Worldshop

World stores are specialty stores for Fair Trade. Goal of world shops is to contribute to greater equity in trade relations between the countries of the South and the North. To achieve this goal, world shops sell fair trade products, participate in political campaigns and provide information and education on issues of fair trade.

• 4.1 history
• 4.2 Criteria for world shops and fair trade
• 4.3 monitoring

Name

Previously, these stores were called " third-world shop", but the name " World Shop " and the term " one-world shop" have been established today.

General

The beginnings

At the international level, the call for a different, fairer trade on the UNCTAD Conference in 1964 was loud. It claims were from developing countries under the slogan " Fair trade, not charity " provided to the industrialized countries. Under this motto, the World Shops guaranteed by the result, the pioneering work on the spread of the idea of Fair Trade. In 1969, the first fair trade shop was opened in the Netherlands, and from there the movement spread throughout Western Europe. Today, more than 2,400 world shops in Europe Weltladen network Network of European World Shops are organized. As in the early days of the movement is strong but continue to base oriented.

Functions

World shops not only sell goods but to inform the public about the products, the peculiarities of the country of origin, the people who produce their ideas and achievements, but also their setbacks.

World shops to show that people in the south and in the north are affected by unfair world trade patterns and participated in them. They work with economically and politically disadvantaged producer / producers mainly together in Africa, Asia and Latin America regions. The three pillars of its work are sale of goods, information and education, as well as campaigns and lobbying.

In order to mobilize the public and to raise awareness, campaigns are carried out to the World Trade products as well as developmental and socio-political issues. Information work is done also by working with schools and youth groups, events and a regular exchange and dialogue programs with producers of Fair Trade.

Producers

Partner of the world shops are mainly small farmers, co-operatives, craftsmen, plantation workers, small companies and self-help groups in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The more income from fair trade are used by producers for social projects, educational programs, environmental investment, improving infrastructure, etc..

The range

The typical range of a World Shop includes on the one hand the traditional agricultural products of the South, such as coffee, tea, cocoa, honey, spices, sugar, fruit juices and dried fruits, on the other hand (art) and crafts from these countries, such as baskets, bags, musical instruments, Busts, clothes and hammocks.

World shops in Germany

World shops first emerged due to the action Third World trade, which was founded in 1970 by the Association of Evangelical Youth and the Federation of German Catholic Youth to support development of political action groups.

In Germany there are now more than 800 world shops. A few thousand action groups come without fixed retail offering fairly traded goods also at festivals and markets and often have a close relationship with a world shop. German world shops get their sale goods normally by specialized Fair Trade import organizations GEPA - THE FAIR TRADE COMPANY ( Society for the Promotion of partnership with the Third World mbH), dwp eG (Third World partner ) or the El Puente GmbH - or even directly from small farmer co-operatives and co-operatives in developing countries. In addition to the GEPA, dwp and El Puente, there are other import organizations in Fair Trade. Most of them have been evaluated in the ATO TÜV the world shop umbrella organization based on conventions.

World Shops in Austria

In Austria there are in 2010 already nearly 90 world shops as well as two world cafes. Most are run by clubs. A few are run by individuals, limited liability companies or import organizations. It employs approximately 140 full-time employees and 1,800 volunteers, mainly women. A new, current developments are world cafes, gastronomic rail of the world shops, are offered in the organic and fair trade products. The Working World Shops is the umbrella organization of the world shops and cafes in the world.

History

An important step for the establishment of fair trade in Austria was the founding of the company EZA Third World ( today EZA GesmbH. ) As an importer of fair trade products. Without outlets whose radius of action, however, was effectively limited to the shipping trade, a strong handicap, but it was to convince the local people of the new idea. 1977, the first independent third world shop was opened in Innsbruck, more world shops in other towns soon followed. Was initially traded mainly with arts and crafts goods before the mid-1970s so-called "political goods " became more and more important. The Akteueren the Fair Trade movement, it was at that time primarily concerned to provide information about the topic and to raise public awareness of the problems of the Third World. 1982 decided the operator of several third world shops, the (short- ARGE - third-world stores, today ARGE world shops ) to establish " club for a better understanding of the problems of the Third World." The movement was strongly politically aligned, followed by a series information campaigns such as "Hunger is not destiny ," " purchase critical", " front-line states campaign" (supporting the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa ), but also information events such as the " Nicaragua -week " on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the overthrow of the Somoza dictatorship. topics Environment and environmental destruction were and are also a major concern.

From the 1990s, more and more third world shops were beginning to professionalize: In addition to the volunteers also paid employees were hired, the stores relocated in better frequentiertere documents, the design of the stores and merchandise presentation has been improved, a unified and clear appearance and Marketing and sales growth were greater intensity. In 1993, the Working Group Third World central to the founding of the association TransFair Austria (now Fairtrade Austria ) was involved. The aim was to bring fair trade products with a seal of approval in the supermarkets. This period also saw the renaming fell from "Third World Shops " in world shops to bring the idea of ​​ONE world more pronounced. In 1995 there were already 50 shops specializing in Fair Trade in Austria, now there are 88 world shops and two cafes World (March 2010). In addition to the sales activity is an important focus continues to be the education and campaigning work. Central action is the Fair Trade Day, which takes place on the second Saturday in May. Current information can be found under links.

Criteria for world shops and fair trade

The definition of fair trade for the world shops in Austria is set out in a policy paper. This criteria for the work of the world shops as well and the choice of trade partners are set (both import organizations and the producer organizations in Africa, Asia and Latin America).

It defines standards for transparency, social sustainability, environmental sustainability, democratic forms of organization, paying a fair price, information and education, as well as continuity.

Austrian World stores carry foods with the Fairtrade label as well as handicrafts and textiles from fair trade, which they refer exclusively by recognized and specialized fair trade import organizations. Approved suppliers to the world shops must therefore meet the criteria for fair trade that are defined in the policy document. Compliance with the criteria is checked through regular monitoring. Among the recognized suppliers include, for example, the import organizations EZA, One World Trade, dwp eG, CONA -free North South trade, Li Cok among others

Thus, it is for the world shops in Austria two monitoring systems:

• For products with the Fair Trade label (this applies almost exclusively food) is the independent inspection company FLO Cert GmbH and Fairtrade Austria responsible for the control.

• For other products (this primarily affects the offered in the world shops (art) and crafts) in Africa, Asia and Latin America there is the system of approved suppliers (fair trade import organizations ) who regularly by an independent auditor on the criteria of the world Shops and the standards of the International fair Trade Association ( IFAT ) are checked. The Auditor is appointed by the JV world shops.

This tester is full consultation of balance, business conduct, aims and working methods of the supplier to provide. The supplier also undertakes to forward reports of violations of the Fair Trade criteria in his producing partners to ARGE world shops. In a breach of the supplier against the criteria of Fair Trade ARGE world shops at any time has the option to terminate with a period of three months the contract, whereby the supplier withdraws from among persons of recognized suppliers and refer any more products from him the world shops.

World shops in Switzerland

In Switzerland, the world shops operate under the name Claro. They can be found in the larger and smaller cities and sometimes even in villages. The first action of Fair Trading took place in 1973 in Frauenfeld. Following this, the first world shops were established. The holding company Claro Fair Trade AG was founded in 1977 under the name Claro AG. It operates according to its statutes do not profit maximization and also pursuing charitable purposes. Profits generated are used for the creation of reserves or for targeted support for projects that correspond to its purpose. The company posted in fiscal year 2008/ 09 with 36 employees generated sales of 21,912,646 Swiss francs ( € 14,957,703.3 ). There are 136 contract stores and serves more than 500 other shops with their products.

Criticism

The model of the world stores is accused since the turnover of the stores is so low that he had no real effect on world trade inefficiency in achieving its objectives. In defense of the model 's response is that despite the marginal world market meaning the trading partners of the stores to be saved specifically in the developing world and improved their living conditions. Furthermore, the accusation, the operator should not be under the illusion of change by trying to concretely do something about it, a paradoxical - will thus criticized the actual work so that she was not (yet) sufficiently.

Meanwhile fairly traded goods are certified by TransFair seal, also sold in supermarkets and department stores, so that sales channels are extended. Rise in both the world shops and in supermarkets for years, sales of fairly traded goods.

Other aspects and other criticisms are covered under Fair Trade # rating.