Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand
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| Non-profit organization | |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand |
Key people | Cheryl Kernot, Chair |
Number of employees | 8 (2006) |
| Website | www.fta.org.au/ |
The Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand (FTAANZ) is a member-based organization that supports two systems of fair trade. The first is the Australia and New Zealand member of FLO International, which unites Fairtrade producer and labelling initiatives across Europe, Asia, Latin America, North America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The second, is the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), of over 450 world-wide members, to which FTAANZ is one. Fairtrade (one word) refers to FLO certified commodity and associated products. Fair trade (two words) encompasses the wider Fair Trade movement, including the Fairtrade commodities and other artisan craft products.
Through its member base, and a small secretariat, the FTAANZ seeks to increase awareness of fair trade; help facilitate and coordinate fair trade activities; assist producers from developing countries, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, to access Australian and New Zealand markets; and establish a regional organisation to manage Fairtrade certification and labelling for products that have standards in place under the limited FLO system.
FTAANZ also endorses fair trade businesses who are primarily artisan craft-based and do not fall within the purview of the Fairtrade Labeling Organization structures. This endorsement is gained through adherence to the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) 10 principles of fair trade. This endorsement offers opportunities for consumers to trust that the craft-styled products sold by businesses are authentically fair trade. Businesses become endorsed as a "Fair Trader of Australia".
The first products bearing the FLO International Fairtrade Certification Mark, which guarantees a better deal to disadvantaged producers in the developing world, were sold in Australia and New Zealand starting October 2003. Products bearing the mark are on sale in Australia and New Zealand: coffee, tea, chocolate and cocoa, cotton and sportsballs.
The first endorsed "Fair Traders of Australia" achieved their seal in early 2011.
FTAANZ is a not-for-private-profit membership based association, governed by an Executive Committee elected every year during FTAANZ's AGM. FTAANZ membership is open to any organisation interested and supportive of fair trade principles. FTAANZ membership includes development, social justice, environmental and human rights NGOs, businesses, alternative trade organisations, researchers and interested individuals.
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