Mary Linnell-Simmons of Fairtrade America on What Makes Trade Fair

Through the Noise #231

Mary Linnell-Simmons // Marketing & Communications Manager // Fairtrade America

Grab a cup of coffee for this conversation with Mary Linnell-Simmons of Fairtrade America as we explore the ideas behind “fair trade” and consider the implications of our choices. Do you know anything about that coffee? Who grew the beans? Who harvested them? The fair trade movement is involved in making the entire supply chain fair so producers of food and other goods we depend on are able to live sustainable, healthy lives. Fairtrade America provides a voluntary certification that a product is fair trade and you can find that designation on over 30,000 goods. Awareness of fair trade grows after a catastrophe, like the clothing factory fire in Bangladesh that killed hundreds of workers, prompting people to question the working conditions used to keep clothing so cheap.