Seven Women Fair-Trade Principles - Principle Two

Principle Two: Transparency and Accountability Fair Trade is becoming a popular concept, but unless explored and seen in practice, it's a hard concept to understand in depth. Seven Women supports and applies the principles of Fair Trade in the grass roots development project we have created.

We dive straight into Principle Two: Transparency and Accountability. The organization is transparent in its management and commercial relations. It is accountable to all its stakeholders and respects the sensitivity and confidentiality of commercial information supplied. The organization finds appropriate, participatory ways to involve employees, members and producers in its decision-making processes. It ensures that relevant information is provided to all its trading partners. The communication channels are good and open at all levels of the supply chain.

Seven Women and the centre have established a name, (named by the women themselves- as EPSA, Entire Power in Social Action), and have created transparency of funds raised in Australia and how these funds are spent in Nepal. Reports and proposals are generated to report spending and money fundraised.

The women have now reached a stage where they are able to earn enough for their daily basic needs, and in addition are able to save some in a micro savings group we have created. So far, their savings have enabled them to grow and maintain a vegetable patch; start a shop to sell their goods to further increase their income; and use additional income for ongoing medical treatment for some of the disabilities the women have.

Seven Women matches the money that is saved every month.

Principle Three: Fair Trading Practices, will feature in our next post.

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Byron - Seven Women, Melbourne