Greenwash in Fair trade
Greenwash is a term we are beginning to hear more about. Used to describe the deceptive use of green spin or green marketing to allow companies to tap into the newly fashionable green awareness. Mc Donald’s Mc Café now claim to have rainforest alliance certified coffee. Is this a green wash exercise?
After some research I found a difference between this label and fair trade. Both claim to help trade and producers in poor countries of South America and Africa.
The Rainforest alliance certification shows products have met ecological, economic and social criteria of Rainforest alliance. The criteria were quite difficult to find on their website.
The major difference is unlike Fair Trade, the Rainforest Alliance does not guarantee premium price for farmers. The guaranteed premium price is essential for allowing farmers to live and make sustainable commitments in their community. According to a Guardian reporter in October 2007 ‘Critics claim that Rainforest Alliance certification is cheaper and easier to obtain than rival schemes, with no licensing fee to use its logo’. By using Rainforest Alliance, Mc Donalds avoids any additional cost.
The essential thing for the consumer is for Fair trade to keep things transparent to the public and keep their criteria and chosen producers audited and reviewed to ensure credibility of the label.
Below are some links to see fair trade criteria of Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance.
Fair Trade Standards http://www.fairtrade.net/fileadmin/user_upload/content/Jan_2009_EN_Generic_Fairtrade_Standards_SPO.pdf
http://www.fairtrade.net/fileadmin/user_upload/content/GTS_Feb09_EN.pdf
Rainforest Alliance certification
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/certification.cfm?id=about
Mc Donald’s Rainforest Alliance advertisement link
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/resources.cfm?id=multimedia
