Comments on: Certification challenges XII: The 5% question http://greenlagirl.com/2006/03/23/certification-challenges-xii-the-5-question/ Urban environmental lifestyle blog in Los Angeles Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:23:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Siel http://greenlagirl.com/2006/03/23/certification-challenges-xii-the-5-question/#comment-2200 Siel Mon, 27 Mar 2006 04:22:37 +0000 http://greenlagirl.com/2006/03/23/certification-challenges-xii-the-5-question/#comment-2200 Hey Mike -- Believe me, I agree with you. In fact, you might check out <a href="http://greenlagirl.com/2006/03/24/certification-challenges-xiii-5-requirement-vs-recommendation/" rel="nofollow">part XIII</a> -- It seems the 5% thing was recommended as a requirement back before Starbucks even entered the fair trade market -- but TFUSA left it as a recommendation. Now, Starbucks is at 3.7% after SIX years -- and is pushing its own watered-down CAFE practices in lieu of fair trade certification. And we've had some of the best mission-based companies ditch certification altogether, doing their work without TFUSA. We have a situation where both the most devoted fair trade activists AND the least fair trade conscious consumers are eschewing the fair trade certified logo altogether... Hey Mike — Believe me, I agree with you. In fact, you might check out part XIII — It seems the 5% thing was recommended as a requirement back before Starbucks even entered the fair trade market — but TFUSA left it as a recommendation.

Now, Starbucks is at 3.7% after SIX years — and is pushing its own watered-down CAFE practices in lieu of fair trade certification. And we’ve had some of the best mission-based companies ditch certification altogether, doing their work without TFUSA. We have a situation where both the most devoted fair trade activists AND the least fair trade conscious consumers are eschewing the fair trade certified logo altogether…

]]> By: Mike http://greenlagirl.com/2006/03/23/certification-challenges-xii-the-5-question/#comment-2168 Mike Fri, 24 Mar 2006 09:41:25 +0000 http://greenlagirl.com/2006/03/23/certification-challenges-xii-the-5-question/#comment-2168 I still think my suggestion in response to post XI seems a logical way forward, ie "Why doesn’t TFUSA set a cut-off date by which point Starbucks (or any other company) has to meet the 5% threshold. Let’s TFSA gave a 10 year window, and moved the 5% ‘target’ to be a 5% ‘minimum’ volume . Then if Starbucks hadn’t met the minimum volume by 2010 they could still be allowed to purchase Fairtrade coffee - but not allowed to use the Fairtrade logo in any way to continue greenwashing their operation." In the absence of this kind of structure, one has to ask, what will be the medium to long term effects of the current situation? I can imagine either a) other companies in other sectors will see what Starbucks is getting away with and adopt a similar 'greenwashing' strategy and/or b) people (particularly those who are ethically aware) will totally lose confidence in Fairtrade, it will cease to become differentiating and believable, therefore companies (including Starbucks) may stop using it altogether. Does anyone know if FTUSA has declared a long-term strategy and explained what they are doing to make it happen? I still think my suggestion in response to post XI seems a logical way forward, ie “Why doesn’t TFUSA set a cut-off date by which point Starbucks (or any other company) has to meet the 5% threshold. Let’s TFSA gave a 10 year window, and moved the 5% ‘target’ to be a 5% ‘minimum’ volume . Then if Starbucks hadn’t met the minimum volume by 2010 they could still be allowed to purchase Fairtrade coffee - but not allowed to use the Fairtrade logo in any way to continue greenwashing their operation.”

In the absence of this kind of structure, one has to ask, what will be the medium to long term effects of the current situation? I can imagine either a) other companies in other sectors will see what Starbucks is getting away with and adopt a similar ‘greenwashing’ strategy and/or b) people (particularly those who are ethically aware) will totally lose confidence in Fairtrade, it will cease to become differentiating and believable, therefore companies (including Starbucks) may stop using it altogether. Does anyone know if FTUSA has declared a long-term strategy and explained what they are doing to make it happen?

]]> By: Siel http://greenlagirl.com/2006/03/23/certification-challenges-xii-the-5-question/#comment-2159 Siel Fri, 24 Mar 2006 06:09:40 +0000 http://greenlagirl.com/2006/03/23/certification-challenges-xii-the-5-question/#comment-2159 You're hilar ;) SHE has surrealist sympathies -- though some will say surrealism's dead :P You’re hilar ;) SHE has surrealist sympathies — though some will say surrealism’s dead :P

]]> By: mateotemprano http://greenlagirl.com/2006/03/23/certification-challenges-xii-the-5-question/#comment-2158 mateotemprano Fri, 24 Mar 2006 05:55:12 +0000 http://greenlagirl.com/2006/03/23/certification-challenges-xii-the-5-question/#comment-2158 Yes, but is Rikki Ducornet a 100% surrealist? And if so, is he a certified surrealist? If he is not at least 5%, I say he blows. -Matt Yes, but is Rikki Ducornet a 100% surrealist? And if so, is he a certified surrealist? If he is not at least 5%, I say he blows.

-Matt

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