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USFT Convergence
USFT Convergence Questions ‘FairWashing’ by Transnationals
USFT Convergence Questions ‘FairWashing’ by Transnationals
By Naomi Lightman
February 2007
Boston, MA
In an important shift from previous years, a major focus of this year’s United Students for Fair Trade (USFT)’s annual convergence was a critical evaluation of the impact of multinational corporations (MNCs) on the Fair Trade movement. Meeting in Boston’s Fenway High, between February 16th and 19th, members of Cooperative Coffees in attendance were outspoken during panels and informal discussions, about their roles as roasters dedicated to wholistic, socially just, and environmentally responsible trade on a smaller scale basis.
“We have rushed to bring MNCs into Fair Trade, without enough analysis of the implications. It has made the movement weaker,” argued Jonathan Rosenthal, of Oké Bananas, during a heated discussion on the future of Fair Trade. “Trade should be in service of humans, not of capital.”
“More growth does not necessarily equal more benefit. We should focus on maintaining the integrity of our movement rather than focusing on volume at all costs,” agreed Matt Earley of Just Coffees, during a workshop on the role of transnationals, attended by a representative of Starbucks. “Growth can’t be the end, it’s got to be the means.”
The weekend’s packed schedule included speakers from the production, certification, and retail ends of the Fair Trade supply chain. Jackie DeCarlo, executive director of the Fair Trade Resource Network, kicked off the convergence with an invigorating keynote address on the history of alternative trade. She emphasized the importance of “all the feisty fair traders making history out there”.
Workshop topics ran the gamut from a presentation by Transfair USA, to discussions of “Fairwashing”, to a panel on Culture and Fair Trade, to an analysis of the role of plantations lead by producers and CC members. An anti-oppression workshop was also a memorable and significant addition, providing an important perspective on the affects of power and privilege in political organizing.
Student participants brought with them boundless enthusiasm and a broad array of perspectives. Delicious vegetarian meals and non-stop fresh coffee, generously provided by Dean’s Beans, kept the crowds energized throughout the weekend.
Ultimately, USFT participants grappled with what it is that actually constitutes Fair Trade. Heated debate ensued regarding the positive and negative impacts of larger corporations entering the social movement.
“The difference with us is in our willingness to travel to the towns of origin, again and again, and meet the people who we’re buying from, and connect in that way. I doubt the buyers at large MNC’s, buying 5% or 10% Fair Trade, can say the same,” commented Phoebe Sullivan of Dean’s Beans, in a panel on Dynamic Relationships between coffee producers and roasters.
Noah Enelow, a UMass Ph.D. candidate, spoke of a project he worked on with a group of students to establish a written, long-term, mutually beneficial agreement for the Oro Verde Peruvian coffee cooperative and Dean’s Beans. “You can’t create one Fair Trade formula. It’s about relationship-building, not charity, and creating a richness for everyone involved,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of transparency and reciprocal relationships in trade.
Raoule del Aguila, of Peru's COCLA coffee cooperative, also added his unique perspective: “The positive side is that due to larger corporations, there has been increased demand for our products. The negative side is that we have to make sure that this change is sustainable. That is a challenge and a task for all of us.”
CC intern, Geneviève Paquette, a student at McGill University in Montreal, said the weekend was very inspirational for her: "I found very interesting how the student's were concern about these issue". She added: "They start to understand that their voice can have an impact on the trends of the movement. They only have to clarify their position as a movement."
Sylvie Trottier, also part of the CC intern delegation, said that before attending the weekend, she hadn’t expected that there would be discussion of the more serious issues currently affecting the Fair Trade movement.
“I was pretty impressed at the level of knowledge among students here,” she said. “Instead of just
pushing the Fair Trade rhetoric, they are trying to really question the direction in which the movement is headed, and whether they wish to blindly support it. I guess there is potential for more collaboration between USFT and CC. I realized that Cooperative Coffees is actually trying to embody what Fair Trade was initially envisioned to be; a means to a more equitable future. That`s something that a lot of students seemed to rally around, the desire to support and promote initiatives that maintain and further the integrity of fair trade, instead of diluting it beyond recognition.”
Ultimately, Sylvie believes that she learned a lot about the importance of the student movement in advocating for Fair Trade. “I think that since students have nothing to lose and everything to gain by questioning the main players and shaking things up, they are the ones that really have the potential to demand higher standards, and push for what they believe the movement is about,” she said.
All of us from CC returned home from the convergence feeling inspired and reaffirmed in our belief in the importance of truly fair trade.
