The United Reformed Church has joined 250 organisations from across the globe to launch an International Fair Trade Charter that sets out the fundamental values of Fair Trade and defines a common vision towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a collection of 17 global goals set in 2015, the anniversary of which is being marked around the world today (25 September).
The global Fair Trade movement is urging policy-makers, business leaders, citizens and consumers to embrace the vision of the International Fair Trade Charter – initiated by Fairtrade International and the World Fair Trade Organisation – to create a global trading system populated by supply chains and models of business that leave no one behind and that their work people can maintain a decent and dignified livelihood to develop their full human potential.
Individuals, organisations, churches and groups can read and sign up to the charter here.
‘Fair Trade offers an alternative, Gospel-inspired vision of trading relationships, which puts power in the hands of those usually at the bottom of the pile,’ said Simeon Mitchell, the URC’s Secretary for Church and Society. ‘The United Reformed Church has been a long-standing supporter of fair trade initiatives, and it is proud to be a member of the Fairtrade Foundation through Commitment for Life. We believe that everyone should have fair pay and decent working conditions in order to have a dignified livelihood and the opportunity to fulfil their God-given potential. We therefore welcome the launch of the International Fair Trade Charter as a springboard for action to transform global trading relationships, and pray it will be a further step towards achieving justice, equity and sustainability for people and planet.’
In its news release, FATO said: ‘A recent United Nations report shows that hunger has actually risen in the past three years after a long period of decline, leaving one in nine people undernourished. While the world economy has grown, according to the World Inequality Report: “At the global level, inequality has risen sharply since 1980”.’
Read the news release in full here.
