Established in 1995, International Resources for Fairer Trade (IRFT) has been working at the intersection of business and development for almost 15 years, giving farmers and artisans access to mainstream markets while encouraging large businesses to incorporate social responsibility and transparency into their core values. By working with both ends of the supply chain, IRFT ensures a fair deal for all.
IRFT has never been about charity. We understand the lasting power of participating in the market economy, and so we work closely with farmers and artisans to equip them with the skills to sell their products and give them access to a long-term, stable livelihood. Learn how we do this through our Community Business Programme.
Big companies know the value of the market economy. But what they often don’t know is that by giving their producers a fair deal, their business improves. IRFT conducts transparent ethical audits, provides standards training, and encourages corporate social responsibility to companies so that they can do the at most for their producers and their profit.
IRFT AND ITS ROLE IN FAIR TRADE:
• Promotes the principles of fair trade to all stakeholders along the supply chain through Capacity Building and long-term process Training
• Steer all efforts to mainstream Fair Trade in India and help further build partnerships of a wider fraternity in the larger interests of a unified, credible Fair Trade movement in India and beyond.
• Develops Communication strategies to address different fora/ events/fraternity meets on Fair Trade, working in partnership with Fair Trade networks like FTFI.
• IRFT will ensure that its Community Business Programme (CBP) and Ethical Business Programme (EBP) will be woven into the Fair Trade principles and its propogation at every step of the way, thereby addressing wider areas of awareness, through each of our stakeholders.
• Is working harmoniously with funding organizations to ensure clear cut roles, responsibilities and deliveries as committed, and meet deadlines set by the projects.
COMMUNITY BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAMME:
Our services cover:
-Marketing - IRFT conducts marketing research that encompasses sales analyses, market information for domestic and export, and strategy & planning.
-Finance - IRFT works with producer organizations to analyze and re-structure their finances to better establish accounting and budgeting procedures, costing and pricing of products, and conduct ratio analyses.
-Production - When in comes to production, IRFT ensures that organizations are incorporating the latest innovations in product development and design, are managing quality, packaging, and process analyses, and are working with others one technical knowledge transfers.
-General Management - IRFT encourages the development of a general management infrastructure in all producer organizations.
-Brand Building - Based on IRFT extensive knowledge helping small organizations market their products, we work with producers on branding and labeling their products for mass-market appeal.
-Networking - IRFTs unparalleled network across the country helps to identify supply sources, distributions networks, financial associates, technical know-how, potential markets and even business ideas for community-based organization.
-Fundraising - IRFT encourages producer groups to find innovative fundraising sources, assists in the proposal writing process, and links funders to small organizations.
ETHICAL BUSINESS PROGRAMME:
-Ethical Auditing/Independent Monitoring and Corrective Solution Providers in Social Compliance
-Standard Setting & Training by Providing Services for any Compliance Enquiries
-Trainings on Generic Fair Trade Compliance
-Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
-Business Social Responsibilities
