Why Should We Focus on "Fair Trade" Now?
With recent emphasis on SDGs, businesses that allow producers to be victimized cannot continue
September 08, 2021
Summary
◆Fair trade is a system that aims to improve the livelihood and independence of vulnerable producers by purchasing agricultural and other products from producers at appropriate prices. Consumers' attempts to contribute to the resolution of poverty issues in developing countries through commerce are worth reconsidering, as ethical consumption and SDGs attract increasing attention.
◆It would be difficult to claim that fair trade is popular among Japanese consumers at present. Young people who learn about fair trade in educational settings can be expected to use more of those products in the future when they become the generation that supports consumption in Japan, but we will have to wait a decade for that time to come.
◆The important point to recognize, however, is that enterprises will not be granted a grace period until that time comes. The business environment is now focusing on environmental protection and elimination of forced labor, and methods that force producers to sacrifice income and safety will no longer be acceptable. Companies need to proactively engage in fair trade from the perspective of protecting their business.
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