FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 3rd, 2018	CONTACT:	Lauren Berlekamp, 202-657-7754 laurenb@wearemovementmedia.com

PORTLAND, OR — Leading fair trade advocacy organization Fair World Project (FWP) has announced their annual campaign to celebrate World Fair Trade Day, which takes place Saturday, May 12, 2018. The campaign is in collaboration with the National Co+op Grocers (NCG) and dedicated global fair trade brands including Alaffia, Alter Eco, Dr. Bronner’s, Equal Exchange, Guayaki, and others. Representing 1.3 million consumer-owners in retail outlets in 37 states, NCG will feature promotions and educational events to support the campaign. This year’s theme, “Fair for Farmers and Soil” puts an emphasis on the regenerative agriculture practices used by small-scale farmers that promote soil fertility and help to mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon into the soil.

“In seeking practical solutions to the problems humanity is facing, people are waking up to how our buying power plays a significant role in the big picture,” says Dana Geffner, Executive Director of Fair World Project. “Consumers are demanding more from the companies they purchase from and want to support brands dedicated to working with small-scale farmers who are using regenerative organic techniques that help to solve the climate crises. Celebrating World Fair Trade Day together encourages the market to see the direction consumers are headed, while highlighting and supporting companies who are truly committed to using their own economic power towards a better world for all.”

World Fair Trade Day is a global initiative by the World Fair Trade Organization and is celebrated by millions of people in over 70 countries. In its seventh year, Fair World Project’s World Fair Trade Day retailer campaign showcases the small-scale producers at the heart of the global fair trade movement and the contributions they make to healthy, sustainable communities around the world.

“National Co+op Grocers (NCG) and our food co-ops value people and believe in business models that are socially just, participatory, and committed to principles of fairness and equity,” says Allie Mentzer, Advocacy Manager of NCG. “We are proud to support World Fair Trade Day as an event that raises awareness of these issues as well as the ways in which consumers can support companies and products that align with these values.”

Though multiple definitions and programs for “fair trade” certification exist, Fair World Project works to educate brands and consumers about the standards reflected in various certification schemes, and how to keep eco-social terms and certifications meaningful and effective. Fair World Project’s Spring/Summer 2018 edition of its free biannual publication, For A Better World, includes a reference guide for fair trade and worker justice program labels to help consumers choose authentic fair trade products. For A Better World is available for free at more than 1,500 natural retail outlets across the country, including many National Co+op Grocers member-owned locations.

“Small-scale farmers produce over half the world’s food on just a fraction of the land,” says Kerstin Lindgren, Campaign Director of Fair World Project. “As we look at ensuring access to healthy food for all people in an era of climate crisis and corporate consolidation, it is clear that we do not have sustainability and regenerative organic agriculture until we take fairness to farmers seriously.”

Learn more about Fair World Project and World Fair Trade Day here: https://fairworldproject.org/get-involved/world-fair-trade-day/.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 23rd, 2017	CONTACT:	Lauren Berlekamp, 202-657-7754 Email: laurenb@wearemovementmedia.com

Fair Trade Advocates Respond to Trump: Renegotiation of NAFTA Must Include Farmers and Labor Groups

Fair World Project Asserts: Trade Agreements Will Continue to Benefit Corporations Over People Unless Process for Negotiation Changes

PORTLAND, OR – Last week President Trump announced plans to formally renegotiate NAFTA—the North American Free Trade Agreement. Trump campaigned on a promise to renegotiate NAFTA so that it benefited working families. Documents leaked in March indicate a trade plan that leaves in the most controversial aspects, such as Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS), which gives corporations more power than democratically elected governments. There has been no plan put forth by the White House to restructure the process for renegotiations, which currently relies heavily on corporate advisors and secret negotiations, nor a plan to mitigate and reverse the damage NAFTA has had on farmers and the food system in all participating countries.

“Trump promised to make trade work for working families. He has never even talked about the importance of changing trade policy to work for small-scale farmers, support agroecology, or meaningfully address climate change, all changes which are desperately needed in our trade framework. And now we are learning that Trump won’t even keep his one promise to working families, but will instead use the renegotiation of NAFTA to hand power over to corporations,” says Fair World Project’s Campaign Director, Kerstin Lindgren.

Trump’s announcement commences a 90-day waiting period before negotiations can begin.

“Though formal negotiations cannot begin for several months, we know that corporate lobbyists are hard at work already,” says Dana Geffner, Executive Director of Fair World Project. “A fundamental value of fair trade is that intended beneficiaries of any policy must be at the table. Trade will never be fair if corporate advisors continue to draft policies while labor and family-scale farmer representatives are excluded.”

“Many of us have been opposed to the damaging effects of NAFTA since its earliest days and have been calling for changes for years,” says Ryan Zinn, Political Director of Fair World Project. “Yet we are not happy with Trump’s announcement because nothing in his trade plan indicates the renegotiated agreement will be any better for farmers, working families, or the environment. If anything, there is a good chance it will put more power in the hands of the multinational corporations that already threaten a sustainable food system.”

The details of the agreement are still to be worked out, but earlier advisory meetings and leaked plans indicate that NAFTA will not be fundamentally different in process or provisions than previous trade agreements.

To read more about Fair World Project’s position on the NAFTA renegotiation, including their call to action, go to: http://bit.ly/2qWGUjr.

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Leading Fair Trade Advocacy Group’s Celebration of World Fair Trade Day Distinguishes Real Fair Trade from Low Standard Imposters

Dedicated Fair Trade Brands Partner with Fair World Project for 1,500 Events Across the United States

PORTLAND, OR – Leading fair trade advocacy organization Fair World Project (FWP) has announced their annual campaign to celebrate World Fair Trade Day, which takes place May 13, 2017. The campaign is sponsored by dedicated fair trade brands Alaffia, Alter Eco, Dr. Bronner’s, Equal Exchange, Farmer Direct Co-op, Guayaki, and Maggie’s Organics. Nearly 1,500 retail outlets across the U.S. will feature promotions and educational events to support the campaign. This year’s theme, “Fair for Farmers & Soil,” puts an emphasis on the regenerative agriculture practices used by small-scale farmers that promote soil fertility and help to mitigate climate change.

World Fair Trade Day began in 2001 to showcase the small-scale producers at the heart of the global fair trade movement and the contributions they make to healthy, sustainable communities around the world. World Fair Trade Day is now celebrated on every continent (except Antarctica) by millions of people around the globe and is led by the World Fair Trade Organization and other movement partners. As a preeminent participant in World Fair Trade Day for the last six years, Fair World Project has organized successful retail campaigns to connect dedicated fair trade brands to consumers as an opportunity to distinguish themselves from brands who use fair trade ingredients in some products but do not have a dedicated fair trade supply chain. In an era where major corporations are taking stances on global politics and social issues, fair trade is a business model where action to support small-scale farmer movements and fair supply chains results in rewarding returns and job creation. Participating brands in Fair World Project’s program report sales growth of nearly 200 percent each year, demonstrating the increasing consumer demand for ethical products and fair trade brands.

“Consumer actions play a significant role in the big picture of trade. More and more consumers are saying that it’s important to them to shop with their values, they just don’t necessarily know which brands to trust. Part of the success of this program is that we’re able to help grocery retailers meet that consumer need, and support companies who are doing good work along their supply chains.”
Dana Geffner, Executive Director of Fair World Project

Fair trade is a movement that empowers farmers to organize and earn a livelihood within the highly competitive global marketplace. Small-scale farmers are able to feed 80 percent of the non-industrialized world’s people on just a fraction of the land, compared to the total area used by multi-national agriculture and chemical corporations. While many are already using organic and regenerative practices, others still struggle to break free from the corporate stranglehold of the dominant industrial model.

“Every transformational movement starts with visionaries who show that another way is possible. On World Fair Trade Day, we celebrate the farmers and brands who are visionaries creating the fair, healthy, and regenerative food and agriculture system so many of us want but which too often seems out of reach.”
Kerstin Lindgren, Campaign Director of Fair World Project

Though multiple definitions and programs for “fair trade” certification exist, Fair World Project works to educate brands and consumers about the standards reflected in various certification schemes, and how to keep eco-social terms and certifications meaningful and effective.

Learn more about Fair World Project, World Fair Trade Day, and campaign partners here: https://fairworldproject.org/get-involved/world-fair-trade-day/.

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New Report from Fair World Project Evaluates Certification Programs that Seek to Ensure Transparency and Integrity of Working Conditions for Farmworkers
Leading Advocacy Group Evaluates Impact and Effectiveness of Seven Certification Programs in the Interest of Farmworker Justice

Portland, OR – Fair World Project, a project of the Organic Consumers Association, the nation’s largest network of green and ethical consumers, has released a new report titled, Justice in the Fields: A report on the Role of Farmworker Justice Certification and an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Seven Labels. The new report evaluates seven certification programs that consumer brands use to provide a level of transparency to consumers on the social impact of their supply chain on workers. The findings in the report are based on the criteria farms must meet, how these standards are enforced and what role farmworkers and their representatives play in both program development and on-farm enforcement.

To read the Justice in the Fields report, go to: https://fairworldproject.org/campaigns/farmworker-justice/

The report details the realities of agricultural work globally: it’s difficult, dangerous, and can be poorly compensated. Farmworkers are often excluded from laws that protect other workers and even when they are included, the laws are often not well enforced. Labor unions can provide the function of negotiating better pay and conditions on behalf of workers they represent, but in reality union membership on farms is low, in part because of anti-union organizing. The report illuminates how, in recent years, certification programs have stepped in to fill the void and ensure justice and fair treatment for farmworkers on farms.

“It is tempting to see certification as a silver bullet, but any certification is only as good as its standards and enforcement mechanisms. Ultimately, any good program empowers farmworkers and works together with existing regulations and unions to strengthen their voice.”
Kerstin Lindgren, Campaign Director of Fair World Project

Of the seven certification labels evaluated in the report, Fair World Project strongly recommends two of them: Agricultural Justice Project’s Food Justice Certified and Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ Fair Food Program. Two others are recommended with qualifications: Equitable Food Initiative’s Responsible Grown, Farmworker Assured, and Fairtrade International’s Fairtrade Certified.

“At their best, certification labels can raise the bar for worker justice on farms and lead consumers to purchase products that empower farmworkers. But conscious consumerism is just a small part of what’s needed—we hope that this report can inform and inspire people to engage in activism on behalf of all the people who grow our food, whether they work on a certified farm or not.”
Dana Geffner, Executive Director of Fair World Project

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Fair World Project Applauds Resolution to Four-Year Labor Dispute Between Farmworkers and Supplier to Driscoll Berries in Washington State

Leading Advocacy Group Facilitates Agreement Between Union and Sakuma Brothers Farm
Portland, OR – Fair World Project, a project of the Organic Consumers Association, the nation’s largest network of green and ethical consumers, is proud to announce the results of an election on September 12 that confirmed the independent union Familias Unidas por la Justicia (Familias Unidas) as the formal representatives of farm workers at Sakuma Brothers Farm (Sakuma) in Washington State, supplier to Driscoll’s, the largest berry distributor in the world. Fair World Project facilitated dialogue between worker representatives of Familias Unidas and executives at Sakuma throughout the summer until an agreement could be reached.

Farmworkers at Sakuma in Burlington, Washington had been locked in a years-long struggle for a fair contract outlining wages, working conditions, and employment terms. On September 4th Familias Unidas and Sakuma reached an agreement that ended their four-year long labor dispute. Part of that agreement provided a process for a free and fair election to confirm Familias Unidas as the representative for hand harvesters at Sakuma Brothers Farm, which took place on September 12th. Contract negotiations between Sakuma and the union will begin soon.

“This is a historical moment. Because farmworkers are excluded from the National Labor Relations Act, which establishes the framework for unions and collective bargaining for most other workers, there are few farms where workers have organized and even fewer independent unions,” said Fair World Project Campaign Director, Kerstin Lindgren. “Both Familias Unidas and Sakuma have shown tremendous leadership and commitment to finding a mutually beneficial outcome. We hope this type of leadership and collaboration can serve as a model for other farms,” continued Lindgren.

Familias Unidas has called for an end of the four-year consumer boycott of both Sakuma and major buyer Driscoll’s. While Familias Unidas has asked all of their boycott committees to cancel events in opposition to Sakuma and to start promoting the farm, some advocates may continue promoting the boycott of Driscoll’s berries on behalf of farmworkers in Mexico who are still struggling for increased pay and dignified working conditions.

In May of 2016, 32 organizations including Fair World Project sent Driscoll’s a letter asking that they uphold their stated commitment to freedom of association by requiring Sakuma management to meet with the workers organized as Familias Unidas. Driscoll’s response was positive and Fair World Project hopes that Driscoll’s continues to insist their suppliers negotiate fairly with workers who choose to organize.

“This news from the fields of Sakuma Brothers Farm is truly inspiring,” said Dana Geffner, Executive Director of Fair World Project. “This agreement is both proof of the power of workers organizing and also proof of the power of consumers who stood in solidarity with these farmworkers during their four-year quest to negotiate a fair contract,” continued Geffner.
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Fair World Project Releases Statement on US, China Formal Sign-On to Paris Climate Agreement

Leading Consumer Advocacy Group Calls for Support for Small-Scale Farmers and Fair Trade

Portland, OR – Fair World Project (FWP), a campaign of the Organic Consumers Association, the nation’s largest network of green and ethical consumers, welcomes the United States and China’s ratification of the Paris Climate Agreement. Meeting the Agreement’s emissions reduction targets and adaption goals require political will and significant institutional commitment, as the United States and China jointly are responsible for approximately 40% of global emissions.

As both countries are top producers of the world’s food, a key element to mitigate the consequences of, and adapt to severe climate change will be addressing the conventional global food system. Global industrial agriculture is a key driver in the generation of greenhouse gases (GHG), accounting for 30-50% of total emissions worldwide. Chemical fertilizers, pesticides, heavy machinery, monocultures, land change, deforestation, refrigeration, waste and transportation all contribute to a food system that generates significant emissions which escalate global climate change and further perpetuate an inequitable and unhealthy food system. Yet despite the important role conventional agriculture plays in causing the climate crisis, and the potential of alternative food systems to abate it, no mention of agriculture or the food system was made during the ratification announcement.

“There are over 500 million smallholder family farms in the world. Small farmers, practicing organic and agro-ecological farming practices not only feed the majority of the world with less than one quarter of global farmland, but are actively sequestering carbon with ecological farming practices.”
Ryan Zinn, Political Director of Fair World Project.

Despite the scalable ability of small-scale farmers and pastoralists to feed the world’s growing population through “cool farming” practices, they are vulnerable to unfair trade agreements, collapsing financial markets, the global expansion of “bio” or agricultural fuels, land grabs, and destabilizing speculation in the food market, among other threats. Current prevailing policies and practices in trade, land use, energy consumption, and seed patent laws favor large-scale agribusinesses that catalyze climate change, while making it more difficult for small-scale sustainable farmers to stay on endemic land. Without safeguards and support for a “cool farming” food system, the global food supply is put at risk and efforts to combat the climate crisis are severely compromised.

“The Obama Administration’s ratification of the Paris Agreement, while it simultaneously advanced the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)—a massive trade deal involving 12 countries along the Pacific Rim—presents a troubling contradiction. The TPP represents a clear obstacle to climate progress and if President Obama is serious about his commitment to addressing climate chaos, he needs to drop his support of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and advocate for a fair and ecological system of global trade.”
Fair World Project Campaign Director, Kerstin Lindgren

The United States government can play a powerful role in combating climate change by supporting regenerative agriculture, and work toward a just economy by prioritizing small-scale farmers. However, to be truly successful and equitable, climate programs at home and abroad must ensure fair prices for farmers, equitable access to land, credit and seeds, as well as institutional safeguards, including reforming unfair trade agreements. Fair World Project congratulates the Obama administration on the milestone of ratification of the Paris Agreement and hopes that this is merely the first step in a serious commitment to tackling the reform that will also include supporting small-scale farmers and denouncing unfair trade agreements.

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Fair Trade Village and Workshops at World Social Forum will Address Trade Policy, Economic Justice, Climate Change and Small-Scale Farmers

Coalition of Fair Trade Advocates to Facilitate Open Discussions, Educational Opportunities and Exhibitions at International Meeting of Civil Society Groups

MONTREAL, CAN – Leading Fair Trade advocacy organizations from around the world are working together to highlight myriad issues related to trade policy and economic justice at the 2016 World Social Forum (WSF), to be held in Montreal, Canada, August 9-14. Represented through a public exhibition called The Fair Trade Village, and numerous workshops as part of the forums broader programing, issues facing the Fair Trade movement, small-scale producers, trade policy and the global economy in general will be a big focus of discussion at this year’s largest gathering of civil society organizations. Debate and controversy around trade policy, the impact and legacy of NAFTA and other historic trade deals as well as the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), currently a major topic in the 2016 U.S. Presidential campaigns, provide a backdrop to many of the pressing issues effecting the global Fair Trade movement.

The Fair Trade Village, located in the heart of Jarry Park, will showcase Fair Trade companies and organizations that are committed to building an economic model that prioritizes people and the planet before profit. Together, both the Fair Trade Village and the many Fair Trade movement-led workshops at the World Social Forum itself will demonstrate the power of small-scale farmers and producers to create true systems of economic change. Fair trade brands and small-scale producer organizations that produce Fair Trade coffee, tea, honey, and spices, as well as non-profit organizations from Canada and the U.S. will be represented, with the shared mission of raising awareness about the need to support Fair Trade , and how doing so benefits farmers, producers, consumers and the environment.

For background on the history and context of Fair Trade, watch The Fair Trade Story: www.FairWorldProject.org/campaigns/keeping-fair-trade-real/

Both open to the public, the Fair Trade focused workshops (included in WSF registration) and the Fair Trade Village (free of charge) will offer educational opportunities, Fair Trade product samples, and information about the successes and ongoing market challenges to Fair Trade. The various workshops focused on Fair Trade at the World Social Forum will take place August 10^th through 12^th, a sampling of this schedule, follows:

August 10, 13h00 – 15h30 Fair Trade Hot Topics

August 12, 9h00 – 11h30 How Small-Scale Farmers can Cool the Planet by Partnering with Fair Brands

August 12, 13h00 – 15h30 Beyond Certification—Examples of Fair Trade of and for the People

For the complete schedule of fair trade workshops and panel discussions taking place, please visit https://fsm2016.org/en/activites_liste

The Fair Trade Village will take place all day on August 13^th and 14^th near the ECOSPHERE in Jarry Park, where the World Social Forum continues for these two days, and will include Fair Trade crafts for sale, product samples, and information from leading non-governmental organizations.

This manifestation is being facilitated by the first coalition of its kind focusing on Fair Trade to attend the World Social Forum, and is composed of World Fair Trade Organization (wfto.com), Fair World Project (fairworldproject.org), Fair Trade Federation (fairtradefederation.org), Canadian Fair Trade Network (cftn.ca), Association Quebecoise du Commerce Equitable (assoquebecequitable.org), Coop Coffee (http://coopcoffees.coop/), and the Fair Trade Advocacy Office (fairtrade-advocacy.org).

The World Social Forum is an annual meeting of civil society organizations, who gather to engage in democratic debate and solution-oriented discussion about the world’s most pressing social issues. For more information about the World Social Forum, visit https://fsm2016.org/en/.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 26th, 2016	CONTACT:	Kerstin Lindgren, 617-680-9862 Email: kerstin@fairworldproject.org Anna Canning, 971-209-2554 Email: anna@fairworldproject.org

PORTLAND, OR – Leading fair trade advocacy organization, Fair World Project, joined over thirty other organizations in signing a letter asking Driscoll’s, the largest distributor of berries in the world, to make good on its commitment to enforcing the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining. As part of its worker welfare standard, Driscoll’s affirms the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively and states that standards apply even when laws do not exist. Driscoll’s also affirmed its commitment to this right in a 2015 meeting with Fair World Project, Community to Community Development, Domestic Fair Trade Association, and the independent union Familias Unidas por la Justicia.

Yet at Sakuma Brothers Farm, a Washington farm that grows blueberries and blackberries for Driscoll’s, management has refused to negotiate a contract with Familias Unidas por la Justicia. Rather than enforcing its own standards, Driscoll’s has stated it cannot insist that Sakuma Brothers Farm sit down with the independent union.

“Sakuma claims to care about and respect the farmworkers that harvest berries year after year. If this is the case, Danny Weeden, CEO of Sakuma Brothers, should negotiate a fair contract with farmworkers who have repeatedly asked for one. Decency and respect require that much, even if the law does not,” says Kerstin Lindgren, Campaign Director of Fair World Project.

Fair World Project has also sent a petition signed by nearly 10,000 consumers directly to Sakuma Brothers asking CEO Danny Weeden to sit down with farmworkers.

“Driscoll’s is a successful company that has figured out how to bring fresh berries to consumers around the world. Certainly they can figure out how to enforce their own code of conduct and protect the rights of workers,” says Dana Geffner, Executive Director of Fair World Project. “Consumers are very concerned about this this issue and it is imperative for Driscoll’s to ensure Sakuma remedies this problem immediately,” continues Geffner.

In the absence of a contract and union recognition, Familias Unidas por la Justicia have improved their own pay and conditions through a series of walkouts and lawsuits over the past three years. A landmark lawsuit in 2015 won paid breaks for farmworkers not only at Sakuma Brothers Farm, but throughout the state of Washington.

“Sakuma management has proven to us that they cannot be trusted without a signed legal document like a contract. And Driscoll’s knows that Sakuma has not lived up to its principles regarding farmworker justice,” says Ramon Torres, President, Familias Unidas por la Justicia.

Walkouts have helped workers win temporary gains in pay and conditions. But advocates and consumers alike insist that a contract is needed for workers. This will be a longer-term solution that will benefit farmworkers as well as farm owners and managers.

“Driscoll’s should live up to their PR to consumers about open dialogue and fairness and insist that Sakuma negotiate a union contract with the workers,” says Rosalinda Guillen, Executive Director of Community to Community Development.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 15th, 2016	CONTACT:    Lauren Stansbury, 402-540-1208    Email: lauren@wearemovementmedia.com    Kerstin Lindgren, 617-680-9862    Email: kerstin@fairworldproject.org

PORTLAND, OR – Leading Fair Trade advocacy organization, Fair World Project (FWP), has joined with Dr. Bronner’s, Ben & Jerry’s, Cambridge Naturals, The Fairness Project, and Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, to hold a panel discussion at Natural Products Expo West, “Let’s Talk Living Wage.” Leaders from these progressive businesses and organizations will discuss why it is imperative to support campaigns to raise the minimum wage, explain how successful businesses benefit from paying higher wages to their workers, and the importance of the Natural Products Industry joining the movement to guarantee a fair, living wage.

Members of the media are invited to RSVP to Lauren@wearemovementmedia.com

PANELISTS:

David Bronner, Cosmic Engagement Officer (CEO), Dr. Bronner’s will discuss why Dr.Bronner’s has become involved in both local and federal campaigns to raise the wage and how this relates to their fair trade work throughout their supply chains.

Michael Kanter, Co-Founder and Chief Visionary Officer, Cambridge Naturals will address the importance of raising the minimum wage from a small business perspective. He will speak about how doing so can benefit both employees and the general success of a business.

Rob Michalak, Global Director of Social Mission, Ben & Jerry’s will discuss Ben & Jerry’sinternal work to calculate a livable wage for all employees, how it works, and what effect paying higher wages has had, in addition to why the company chose to get involved with advocacy for all businesses to support raising the minimum wage.

Ryan Johnson, Executive Director, The Fairness Project will describe the obstacles to action at the federal level, and share highlights from local and state campaigns around the country.

Holly Sklar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Business for a Fair Minimum Wage will discuss the case for why raising the minimum wage is good for business and will share information on how to get involved in a national network of businesses advocating for fair minimum
wages.

Kerstin Lindgren, Campaign Director, Fair World Project, will moderate the discussion.

“Dr. Bronner’s is committed to fairness throughout our supply chain, and that also applies to our employees here at home,” said David Bronner, CEO of Dr. Bronner’s. “Paying workers less-than a living wage creates a corporate welfare system in which public funds supplement unlivable low wages. It’s time to fight for a living wage, and in doing so raise the standard for businesses’ responsibility toward their employees.”

“The increasing inequality in the United States is immoral and damaging the country’s economy and society. By paying better wages, businesses can help lift millions out of poverty, improve the prospects of millions of children and contribute to economic growth, which serves us all well,” said Rob Michalak, Global Director of Social mission with Ben & Jerry’s.

“Low wage workers are disproportionately women and people of color,” said Kerstin Lindgren, Campaign Director of Fair World Project. “Raising the minimum wage mitigates some of the structural discrimination these demographics face, as we work toward lasting equality at all levels of society.”

According to polls, the majority of small businesses and hiring managers support raising the minimum wage. Two federal minimum wage bills have been introduced in Congress: S.1150, the Raise the Wage Act, that would raise the federal minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2020; and S.1832, the Pay Workers a Living Wage Act, which would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020. Raising the minimum wage has been shown to boost businesses and the economy by putting more money in the hands of consumers who most need it and are most likely to spend it. Other business benefits include lower employee turnover, reduced hiring and training costs, increased productivity and better customer service. Yet despite these benefits, widespread support among consumers and businesses, and numerous wage victories at the state and local level, the federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 – just $15,080 annually for full-time workers – since 2009. The Let’s Talk Living Wage panel and discussion will strengthen the Natural Product Industry’s engagement in this important movement to build economically and socially sustainable businesses.

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