ASE Fair Trade

AFESIP Social Enterprise (ASE) acts to raise awareness about the inequalities existing on the world trading exchange system. It maintains that consumers should have the choice to spend their money with a social conscience knowing that the producers of the items they buy have been working in good conditions and receiving fair salaries.

What is Fair Trade?

Fair trade is another way of trading which implements fair treatment and fair pay for the workers/farmers who have created the product.

With fair trade, your money goes directly to the producer - usually an independent farmer, member of a small co-operative or an artisan. Consequently, the price will be fair because there is no ‘middleman’ to pay. This means you know that your money is helping to improve the incomes of regular people.

What are the key elements of Fair Trade?

• The producer is paid a fair price
• The price of the product covers the production cost and makes sure the process is socially just and environmentally sound
• Helps build capacity and allows producers to develop their production
• Helps provide a safe and healthy working conditions for producers, eg; children are not exploited as cheap labourers
• Women's work is properly valued and rewarded
• Encourages better environmental practices and responsible methods of production.

How does AFESIP implement Fair Trade practises?

• Pays fair salaries
• Ensures equality between workers without regard to their health, education, social situation or past
• Provides health insurance for workers
• Respects international quality standards of production
• Sells products and provides services at a fair price.