Fairly traded products have passed through various stages of a structured process before reaching the store shelves. It is this structured process, or Fair Trade Chain, which ensures the authenticity of the certification. Also, third-party certification guarantees the highest standards of production and trade because a neutral body representing all the stakeholders oversees the production and trading process. It ensures that the quality of the product, the conditions under which it is produced, and the price which the producer receives is not determined by the fluctuations of the market.

There are four main stages to the process, beginning with a small farmer or co-operative group all the way through to sales outlets in the industrialized world.

Producers who want to have their product Fair Trade certified must apply to FLO (Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International). The production of their product and their workplace practices are assessed by a third-party Fair Trade certifier and if they meet the requirments, they receive certification. But the process does not stop there. Producers must undergo an annual audit to ensure not only that they are meeting Fair Trade standards but also that they are continually improving their production practices.

FLO authorizes the Fair Trade labelling of products, grants licenses to wholesalers and certifies producers.

IFAT (The International Fair Trade Association) monitors Fair Trade organizations’ - whatever their role in the supply chain - adherance to Fair Trade standards. Organizations who meet the requirements of the IFAT Standards and Monitoring System can earn the IFAT’s FTO mark. The FTO Mark is not a product label but an identifier of (certified/official) Fair Trade organizations.

FAIRTRADE LABELING ORGANIZATIONS INTERNATIONAL
Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO) is the worldwide Fair Trade Standard setting and certification organization. FLO guarantees that products sold with a Fair Trade label conforms to Fair Trade Standards and contributes to the development of disadvantaged producers and workers. Learn about Fair Trade standards, Fair Trade certification, Fair Trade products, national initiatives, and the producers who have benefited from fair trade.
http://www.fairtrade.net/

NETWORK OF EUROPEAN WORLDSHOPS (NEWS)
NEWS is an umbrella network of over 2500 Worldshops in Europe. Worldshop stores offer fairly traded products and campaign for a more equal and accessible global trade system. Learn about the role and relationship between producers, importers, labeling organizations and retailers. Also see the detailed explanation of the "Fair Trade Chain".
Network of European Worldshops > Fair Trade > The Fair Trade Chain
http://www.worldshops.org/fairtrade/keyplayers.html

OXFAM AMERICA
Oxfam America is an international development and relief agency and an affiliate of Oxfam International. Working with local partners, Oxfam delivers development programs and emergency relief services, and campaigns for change in global practices and policies that keep people in poverty. The Fair Trade Coffee: The Time Is Now resource provides facts and figures about the Fair Trade movement and offers comparisons between conventional coffee and Fair Trade coffee.
Oxfam America > News and Publications > Publications > Campaign Materials > Fair Trade Coffee Resource and Action Guide
http://www.oxfamamerica.org/pdfs/coffeeresourceguide.pdf

TRANSFAIR USA
TransFair USA, a nonprofit organization, is one of nineteen members of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO), and the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States. Learn about the criteria for the Fair Trade Certified label, the history of Fair Trade, and the environmental and social benefits.
Fair Trade > About TransFair USA > Press
http://www.transfairusa.org/content/about/
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