fair trade: Carmen Iezzi and Doug Dirks

In our first audio presentation for the blog, we are introduced to the concept and wide-reaching impact of fair trade.

Carmen Iezzi is the executive director of the DC-based Fair Trade Federation. She describes her organization this way:
The Fair Trade Federation is the trade association that strengthens and promotes North American organizations fully committed to fair trade. The Federation is part of the global fair trade movement, building equitable and sustainable trading partnerships and creating opportunities to alleviate poverty. More information about how entrepreneurs, students, consumers, and others can get involved in fair trade is at www.FairTradeFederation.org.

Doug Dirks is the public relations director for Pennsylvania-based fair-trade store Ten Thousand Villages. He says:
Ten Thousand Villages operates as a business with a compassionate mission by maintaining integrity in our actions and relationships. We market quality products from diverse cultures around the world made by people we know and care enough about to do business with in a manner that together we consider fair. We hope that one day in the future all artisans in developing countries will earn a fair wage, be treated with dignity and respect, and be able to live a life of quality.

Listen to the presentation

Useful Links:
Ten Thousand Villages
Serrv International
Fair Trade Federation
Fair Trade Futures Conference, September 10-12, 2010