Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International

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FLO Organizational Structure
FLO Organizational Structure

Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) was established in 1997, and is an association of 20 national labelling initiatives that promote and market the Fairtrade Certification Mark in their countries. Fairtrade labelling organizations exist in 15 European countries as well as in Canada, the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

To ensure the transparency and the independence of the Fairtrade certification and labelling system, Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International was divided in January 2004 into two independent organizations:

  • FLO International develops and reviews standards and assists producers to gain and maintain certification and to capitalize on market opportunities. To ensure the transparency of the system, the standards are developed and reviewed by the FLO Standards and Policy Committee, in which stakeholders from FLO’s member organizations, producer organizations traders and external experts participate.
  • FLO-CERT ensures that producers and traders comply with the FLO Fairtrade Standards and that producers invest the benefits received through Fairtrade in their development. Operating independently from any other interests, it follows the international ISO standards for certification bodies (ISO 65).

In 2005, FLO Fairtrade certified sales amounted to approximately €1.1 billion worldwide, a 37 % year-to-year increase.[1] As per October 2006, 586 producer organizations in 58 developing countries were FLO-CERT Fairtrade certified.[2]

[edit] See also

Fair trade topics Fair trade | History of fair trade | Fairtrade certification | Fair trade and politics | Fair trade impact studies | Fair trade debate | Alternative trading organization | Trade justice | Worldshop | Black Gold (film) | One Cup (film)
Federations Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International | International Fair Trade Association | Network of European Worldshops | European Fair Trade Association | FINE | Fair Trade Federation
Certification FLO International (standard-setting & producer support) | FLO-CERT (inspection & certification) | International Fairtrade Certification Mark | Fair Trade Certified Mark
Campaigns Fairtrade Town | List of Fairtrade settlements | Fairtrade fortnight | Make Trade Fair | World Fair Trade Day
Fairtrade labelling initiatives Asociación del Sello de Productos de Comercio Justo | Comercio Justo México | Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand | Fairtrade Österreich | Fairtrade Mark Ireland | The Fairtrade Foundation | Max Havelaar Belgique | Association Max Havelaar France | Max Havelaar Danmark | Stichting Max Havelaar | Fairtrade Max Havelaar Norge | Max Havelaar-Stiftung (Schweiz) | Reilun kaupan edistämisyhdistys | Rättvisemärkt | TransFair Canada | TransFair Deutschland | TransFair Italia | TransFair Japan | TransFair-Minka Luxembourg | TransFair USA

[edit] References

  1. ^ Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (2005). FLO Annual Report 2005. URL accessed on August 4, 2006.
  2. ^ Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (2006). FLO October 2006 News Bulletin. URL accessed on October 30, 2006.

[edit] External links

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