Nathan George

Wise words for a culture that speaks incessantly of success.

The Fringe Benefits of Failure

J. K. Rowling

Ultimately, we all have to decide for ourselves what constitutes failure, but the world is quite eager to give you a set of criteria if you let it. So I think it fair to say that by any conventional measure, a mere seven years after my graduation day, I had failed on an epic scale. An exceptionally short-lived marriage had imploded, and I was jobless, a lone parent, and as poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain without being homeless. The fears my parents had had for me, and that I had had for myself, had come to pass, and by every usual standard, I was the biggest failure I knew.

Now, I am not going to stand here and tell you that failure is fun. That period of my life was a dark one, and I had no idea that there was going to be what the press has since represented as a kind of fairy tale resolution. I had no idea how far the tunnel extended, and for a long time, any light at the end of it was a hope rather than a reality.

So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged.

I was set free, because my greatest fear had already been realized, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.

You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all–in which case, you fail by default.

Hey everyone – we are looking for two exceptional people to join our Trade as One team in Santa Cruz. If you know of people who love our mission, are detail minded, hard working team players with the right skills, we would love to meet them! Get them to check out the job descriptions on the Trade as One blog. Ollie the dog is disappointed that we are having to recruit externally, but will get over it.

Stanford Social Innovation Review recently posted a critique of fair trade coffee at http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/the_problem_with_fair_trade_coffee/

I was disappointed with the quality of the journalism which is typically polemic with a clear axe to grind rather than being as balanced as I would expect from such a good an institution as Stanford. Fair Trade USA have responded to the article so I thought it worth letting you see that response here..

Dear Mr. Nee,

Fair Trade USA is disappointed that you published the article “The Problem with Fair Trade Coffee.”  We welcome feedback and philosophical discussion about ways to improve and expand the Fair Trade system, however the unsubstantiated claims, dated research and misinformation that Colleen Haight presented in her article misrepresent our mission, our model and our accomplishments to date. During our 12-year history, Fair Trade USA has helped improve the lives of more than 1.5 million farmers[i] by cultivating a more equitable global trade model that alleviates poverty in coffee growing communities.  As a mission-driven nonprofit organization, we continuously innovate our model to deliver greater impact back to farming communities.

Here, within the publication’s required 1000 words, we are only able to address some of author’s claims. To learn more, please visit www.FairTradeUSA.org.

Impact

The article says that “retailers explain” that Fair Trade USA does not have sufficient data showing positive impact on growers.  Without citing sources for this broad testimonial, the author fails to share that during the course of her research she met with Fair Trade USA on two occasions. She was presented with a plethora of data[ii] proving the enormous impact we have made in alleviating poverty in countries where farmers are not getting adequate prices for their products and where they are isolated from international markets.  In 2010, we certified nearly 9,000 products from 878 producer organizations in 70 countries.[iii] We work with more than 900 U.S. companies to improve the sustainability of their sourcing practices and empower consumers with the assurance that products were grown and traded following strict social and environmental guidelines.

Since Fair Trade USA started in 1998, over 555 million pounds[iv] of Fair Trade Certified™ coffee has been imported in the United States.  As mentioned, this still represents a small percentage of the coffee industry.  We agree–there is plenty of room for growth.  This will happen with increased awareness, stronger commitments from the coffee industry and further innovation of the Fair Trade model.  We are inspired by the tremendous growth of certified imports.  Imports of Fair Trade coffee, specifically, have more than doubled in the last five years, from 44 million pounds in 2005 to almost 109 pounds in 2010. Fair Trade supporters have generated $45 million in community development premiums since 1998 in coffee alone, $56 million overall.[v]

Pricing Model

To understand the impact of Fair Trade, one must understand exactly how the pricing model works.  Fair Trade USA ensures that in return for their commitment to social and environmental sustainability through the Fair Trade standards, farmers receive a price that is always higher than the market price. Fair Trade standards guarantee a minimum price to producers, but unlike the article insinuates, this is a floor price, not a ceiling.  The direct relationships that Fair Trade fosters between farmers and buyers have allowed cooperatives to negotiate far higher prices, based on the quality of their beans.  In times of high market prices, like we are seeing today, the Fair Trade minimum is raised to meet the market price.[vi] In addition to the price paid for the coffee, buyers must pay an additional $.20 for community development and another $.30 for organic coffee.

The Fair Trade premium is unique because the cooperative is empowered to select and fund the projects that its members feel are most needed. These needs range from building schools and medical clinics, purchasing new equipment to improve quality, funding organic certification or providing members with technical assistance to improve yields or business acumen.  Greater business capacity and higher quality coffee support the empowerment and economic advancement of the entire community.

Additionally, in the Fair Trade system, premiums for community development are paid to cooperatives that pool the resources to fund more substantial projects designed to improve the quality of life for all of its members and their families, contributing to poverty alleviation for the entire community.  The premium has helped bring clean drinking water to farming communities in Africa, it has been invested in education programs for both children and adults, and it has funded cupping courses that have allowed farmers to better understand  and influence the quality of their coffee.

Quality

Throughout the article, several accusations are levied about the quality of Fair Trade coffee that are simply unsubstantiated.  In the subtitle, she says that strict certification requirements result in lower-quality coffee for consumers.  However, there is no direct relationship between Fair Trade standards and quality.  We do not audit for quality.  Nor do we force buyers to purchase low quality beans.  The coffee industry encompasses a variety of quality levels, flavor profiles and price points for Fair Trade coffee reflect this paradigm.

The real relationship between Fair Trade and quality is actually quite positive, and one that has evolved over the last 12 years.  As farmers start to receive better prices for their harvests, they are able to invest more money in improving the quality of their coffee.  Cooperatives are hiring and training cuppers and agronomists to help members produce better coffee.  As a result, nearly 250 producers attended the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s annual conference, where they showcased their quality beans directly to U.S. buyers. Fair Trade Certified coffees in Peru and Rwanda, among other regions have been recognized with enviable cupping scores from the industry’s purveyor of quality Ken Davids.

This investment in quality has allowed cooperatives to negotiate much higher prices for the members, allowing them to lift themselves out of poverty through trade, not aid.

After all, combating poverty requires a sustainable model that empowers farmers and workers to help themselves. Given its inclusive, participative approach and substantiated track record, Fair Trade is a viable vehicle for producers to strengthen their positions and take more control over their lives.  As the market and the needs of our consumers, investors and producers change over time, we find ourselves ready to meet the challenges and welcome the opportunity to improve the work that we do, so that we can continue to do deliver more Fair Trade opportunities to more people around the world.

[ii] www.fairtradeusa.org

[iii] 2010 Fair Trade USA Almanac

[iv] 2010 Fair Trade USA Almanac

[v] 2010 Fair Trade USA Almanac

[vi] www.fairtrade.net

My talk at the conference on human trafficking in Fremont CA in January.