Associations

International Fair Trade Association (IFAT)

The IFAT is a network of Fair Trade Organizations (FTOs) from all over the world. This includes over 220 FTOs in 59 countries. IFAT’s mission is to improve the livelihoods and well being of disadvantaged producers by linking and promoting Fair Trade Organizations, and speaking out for greater justice in world trade. Coop Coffees is has been a fair trade organization from its conception and joined IFAT in 2004. We actively share and promote IFAT’s mission and seek to work collaboratively with other FTO.  For more info, visit their website at www.ifat.org.

Fair Trade Federation (FTF)

The Fair Trade Federation (FTF) is an association of fair trade wholesalers, retailers, and producers whose members are committed to providing fair wages and good employment opportunities to economically disadvantaged artisans and farmers worldwide. FTF also acts as a clearinghouse for information on fair trade and provides resources and networking opportunities for its members. By adhering to social criteria and environmental principles, Fair Trade Organizations (FTOs) foster a more equitable and sustainable system of production and trade that benefits people and their communities. CC has been a member of the FTF since 2006. Click here to see our certificate.  For more info, visit FTF website at www.fairtradefederation.org

Fair Trade Resource Network (FTRN)

The Fair Trade Resource Network's roots are in the Fair Trade Federation (FTF). When it began in 1994, FTF worked both to educate consumers about Fair Trade and to promote member businesses. In 2001, FTRN became an independent nonprofit focusing on consumer education. The FTRN's goal is to raise consumer awareness about improving people's lives through Fair Trade alternatives. Their activities include gathering and compiling research and data about Fair Trade; providing information about Fair Trade to the public, the media and Fair Trade advocates; and galvanizing Fair Trade organizations and individuals seeking to get involved. Coop Coffees Outreach committee and its individual members work closely with FTRN in its efforts to educate and advocate for fair trade issues in their communities.  For more info, visit FTRN website at www.fairtradersource.org

Fair Trade Alliance

The Fair Trade Alliance consists of businesses, community organizations, schools, yoga studios, peace centers, faith congregations, and others that pledge to make Fair Trade products a part of their meetings, events, and social gatherings ... and working to educate others about Fair Trade. The Alliance offers information and connections needed to help these committed members to promote Fair Trade in their own community and beyond. Through these steps, they contribute to making a difference for small scale farmers and artisans worldwide. As part of Co-op America’s Fair Trade Alliance, Cooperative Coffees promises to buy and serve Fair Trade Certified™ products as available for meetings and gatherings, purchase commodities or crafts from members of the Fair Trade Federation, educate co-workers, community members, classmates, and others about Fair Trade, promote Fair Trade through events or other activities whenever possible. For more info, visit the Fair Trade Alliance website.

National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA)

NCBA is the leading U.S. organization strengthening the cooperative form of business to empower people and improve quality of life worldwide. Their goal is to make cooperatives a strong, distinct and unified sector, recognized by the American public. They do so by helping To develop, advance and protect cooperative enterprise. NCBA membership is open to all cooperatives and associations of co-ops. The different member co-ops operate in the areas including agricultural supply and marketing, childcare, energy, food distribution, processing and retailing, financial services (credit unions), health care, housing, insurance, purchasing and shared services, and telecommunications. They also have an effective international program that helps people in developing countries create member owned businesses. Cooperative Coffees has been a member since 2002. For more info, visit NCBA's website at www.ncba.coop.

Coop America

Co-op America is a not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1982 with over 52,000 members throughout the country. The mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. They do so through focus on economic strategies—economic action to solve social and environmental problems; mobilizing people in their economic roles—as consumers, investors, workers, business leaders to take personal and collective action; and working to stop abusive practices and to create healthy, just and sustainable practices. Coop Coffees is a member of Co-op America since ____ and participates in its mission of environmentally wise purchasing and investing. For more info, visit Co-op America's website at www.coopamerica.org

Specialty Coffee Association of Americca (SCAA)

The SCAA is the trade association for the specialty coffee industry. The mission of the SCAA is to be the recognized authority on specialty coffee, providing a common forum for the development and promotion of coffee excellence and sustainability. One of the SCAA's primary functions is to set the industry's standards for growing, roasting and brewing. Members of the SCAA include coffee retailers, roasters, producers, exporters and importers, as well as manufacturers of coffee equipment and related products. Although most of the members are located in the United States, they are involved in coffee production, roasting and brewing all over the world. The goal is to improve the quality of specialty coffee from "seed to cup" and to ensure that it will be available well into the next century. Coop Coffee has been a member of SCAA since _____. For more info, visit SCAA's website at www.scaa.org

Northcountry Cooperative Bank/ Northcountry Development Fund

Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund (NCDF) is a member-owned and member-governed financial intermediary. Structured as a cooperative, and using a pool of money invested by the coooperative community and its supporters, NCDF acts as a catalyst for the development and growth of cooperative enterprises in all sectors. The Fund's mission is to promote economic equity and community stability by making loans to cooperatives, and by providing corresponding support services. Since its incorporation in 1978 as one of the first community development loan funds in the country, NCDF has provided producer, worker, consumer, and housing cooperatives with access to capital. The funds used by NCDF to finance these self-help enterprises are supplied by cooperative members and socially conscious individuals and institutional investors. They are one of the first community development loan funds in the country, and NCDF has made millions of dollars in capital available to small consumer, worker, housing, and producer cooperatives and their members. For more info, visit NCDF's website atwww.ncdf.org