certifications

• Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (F.L.O.)

F.L.O. establishes standards for fair trade certification. A network of independent national initiatives awards licenses to use a Fairtrade label on products based on F.L.O. standards. Currently South Africa does not have a certifying body. Two of Bean There’s coffees, Ethiopian Sidamo and Rwandan Kivu, are therefore certified through the F.L.O. head office in Bonn, Germany. The awarding of the certification does not mean Bean There is satisfied with that contribution. Bean There continues to practice direct fair trade with its producers in conjunction with the F.L.O. certification.

• UTZ CERTIFIED Good Inside



UTZ CERTIFIED is dedicated to creating an open and transparent marketplace for agricultural products. In just over five years UTZ CERTIFIED became one of the leading coffee certification programs worldwide. It is now a multi-commodity program, including cocoa, tea, palm oil, and others.

UTZ CERTIFIED’s vision is to achieve sustainable agricultural supply chains in which:

• Farmers are professionals implementing good practices which lead to better businesses, livelihoods, and environments.
• Industry (food, non-food, energy) takes responsibility by demanding and rewarding sustainably grown products.
• Consumers buy products that meet their standards for social and environmental responsibility.

How does UTZ CERTIFIED do this?

• Traceability and transparency: knowing where your product comes from and how it was produced.
• Facilitating farmers to become better business people: creating opportunities so farmers can meet increasingly demanding market expectations.
• Providing a credible trust mark: allowing brands to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and equality.
• Professional partnerships: UTZ partners with brands and retailers looking for a hands-on way to incorporate responsible purchasing into their core business.