About
OVERVIEW
Founder's story
Global Exchange was founded by Kevin Danaher, Medea Benjamin, and Kirsten Irgens-Moller in 1988 to promote human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice around the world.
Our mission
The goal of Global Exchange Fair Trade Stores is to show that a humane alternative to exploitative corporate-based retail not only exists, but also can compete and succeed in the mainstream market. In fact, all of our stores are continuing to grow in revenue year after year. We make our Fair Trade mission very clear to our customers, but we do not rely solely on this to sell our crafts. For Fair Trade to work, products we carry must sell on their own merits at a price comparable to other retailers.
Our philosophy
The mission of Global Exchange's Fair Trade Program is to successfully market fairly-traded products in order to (1) increase benefits for producers and consumers through economic fairness, mutual respect, and understanding, and (2) build support for a more sustainable system of trade. We strive to pay a fair price to disadvantaged producers and to support producer-initiated efforts to improve their quality of life. In addition, we seek to increase understanding and activism of U.S. consumers about unfair trade practices and the fair trade alternative.
The types of products we sell
Global Exchange Fair Trade Stores feature products from around the world, with fair prices for consumers-- and fair prices paid to producers. Our San Francisco store is one of the highest grossing retail Fair Trade stores in the nation, and our Berkeley store has more than doubled since it opened in 1991.
Where the producers live and work
Global Exchange works primarily with a network of fair trade importers who are members of the Fair Trade Federation, TransFair and other certification groups. We also purchase crafts directly from producer groups in many regions of the world.
Projects we support
Through programs such as Reality Tours, Public Education, Human Rights, and Fair Trade, Global Exchange works for human rights and social and economic justice through grassroots citizen empowerment.
Along with Coop America, we produce the Green Festivals, two-day events bringing together hundreds of green economy companies, social justice and environmental organizations, speakers, live music, organic food and drink, and tens of thousands of attendees hungry for a transition to the green economy.
How we select what we sell
The following Fair Trade criteria guide our operations and the products we select:
-Paying a fair wage in the local context
-Offering employees opportunities for advancement
-Engaging in environmentally sustainable practices
-Being open to public accountability
-Building long-term trade relationships
-Providing healthy and safe working conditions within the local context
-Providing financial and technical assistance to producers whenever possible
-Ensuring that there is no abuse of child labor
Fair Trade encompasses a range of goods, from agricultural products from the global South like coffee, chocolate, tea, and bananas, to handcrafts like clothing, household items, and decorative arts.
What makes us unique
Global Exchange takes a holistic approach to creating change. With 20 years working for international human rights, we realize that in order to advance social, environmental and economic justice we must transform the global economy from profit centered to people centered, from currency to community.
More information about us
Global Exchange is an international human rights organization dedicated to promoting political, social and environmental justice globally. Since our founding in 1988, we have been working with communities across the world to build a greater awareness of global trade issues and translate that awareness into Fair Trade activism. Global Exchange's Fair Trade stores have always sought to successfully market fairly-traded products with two main goals in mind. One is to increase benefits for producers and consumers through economic fairness, mutual respect, and understanding and the other to build support for a more sustainable system of trade.
We'd also like to tell you
Why Fair Trade?
Our consumer spending choices affect people's lives around the world. The products we enjoy are often made in conditions that harm workers, communities and the environment. But increasingly consumers are demanding more humane, more environmentally sensitive products.
In today's world economy, where profits rule and small-scale producers are left out of the bargaining process, farmers, craft producers, and other workers are often left without resources or hope for their future. Fair Trade helps exploited producers escape from this cycle and gives them a way to maintain their traditional lifestyles with dignity.
The Fair Trade system benefits over 800,000 farmers organized into cooperatives and unions in 48 countries. Fair Trade has helped farmers provide for their families' basic needs and invest in community development. However, these farmers are still selling most of their crop outside of the Fair Trade system because not enough companies are buying at Fair Trade prices.