How did I choose them?
First I was looking for companies which went above and beyond the requirements for fair trade certification.
In other words, I was looking for a level of personal commitment. I wanted to find evidence that these companies weren’t getting certified simply as a marketing tactic. I looked for solid evidence that caring about coffee farmers and the importance of the fair trade movement was a true part of the company’s own values.
Based on my views about publicly traded companies, one company stands out as an oddity on this list...Green Mountain Coffee.
It wasn’t my intention to have any “big” companies on the list. But a big company that does good things deserves a mention. Green Mountain Coffee is on the list because they send a number of employees on a trip to coffee growing communities each year, on salary. They don’t have to do it, but they do. And it’s a perfect way for employees to see first-hand what coffee growing is all about, and the importance of fair trade.
This is just my first pass at this list. With your help I can refine it and maybe get it up to a list of ten companies.
In no particular order...
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