Extra-listening: Fair Trade

This is an extra listening activity we had in class last week about fair trade.
You have the transcription below so you can follow the video better. You can also  use the subtitles available in Youtube, thogh some may be wrong (that's why I leave the text in this post). Words appearing in bold are interesting for the vocabulary of the unit. I will publish another post with their definitions.

I want you all to take a moment and think about the things that you consume every single day. Now raise your hand and keep it raised if you've had one of the following today: a cup of coffee (keep them up) a cup of tea, a banana, something with sugar in it or if you're wearing cotton. Alright, you can put your hands off.

Now I want you to raise your hand again if and only if you know exactly where or what country, your coffee tea sugar banana or cotton came from. Ok we got one. So I think is fair to say that we’re all pretty active participants in the global economy because products like those that I mentioned are coming from thousands of miles away all around the world. But I think it’s also fair to say that we are pretty disconnected from the products we buy everyday. And this wouldn't be such a bad thing if the following weren’t true. Two billion people in the world live on less two dollars a day. Two thirds of the world’s cocoa come from west African farmers that make less than fifty cents a day. 1.8 million children work on cocoa plantation along the Ivory coast. They likely have never tasted chocolate. Labour laws in the developing world are either weak or not enforced. And that is really what is driving these issues.

That’s a saying that goes, you don’t ever want to know how two things are made: sausages and laws. But you’d better start adding to this list the coffee you had for breakfast this morning, the banana you ate yesterday and the cotton shirt you’re wearing right now. Because products like these too often come from large plantations and sweatshops where workers are exploited. I know this is all pretty dismal and it’s not too fun to talk about, and it’s probably why we don’t even think about it usually. But the good news is there’s something we can do about it. There’s something we can all do about child labour, and something we can all do to fight global poverty and it starts with you. By choosing the purchase products with certain labels you can support business practices with similar values with you. By choosing fair trade products you support businesses who respect workers’ rights, guarantee fair wages and good working conditions, prohibit child and slave labour and even promote environmental sustainability through the production of these products.

Now, let’s talk about choice for a moment. As a student who studies business, I’m fascinated with supplying demand. I know, it’s exhilarating . People often say that large corporations are responsible for the products that we see on our shelves. To an extent, they are responsible. But really consumers rule the world. A business wouldn’t dare to put a product on the shelf that a costumer wouldn’t buy. And for this reason, consumers demand what it’s supplied. Consumers demand what is made available to sell. Ultimately consumers demand what is produced. And with that said, we have the power. And with power, comes responsibility.

If consumers can demand what is produced, what can we demand how it’s produced? I believe that we can. I believe that we as consumers have the power to be responsible. But I also believe that we have the responsibility to exercise this power. Because as our good friend uncle ben from spider-man said “with great power comes great responsibility” to prove you that consumers have this incredible power I want to share with you this example of the beloved kit-kat. On the left is a kit-kat from the uk, and on the right, one from the us. Aside from some minor branding differences these two candy bars are pretty similar, but in reality, they are immensely different. On the kit kat on the left there’s a tiny little symbol at the up-right hand corner of its package, that is a fair trade certification label and that’s what consumers can look for. It’s really quite simple. European consumers so heavily demand products to be fairly traded that even one of the largest corporations in the world like Nestle can change their ways.

Let’s take coffee for another example. Second to oil coffee Is the second most traded good in the world . Coffee grows exclusively in areas of South America, Africa, and parts of Asia. And it’s something we drink every day. For a conventional cup of coffee farmers typically receive 3 cents for each 3 dollar cup sold. From a fair trade cup of coffee farmers earn five times that amount. The switch is easy. The impact is enormous. Fair trade is a vehicle to supporting and respecting workers’ rights. Fair trade is a party certification and membership process that assures business is meeting strict labour, environmental, and developmental standards. In addition to fair-business practices, fair trade certification and commodities like chocolate, tea, sugar, produce require a premium that help fund community programmes like the provision of healthcare, clean water projects, and even the building of schools. Like Gloria here a fair trade flower farmer from Ecuador, who says I like it here, they treat us well, pay us on time and we even have benefits for our children like English courses and scholarships.

An important distinction to make is that fair trade is not a charity. Fair trade is a different way of doing business in a more ethical way. And above all, it’s a way to live out our values. Because really, every day purchases should be an extension of our values. So where does it leave you and me? I hope you are leaving this talk empowered to empower. Because you choose fair trade you choose equality and you choose respect. And you empower producers from world apart. I’d like to share with you an experience I had this past fall when I took a trip to Jaipur India on a fair trade artisan visit . India, as a country, has a many developmental issues like poor working conditions, gender inequality, human trafficking and poverty. However, India is full of life and colour. I visited a fair trade artisan workshop with using ancient art form to print and decorate linen. It’s called black printed. Black printed in India is quickly dying out because of faster and cheaper ways to print and decorate on linen. But these artisans both men and women are employed using a skill that’s been passed down from generation to generation respecting their work, respecting their talent and keeping their culture alive. Under fair trade standards these artisans are paid of a salary, something uncommon in India. They are paid a wage and it gives them a consistent income and above all it gives them some dignity. Even in the wet months in India when block printing can’t be done properly the artisans are paid. One of the artisans is even sending his children to college. I am immersed in and inspired by fair trade producers stories just like this. Everyday at home and my summer job where I work for a fair trade retail store. And it is through this that I’ve learnt consumerism doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Stand for fairness and join the movement. Thank you.