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October 2008
A Cooperative Coffees e-Newsletter for and about Fair Trade
Issue No. 4 October 2008
In this issue...
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| Reach out!Outreach and Special Projects Roaster News Producer News Travel: Where in the world is CoopCoffees? The Latest in the Fair Trade Movement |
Reach out!
When a social change movement passes from its original, non-conforming, alternative state into a more conventional and mainstream mode of action, it can be a bittersweet experience for the movement pioneers. In the world of Fair Trade, this has been a recurring dilemma. In previous newsletters, we’ve discussed how the excitement of the movement’s “catching-on” in more commercialized milieus – meaning wider access and understanding for consumers of all types – has been matched with concerns about the inevitable dilution of Fair Trade principles in the process. At Cooperative Coffees, we don't want to police Fair Trade and its vast cast of characters. But we can take responsibility for our own traceability system and hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards of Fair Trade. We continually seek to improve our impact on the lives of producers and on the health and well-being of a sustainable and verifiable system of accounting for the Fair Trade movement itself.
From the launching of our system of "Total Transparency" product tracing, to supporting farmer initiatives in organics, to exploring innovative ways of broadening and deepening this movement - there is a lot is going on at Cooperative Coffees! Enjoy your read!
Let us know what changes you'd like to see in this newsletter by emailing us at bignews@coopcoffees.com.
**Special Report**
Update on former Communications Assistant Sylvie Trottier!
As many of you know, CoopCoffees has undergone a few staff changes in the Montreal office. We've welcomed some new team members and said goodbye to some dear colleagues and friends. In September, Sylvie Trottier, CC's former communications assistant headed off to London, England to pursue a Masters in Environment and Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Her bright spirit, her creative problem-solving capacity, and her unwavering determination to move our many projects forward made Sylvie a key player in getting Cooperative Coffees communities pushed to a new level.
Sylvie's latest news is that she's doing very well in the neighborhood of Angel, Islinton in North London, (home of Arsenal and Nick Hornby), enjoying the boutiques, pubs, and markets...oh and class too!
But she also carries fond memories of her time at CoopCoffees. In her own words, "I am so pleased and grateful to have had the opportunity to work at CoopCoffees. I really feel that it is an amazing organizsation and that all the people are amongst the most hard-working, determined, and value-based in the Fair Trade world, which is what makes CC such a great model to follow."
Thanks Sylvie and good luck! We hope to hear more updates later!
Outreach and Special Projects
Total Transparency: www.fairtradeproof.org
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| Fair Trade networks from IFAT and FLO to the Fair Trade Federation places transparency on the list of essential Fair trade standards and criteria. With www.fairtradeproof.org Cooperative Coffees turns the recommendations into reality. Total transparency makes fairness possible because it makes hiding the truth impossible. The site gives the customer full access to all the documents and processes involved in the purchase and importation of our coffees. |
Roaster News
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| Every year, Roast Magazine puts on a Roaster of the Year Competition to which roasters all across the country apply and enter their coffees. Being the prestigious contest that it is, the competition is fierce and the judgment is tough. This year, CoopCoffee's member roaster Kickapoo Coffee -- who has had a successful track record -- entered for the first time ever and ended up making it to the top three! |
Producer News
New Producer Profile: Cecosemac
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| CECOSEMAC (Central de Cooperativas de Servicios Multiples Aroma del Cafe) is a union of cooperatives comprised of small-scale coffee producers. The member cooperatives are located in the mountains of Matagalpa and Jinotega, Nicaragua. They have both FLO certification as well as organic certification from Bio Latina. The farmers of CECOSEMAC put a lot of effort into caring for their environment, understanding that coffee production is more than just picking the cherries off the bush. |
Travel: Where in the world is Coopcoffees?
Coop Coffees' follow-up visit to El Salvador and Nicaragua
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| In a whirlwind trip to Central America, CoopCoffees Producer Relations Manager Monika Firl returned to meet with ACOES - our newest producer partner in Tacuba, El Salvador; attended the CLAC "Coffee Network" meeting in Managua, Nicaragua; and was able to visit with our producer partners CECOCAFEN and CECOSEMAC. While in Matagalpa, she was also able to visit the inspirational work of organic farmer Byron Corrales. |
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| In September, CoopCoffees member Dean Cycon traveled to Rwanda where he met with important actors in the world of trade and agriculture. He also was able to attend and co-facilitate a workshop dedicated to training people in the community of our producer partner COOPAC about gender violence. |
The Latest in the Fair Trade Movement
IFAT Standard: a grassroots alternative?
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| IFAT believes that “a modern, voluntary, worldwide standard is needed to identify and define the rules of Fair Trade.” In August 2008, IFAT announced a new certification process (SFTMS) that is expected to help FTO’s differentiate themselves further from conventional buyers and sellers by providing the “seal” for corporate social responsibility. They’ve posted a series of notes and explanations on their website and have invited the public to comment on the Standard’s draft. |
