Fair Trade Certification

TransFair Canada provides a framework for businesses to trade responsibly, with a third-party product certification label.

The label sends a clear message to consumers of a guarantee of responsible trading practices.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Activities

Who needs a license?

Companies need an agreement with TransFair Canada if they are Canadian-based and intend to:

• process and/or package their own brand of Fair Trade Certified products;
• manufacture private label Fair Trade Certified products;
• sell unprocessed Fair trade Certified products or ingredients wholesale;
• use the Fair Trade Certified logo on a wide range of finished products.

Companies intending to import Fair Trade Certified products directly from producing countries require a separate importer agreement.

Companies DO NOT need a license agreement if they simply plan to carry Fair Trade Certified products in their retail store(s), if they are a distributor of packaged and labelled products, or if they are transporting or storing the products of a licensee.

Summary

About Fair Trade

Fair Trade is an international system of doing business based on dialogue, transparency and respect. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions for producers and workers in developing countries.

Behind the principles and goals of Fair Trade is a rigorous international system of monitoring, auditing and certification.

The international Fair Trade system is structured to produce the following outcomes for farmers and workers in developing countries:

• fair compensation for their products and labour;
• sustainable environmental practices;
• improved social services;
• investment in local economic infrastructure.

Certified Products

In Canada, Fair Trade Certified products include:

• sports balls (e.g. soccer balls)
• bananas
• coffee
• cocoa (includes chocolate)
• cut flowers
• mangoes
• quinoa
• rice
• sugar
• green and black teas

Quebec Contact(s):
See National Contact.

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National Contact(s):
TransFair Canada
328 Somerset Street West
Ottawa, Ontario  K2P 0J9
Telephone: 613-563-3351
Fax: 613-563-1462
Toll-free (information): 1-888-663-FAIR
E-mail: info@transfair.ca
Web site: http://www.transfair.ca/www/en/business