Fair-Trade Consumption Issues - Essay Example

Fair trade consumption The Fair trade consumption organization occurs in the form of integrated trade players, who consists of organizations for producers, cooperatives, retailers and trading networks, as well as certification agencies that works together in collaboration, to instill the concept of fair trade in the society (Clarke, et al., 2007 p597). Fair Trade Consumption is n organizational form that does not seek to create passive experience on ethical business practices for both the producers and the consumers, but an active experience, which is meant to last with them throughout, inform of sustainable behaviors and practices that eventually emerge as the fundamental principles and objectives of the producers and the consumers (Simon, 2007 p14). Thus, the essence of Fair Trade Consumption is not just to desire to be ethical, but to believe in the concept of ethical behavior for both the corporations and individuals, to approve of such ethical behavior and to demand that such behaviors be displayed by the business community (Simon, 2007 p18). The concepts of both demand and approval therefore shape the focus of this organizational form, where the demand of any corporate product is made based on the self-approval of the necessary ethical compliance. Fair Trade Consumption demands that we, as the ethical players should not just desire to be ethical, but that ethical behavior should be the basis of all consumptions we make and a fundamental feature of what we think as self, not just as a fair practice, but out of self-approval (Simon, 2007 p23). Fair trade consumption is an organizational form that serves to shape the ethical behaviors of both the producers and consumers, as well as that of all the organizations and agencies that operate in between, through creating a partnership that is based on dialogue, mutual respect for all parties and transparency (Bryant & Goodman, 2004 p344). Oxfam is an example of a firm operating under the Fair trade consumption umbrella, which has opened over 750 charity shops for selling second hand clothes, books and other items, for the mere purpose of ensuring to reach the less disadvantaged, while also enhancing the environmental conservation efforts (Clarke, et al., 2007 p585). While the organization of Fair trade consumption could be perceived as political mechanism that is not compatible with the business goals and objectives, the truth is that this organizational form has helped to shape who individuals believe they are, through a process referred to as Ethical Selving (Shreck, 2005 p18). For example, the Fair trade Movement has been working towards raising awareness among the consumers, regarding the negative effects of their non-ethical purchasing, to enable such consumers exercise their purchasing powers responsibly and positively, through supporting the organizations, business entities and corporations that are enhancing developmental sustainability through corporate social responsibility and caring for the environment (Doherty & Clarke, 2012 p297). This campaign has been geared towards enhancing conventional international trade, which is based on the precepts of transparency, dialogue and respect for all the stakeholders in trade. The organizational form of Fair trade consumption does not seek to enhance responsible trading of the trading partners through trading activities only, but also through campaigns for raising awareness, geared towards ensuring that ethical business standards are not just a preserve of the partners within the Fair trade consumption organization, but the same should hold both locally and internationally (Williams, 2013 p17). The purchase and consumption of Fair trade products does not only serve to present the individual buyer as one who cares about the implications of poor business practices, but to define the individual as an ethical person (Bird & Hughes, 1997 p167). Therefore, through purchasing Fair trade products, the individual purchasers tend to rebrand themselves as ethical, and that fact with time sinks into their mind, practice and morality, thus serving to completely transform the individuals into ethical people in matters of trade, through supporting organizations that are giving back to the society, while protecting the society and the environment against undue harm (Abercrombie, 1990 p172). Therefore, the demands of the organizational form of Fair trade consumption to us, as the ethical actors, is that we should exercise our purchasing power both responsibly and positively, to ensure that we practically engage in the furtherance of the ethical trading concepts, for the mutual benefits of all the producers and the consumers. The organization of Fair trade consumption may at times seem to be causing a contradiction between the behavior and the attitude of an individual, considering that the actual behavior may not transform to the realization of the target of an individual (Nicholls& Opal, 2005 p22). The Fair Trade Consumption form of organization helps individuals to systematically transform into the kind of being that we all aspire to be, when we engage in ethical behavior, through training the individual to select between what is good or bad, right or wrong, not based on how such choices favors the individual, but with mere focus on doing what ought to be done, even when it does not favor the individual’s attitude (Dewey, 1922 p14). The organization of Fair Trade Consumption is a political mechanism that is applied as a mediating tool between the producer and the consumer, to reach a level ground where care is the ultimate goal (Miller, 1998 p22). For example, the International Fair Trade Movement seeks to boost the disadvantaged category of business producers, for example women and the indigenous people on the same platform with the well-established producers, and thus help them enjoy the benefits of easily accessible markets and good prices for their products. While the traditional definition of trade is that; it is a business practice geared towards realizing profits for the entity’s stakeholders, the concept of Fair trade consumption has come along to redefine and chart an alternative business path, through which corporations, businesses and organizations, as well as states and governments will view trade from a lens of care, where addressing social and economic inequality, as well as alleviating environmental harm caused by unethical business practices becomes the ultimate targets (Bakan, n.d. p16). The concept of Fair trade consumption is particularly different from that of Ethical Trade, which focuses on ensuring that the labor conditions of those involved in the business practices of production are as humane as possible. On the contrary, the organizational form of Fair trade consumption is comprehensive in its approach, seeking to develop alternatives in spaces used for production, trading and consumption, to ensure that no harm is caused to the environment and to the society at large (Fisher, 1997 p113). The organization of Fair trade consumption works towards ensuring that a business is not only responsible to its shareholders alone, but to the society as a whole (Murray, 2004 p22). The organization of Fair trade consumption works towards seeking a ground for fairness and greater equity in the international trade. Equity can only be attained through ensuring that the rights of the marginalized workers and producers are upheld and that they are treated with equal respect and consideration (Collins, 1994 p7). Thus, the major focus of the organizational form of Fair trade consumption is to ensure sustainable development that does not cause harm, either to the stakeholders in trade, or to the greater environment. For example, the international Fair trade Movement has focused its strength on ensuring that the wellbeing of the producers, especially those who are marginalized is catered for, through strengthening the producer organizations, improving accessibility to market by the producers, and ensuring that they get high prices for their products (Belk, 1988 p142). The organization also seeks to continuously promote the relationship of the producers, while seeking to create more opportunities for the producer who are marginalized and disadvantaged, and therefore cannot manage to operate and compete at the same level as the well-established producers. Therefore, the organizational form of Fair trade consumption serves to ensure that no longer does the business community thrive through caring for the single interest of an entity within the community, but through expressing and showing responsibility to the whole business community, and the non-business community alike (Williams, 2013 p15). Conclusion The Fair Trade Consumption organizational form does not only place the responsibility of enhancing sustainable business and environmental development on the corporate world alone, but on the citizens as well. This is realized through raising awareness regarding the exercising of the purchasing powers that the citizens hold positively, while also seeking to create an equitable international business environment, through supporting the marginalized producers and strengthening the access to better markets and prices. This way, through business practices and through campaigns, Fair Trade Consumption creates a sustainable ethical experience among both the citizens and the corporate world. References Abercrombie, N. (1990). The Privilege of the Producer: Enterprise Culture. London: Routledge, pp.171-85. Bakan, J. (n.d.). Business as usual. The corporation, 1-35. Collins, J. (1994). Is Business Ethics an Oxymorom?Business Horizon, 1-8. Belk, R. (1988). Possessions and the Extended. Journal of Consumer Research 15(2). pp.139-68. Bird, K. & Hughes, D. (1997). “Ethical Consumerism: The Case of ‘Fairly-Traded’ Coffee.” Business Ethics 6(3), 159-167. Bryant, R. & Goodman, M. 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Fair trade: market-driven ethical consumption. London: Sage. Shreck A. (2005). Resistance, Redistribution and Power in the Fair Trade Banana Initiative. Agriculture and Human Values 22, p18. Williams, M. (2013). Alternative production and consumption relations?: fair trade, the state, and cooperatives in the global South', Journal Of Contemporary African Studies, 31, 1, pp. 1-17. Simon, C. (2007). Infinitely Demanding: Ethics of Commitment, Politics of Resistance. London: Verso, p14-27. Read More