By choosing Fairtrade at Christmas time, we join in sharing good tidings, fairer prices and better terms of trade with the producers who play a huge, yet overlooked, role in our lives and celebrations.
We know that many gifts, especially those from overseas and of lower cost, are made in sweatshops and factories where workers are exploited and underpaid.
Labourers are often exposed to toxic chemicals and dangerous work environments. Many are expected to work overtime without extra pay while already making extremely low earnings as employers press for maximum production.
The single most effective action we can take to address this plight is where and what we choose to buy.
Fair Trade standards ensure that workers are being paid fair living wages, work in a safe environment, and have access to processes that improve their livelihoods.
Yes, these are ideals that should be upheld year-round, but we can recognise that this special time of year gives us an even more powerful opportunity to “vote” with our cards and our cash for the rights of those who need our help the most.
I am grateful to the Fairtrade Foundation who were in Parliament to explain more about how they have been supporting farmers and workers around the world this year.
