Recent Activity

  • New Years Resolutions
    Jacqueline commented on the article | about 3 years ago
    New Years Resolutions

    At Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade, we are trying to help people keep their resolution commitments all year long.  Here's a posting, with some suggested actions, that might help keep your resolution momentum going:
    http://fairtrade.crs-blog.org/fairtrade/global-solidarity-resolutions-all-year-long/

    Good luck!
    Jackie

  • Crafting Amidst Conflict
    Jacqueline commented on the article | about 3 years ago
    Crafting Amidst Conflict

    Thanks for sharing this profile, Zarah.  I just wanted to add that the Fund's resources are made possible through the contributions of our fully committee Fair Trade partners, such as SERRV.  Every time a Catholic institution or individual makes a purchase through our network of more than a dozen partners, a donation is made to the Fund, which we recycle.  In this way US Catholics and other socially responsible consumers are contributors to the work of the Fund and its support of groups such as CRS partner HLHCS.

  • More Thoughts on the Recent Starbucks Decision
    Jacqueline commented on the article | over 3 years ago
    More Thoughts on the Recent Starbucks Decision

    From the perspective of Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade program, I just want to reiterate Shayna's assessment that Fair Trade goes much beyond price and is most transformative when it fully embraces what the Church calls “right relationships.”  Our U.S. work in coffee, chocolate and crafts uplifts those companies that have fully committed to Fair Trade as a business model because we believe Fair Trade mirrors Catholic Social Teaching around values such as the “working for the common good” and “preferential option for the poor.”   While celebrating an increased commitment from Starbucks and the market access opportunities it represents, we also recognize that the bedrock principles of Fair Trade, as Shayna suggests, include long-term trading relationships that seek to restore equity in trade for disadvantaged producers.  There are many merits to large corporations such as Starbucks in terms of reach and scale (our overseas programs work regularly to help farmers sell to a variety of large buyers who accept equitable terms).  Still, fully committed fair traders offer an alternative model of small and medium-size enterprises that are so essential to communities functioning and flourishing.  Please check out http://www.crsfairtrade.org if you'd like to know more about our fully committed partners, our work overseas, or our version of what Shayna calls a continuum, and we somewhat as an "Economic Justice Spectrum."

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