Fair Trade USA™ to Host Producers’ Forum at SCA Conference

OAKLAND, CA. – (April 9, 2024) – Fair Trade USA will host a Producers’ Forum on April 11 in the lead up to the Specialty Coffee Association’s (SCA) Expo in Chicago. The organization will provide an update to industry leaders on its strategic approach to deepening and broadening the impact of fair trade.

Fair Trade USA will present a plan that focuses on increasing the volume of products sold on fair trade terms, gaining dynamic and actionable insights, strengthening its environmental promise, deepening consumer engagement, and innovating its standard and assurance model.

More Sold on Fair Trade Terms
Fair Trade USA is focused on maximizing the benefits to producers by ensuring that more of the volume of products produced on Fair Trade terms are sold on Fair Trade terms. Scaling volume-driven growth, simplifying processes, and increasing consumer demand for Fair Trade Certified™ products are key approaches for achieving this goal for producers.

Dynamic Insights
Fair Trade USA is partnering with technology leaders to expand transparency across supply chains. A new business intelligence tool is underway to share dynamic supply chain information and sourcing insights in a digestible format to help participants in the program identify and mitigate risks, determine opportunities, and inform decisions.

Strengthening Our Environmental Promise
Fair Trade USA is strengthening its standards to address evolving environmental challenges and regulatory requirements. Producer communities are most impacted by climate and the resulting economic repercussions and are best served by an agile response.

Deepen Consumer Engagement
U.S. consumers increasingly demand sustainably sourced and socially conscious products. Fair Trade USA is harnessing these market trends to expand to more online and brick and mortar retailers, which increases availability, breadth of product, and affordable prices for a wider range of consumers.

Innovate Standards and Assurance Model
Fair Trade USA believes that sustainability is built over time through support and education. The organization is simplifying their model that supports scalable continuous improvement to ensure that participants in the program have opportunities to correct and address issues of non-compliance.

Event Details
Open to the public, the Fair Trade USA Producers’ Forum will take place on April 11, 2024 at 12:30pm CST in the Chicago Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Vista Ballroom #S406.

About Fair Trade USA

Fair Trade USA, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the leading certifier of Fair Trade products in North America. Its award-winning, rigorous, and globally recognized sustainable sourcing certification programs improve livelihoods, protect the environment, and build resilient, transparent supply chains. The trusted Fair Trade Certified™ label on a product signifies that it was made according to stringent Fair Trade standards. Fair Trade USA is building an innovative model of responsible business, conscious consumerism, and shared value to eliminate poverty and enable sustainable development for farmers, workers, their families, and communities around the world.

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