Comments on: Certification challenges XIII: 5% — requirement vs. recommendation http://greenlagirl.com/certification-challenges-xiii-5-requirement-vs-recommendation/ Urban environmental lifestyle blog in Los Angeles Fri, 25 May 2012 17:16:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: harwin http://greenlagirl.com/certification-challenges-xiii-5-requirement-vs-recommendation/comment-page-1/#comment-26026 harwin Wed, 13 Dec 2006 03:54:17 +0000 http://greenlagirl.com/2006/03/24/certification-challenges-xiii-5-requirement-vs-recommendation/#comment-26026 Mmm... Good post :) Will watch your blog Mmm… Good post :) Will watch your blog

]]> By: Siel http://greenlagirl.com/certification-challenges-xiii-5-requirement-vs-recommendation/comment-page-1/#comment-2201 Siel Mon, 27 Mar 2006 04:37:07 +0000 http://greenlagirl.com/2006/03/24/certification-challenges-xiii-5-requirement-vs-recommendation/#comment-2201 I started writing a response, but it got so long it's now gonna be its own post. Thanks for the thoughtful comment, Fletch, and check out part XIV :) I started writing a response, but it got so long it’s now gonna be its own post. Thanks for the thoughtful comment, Fletch, and check out part XIV :)

]]> By: Fletch http://greenlagirl.com/certification-challenges-xiii-5-requirement-vs-recommendation/comment-page-1/#comment-2177 Fletch Sat, 25 Mar 2006 05:25:26 +0000 http://greenlagirl.com/2006/03/24/certification-challenges-xiii-5-requirement-vs-recommendation/#comment-2177 A starting point here is how "big" is big? I mean, how much is Starbucks moving in fair trade volume relative to a typical mission-based firm? Furthermore, have the mission-based firms organized a lobby to press Transfair to act on their original commitment? Maybe that should be the direction of forums like the U.S.F.T. Conference: A venue at which mission-based firms not only organize but lobby Transfair. In short, has there been any work toward networking to match the bargaining power Starbucks has with Transfair? However, most of what I have seen indicates that 1) Mission-based firms often snipe at SBux ("Starbucks shouldn't even been here," etc.) instead of criticizing Transfair, 2) Mission-based firms often bicker among themselves whether SBux should be certified at all and when they cannot get their way with Transfair, they leave and invent their own certification, and 3) Mission-based firms sometimes profit from leaving by marketing themselves as purer than thou. This may be too harsh an indictment of mission-based firms, but greivances are usually redressed in the real world by organizing and lobbying, not by walking away with your nose in the air. A starting point here is how “big” is big? I mean, how much is Starbucks moving in fair trade volume relative to a typical mission-based firm? Furthermore, have the mission-based firms organized a lobby to press Transfair to act on their original commitment? Maybe that should be the direction of forums like the U.S.F.T. Conference: A venue at which mission-based firms not only organize but lobby Transfair. In short, has there been any work toward networking to match the bargaining power Starbucks has with Transfair?

However, most of what I have seen indicates that 1) Mission-based firms often snipe at SBux (“Starbucks shouldn’t even been here,” etc.) instead of criticizing Transfair, 2) Mission-based firms often bicker among themselves whether SBux should be certified at all and when they cannot get their way with Transfair, they leave and invent their own certification, and 3) Mission-based firms sometimes profit from leaving by marketing themselves as purer than thou.

This may be too harsh an indictment of mission-based firms, but greivances are usually redressed in the real world by organizing and lobbying, not by walking away with your nose in the air.

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