FLO's understanding of standards
By analyzing all the relevant documents on standards concerning coffee producers, published by FLO we have been able to create a visualization of which terms are widely used. What we see on this visualization is the documents, and the most important terms in the corpus of documents. They are considered important by how many documents they appear in and how often they appear in the individual documents. The larger the grey node the more important the key term. We analyzed four documents, which we considered relevant. These are marked by the red nodes on the map. These documents concern standards for smallholders and standards for smallholders specifically working with coffee. We also included the documents containing main changes to the two standard documents.
From this visualization we can identify four important key terms. We have excluded fairtrade and Fairtrade International, since these terms are bound to appear large due to the organization's name and the topic the documents. The four important key terms are:
The fairtrade minimum price is a price set to ensure that producers can cover at least the basic costs of sustainable production. When the market price is above the fairtrade minimum, the market price should be paid. This works as an assurance for farmers with certification.
The fairtrade premium is a bonus paid on top of the fairtrade minimum price. This premium is meant to be invested in community development projects, and is seen as a way of ensuring sustainable social development. Community development projects can include health facilities, educational institutions, recreational facilities and sanitary projects.
Fairtrade International requires smallholders to organize in producer organizations, or cooperatives, which are then certified. This is to provide a platform where the smallholders can achieve decision-making power and though this empowerment. Through these organizations smallholders gain a stronger voice, both on a competitive market and in terms of issues such as environmental protection.
Risk management is especially important for smallholders growing coffee, since coffee production is extremely dependent on weather conditions, which are external uncontrollable forces. Fairtrade International has a large focus on resilience when they talk of sustainable development, and risk management is a natural part of those aspects of their work.
In general Fairtrade International is focused on the internal organization of cooperatives and maintaining stability for these.
From this visualization we can identify four important key terms. We have excluded fairtrade and Fairtrade International, since these terms are bound to appear large due to the organization's name and the topic the documents. The four important key terms are:
- Fairtrade minimum prices
- Fairtrade premium
- Producer organizations
- Risk management
The fairtrade minimum price is a price set to ensure that producers can cover at least the basic costs of sustainable production. When the market price is above the fairtrade minimum, the market price should be paid. This works as an assurance for farmers with certification.
The fairtrade premium is a bonus paid on top of the fairtrade minimum price. This premium is meant to be invested in community development projects, and is seen as a way of ensuring sustainable social development. Community development projects can include health facilities, educational institutions, recreational facilities and sanitary projects.
Fairtrade International requires smallholders to organize in producer organizations, or cooperatives, which are then certified. This is to provide a platform where the smallholders can achieve decision-making power and though this empowerment. Through these organizations smallholders gain a stronger voice, both on a competitive market and in terms of issues such as environmental protection.
Risk management is especially important for smallholders growing coffee, since coffee production is extremely dependent on weather conditions, which are external uncontrollable forces. Fairtrade International has a large focus on resilience when they talk of sustainable development, and risk management is a natural part of those aspects of their work.
In general Fairtrade International is focused on the internal organization of cooperatives and maintaining stability for these.
Fair Trade USA's understanding of standards
Using the same method as with FLO we've analyzed eight documents, that can be parted in two categories; Independent Smallholders and Farm Workers. The reason we included both categories is that Fair Trade USA certifies both smallholders producing coffee and coffee plantations. In each of the categories we included documents concerning; standards, visions and objectives, compliance criteria and guidelines.
From this visualization we can identify seven important key terms and here we have excluded fair trade and Fair Trade USA for the same reasons as above. The seven important key terms are:
A fair trade committee is a committee formed by workers on plantations, to ensure that the workers are involved in decisions, and is believed to create empowerment amongst the workers.
Farm workers play a significant role in Fair Trade USA's standards documents, because they are at the heart of this controversy. Fair Trade USA sees it as unfair not to certify plantations, since farm workers then wouldn't be reached by the benefits of fair trade.
Economic development is one of Fair Trade USA's core principles and is ensured through the fair trade minimum price as described above.
Market access partners are the legal entities representing a group of farms or smallholders, and this entity holds the fair trade certificate. They are in charge of assessing the needs of the group that is pursuing certification, achieve certification on behalf of the group and maintain certification after this is granted.
Smallholder organizations and fair trade committees alike are required to open their own bank accounts, where the premium is paid to, and this is to make sure that the premium is managed by the people that Fair Trade USA is trying to reach.
On both small-scale farms and plantations, workers are entitled to receive personal protective equipment free of cost, and to receive instructions on how to use these.
As part of their empowerment goal, Fair Trade USA prohibits harassment. They distinct between sexual harassment amongst farm workers, where the focus is on women's empowerment and 'normal' harassment amongst smallholders. It is uncertain what this distinction implies.
In general Fair Trade USA is focused on financial gain and safety issues, and the beneficiaries of fair trade are situated in a global market context.
From this visualization we can identify seven important key terms and here we have excluded fair trade and Fair Trade USA for the same reasons as above. The seven important key terms are:
- Fair trade committee
- Farm workers
- Economic development
- Market access partner
- Bank account
- Personal protective equipment
- Harassment
A fair trade committee is a committee formed by workers on plantations, to ensure that the workers are involved in decisions, and is believed to create empowerment amongst the workers.
Farm workers play a significant role in Fair Trade USA's standards documents, because they are at the heart of this controversy. Fair Trade USA sees it as unfair not to certify plantations, since farm workers then wouldn't be reached by the benefits of fair trade.
Economic development is one of Fair Trade USA's core principles and is ensured through the fair trade minimum price as described above.
Market access partners are the legal entities representing a group of farms or smallholders, and this entity holds the fair trade certificate. They are in charge of assessing the needs of the group that is pursuing certification, achieve certification on behalf of the group and maintain certification after this is granted.
Smallholder organizations and fair trade committees alike are required to open their own bank accounts, where the premium is paid to, and this is to make sure that the premium is managed by the people that Fair Trade USA is trying to reach.
On both small-scale farms and plantations, workers are entitled to receive personal protective equipment free of cost, and to receive instructions on how to use these.
As part of their empowerment goal, Fair Trade USA prohibits harassment. They distinct between sexual harassment amongst farm workers, where the focus is on women's empowerment and 'normal' harassment amongst smallholders. It is uncertain what this distinction implies.
In general Fair Trade USA is focused on financial gain and safety issues, and the beneficiaries of fair trade are situated in a global market context.