Is Fair Trade Certified a Redemptive Approach?

What is Fair Trade?

Fair Trade is defined as a global movement made up of diverse networks of producers, companies, consumers, advocates, and organizations putting people and the planet first. Fair trade makes conscious efforts to make products and support goods which make a better world through empowering workers, farmers, and protect the environment.

When a company is Fair Trade Certified it means they created a product that supports sustainable livelihoods, environmental protection, safe working conditions, and community development funds. These are very high standards that the products must meet to be labeled as a Fair Trade certified product.

Therefore how is this Redemptive?

Well according to Praxislabs, “Redemptive Operations refuses to use people merely as resources to achieve organizational goals; and seeks to go further than merely respecting team members and partners. Instead, redemptive operations are about building culture, financial models, value chains, and partnerships that bless people through grace, generosity, justice, patience and mutuality. ”

I think that Fair Trade can be Redemptive because it involves companies developing plans to help restore broken systems through creative ways to source resources ethically and sustainably and while making a commitment to improve the living of people around the world. While Fair Trade is not explicitly a Christian mission, I recognize elements of the Fair Trade’s model that are innovative and responsible of the sustainable development of farmers, workers, their families, and their communities around the world. This model seeks to go further and values people just as Praxis explains redemptive businesses to be. I am not sure whether it is right to say that Fair Trade is a redemptive organization because there are no explicitly stated Christian values. However, I do think that redemptive efforts can be displayed through the actions of the organization. They have marketplace metaphors in the context shown through seeking the broken systems and communities and stepping in to help bring restoration.