Ecocert Fair Trade | TRADE FOR DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

Ecocert Fair Trade

Initially established in the domain of organic farming in France, Ecocert has gradually dieversified its activities in Europe and beyond, creating its own Fair Trade sytem, known as EFT "Ecocert Fair Trade in the spirit of solidarity and responsibility".

Established in France in 1991, the Ecocert inspection and certification organisation is a legacy of the communal movement linked to organic farming in the 1970s and was initially limited to a small group of green activists. Since the mid-1990s, it has become established in several European countries (Germany, Portugal, Spain, etc.), gradually expanding beyond the frontiers of the Union into Africa (Madagascar, Burkina Faso, etc.), Asia (China) and America. This rapid expansion has occasionally been challenged. In Belgium, for example, the representatives of this organisation abandoned the Ecocert ship to set up a new organisation (Certisys) in March 2007.
This has not prevented Ecocert from becoming a benchmark for organic certification throughout the world. In 2007, Ecocert France developed its own fair trade system. Known as EFT (Ecocert fair trade in the spirit of solidarity and responsibility), it provides the consumer with guarantees similar to those offered by Max Havelaar. Thus, EFT membership requires payment of a guaranteed minimum price to producers, the existence of a social fund for financing development projects, technical and commercial support for disadvantaged producers and good agricultural farming practices (organic certification is required for bananas, flowers and cotton). Irrespective of the volumes marketed, these requirements apply to the food processing sector, cosmetics and textiles. Special feature: Transportation by air is discouraged.
Today only Ecocert carries out inspections. It is currently undergoing ISO 65 certification, to demonstrate the independence of these inspections.

In brief

Creation date:

2007

Based at:

Isle Jourdain, France.

Origin/need:

The creation of the EFT system in 2007 followed the beginning of fair trade standardisation in France. Through its development, Ecocert hopes to contribute to the harmonisation of fair trade systems.

Sector:

Agriculture, manufacturing (textiles, cosmetics), crop-picking/gathering.

In Belgium:

Argan oil, bananas, coconuts, dates, ginger, guarana, sesame oil, shea butter, textiles, vanilla.

What is guaranteed:

Fair commercial exchanges, within a framework of sustainable development; production and processing that respect the environment (organic methods of production, protection of biodiversity, etc.) and are socially responsible (observance of ILO conventions).

Stakeholders:

NGOs, consumers, public authorities, experts, enterprises.

Beneficiaries:

Independent producers, cooperatives, businesses/brand holders, plantations, distributors making voluntary commitments.

Type of assessment:

Third party. ISO 65 in progress for Ecocert.

Methods:

Analysis of the documentary system, pre-announced and random site visits, interviews with internal and external stakeholders.

Sector activities concerned:

Production, import/export, processing, distribution, public awareness.

Requirements:

The EFT requirements (downloadable from the Internet) are the only fair trade requirements produced by Ecocert. Special features associated with raw materials and the production area.

Room for manoeuvre:

The system consists of minimum or entry requirements, general requirements (every operator must comply with them to renew its certificate) and progress requirements.

Improvement procedure:

The improvements made by the operator to comply with the progress criteria are monitored each year. For certain of these criteria, the operator must draw up formal action plans, which are monitored over time.

Did you know ?

Control of margins: All operators must be transparent about the margins applied to their EFT products. Ecocert verifies that these margins are no greater than the margins applied to similar conventional products.
For more information: http://www.ecocert.com/-EFT-.html

How do I get the certification ?

The person responsible for marketing the product (the project sponsor) must, with the collaboration of all the operators in the EFT system, compile a production chain summary. The sponsor, who may be a producer or a purchaser, will organise the procedures for certification.
1. The sponsor fills in an application form so that the Ecocert fair trade service can evaluate its degree of conformity with the EFT system.
2. The Ecocert fair trade service appoints one of its inspectors.
3. The inspection is performed on site, using the EFT checklist. The inspection will result in a list of deviations from the EFT system.
4. When all the inhibitory deviations have been resolved (proof of corrective actions), the Ecocert fair trade service will send the certificate to the applicant.

How much does the certification cost ?

The cost of audit and certification is linked to the number of producers and/or employees involved in the project. Average costs as on 30 October 2009: around 2000 euros for a production business and 1000 euros for a processing enterprise (possibility of combining with organic certification, which will reduce the cost). These amounts are paid by the project sponsor, in other words the production body if it has the capacity to support the individual producers or, which is the more usual case, the purchaser, or even the brand holder. There is no user charge for the EFT label.

Interview

Interview:

ORGANIC FAIR TRADE IN SÃO TOMÉ AND PRINCIPE

In São Tomé, CECAB (Cooperative for the export and marketing of organic cocoa), certified organic free trade, is the umbrella organisation for 1525 growers from 40 communities.
Set up in 2004, it has been exporting organic cocoa since 2005, in partnership with the French company Kaoka.

We met Antonio Dias, representative of CECAB and manager of the organic cocoa sector in the PAPAFPA1 programme.

Why did you choose BioEquitable certification?
The proposal came from our buyer, Kaoka, which knew the label well. It put us in contact with Ecocert in order to obtain it. Organic growing is a small market, but very high-quality. In addition, it allows us to produce without too many costs, as pesticides are expensive. We also avoid market fluctuations and can sell our products at the best price, thanks to the fair trade dimension.

What is the position of the cocoa sector in São Tomé?
Cocoa production has been falling for several years. It’s currently about 3000 tonnes, of which 450 tonnes is produced by CECAB. Several factors explain this: We don't have a sufficient density of cocoa trees, many of which are too old, and seeding hasn’t worked very well. Finally, there are still too many growers who are not professional enough. In the past, they were farm workers on the big plantations, which were nationalised in 1975. In 1990, these businesses went bankrupt and the government, under pressure from the World Bank, had to implement a second agricultural reform that saw the appropriation of the land by the small growers, who became its owners.

What are your objectives now?
You can see greater dynamism within the sector. But although the situation has improved, it’s not perfect yet, especially as regards the under-use of the plantations. CECAB now has about 3000 hectares producing 450 tonnes.
It is not enough! I believe we could achieve production of 1500 tonnes. We have a loyal buyer, a good price and a good technical team, which together have allowed us to double our economic yield.
Today, our goal is to double production, which in effect will mean we have quadrupled the yields of producers if we can do it. To achieve our objectives, we have already identified the diseased and unproductive cocoa trees, new plants are beginning to spring up, and this process should begin to bear fruit soon.

Did you have any problems in obtaining certification?
It took us three years to get it. For the growers, it’s a difficult process, as it involves a lot of organisation, and many administrative documents, reports and questionnaires to be filled in. It's not that easy, they often need help, which fortunately they can obtain thanks to the PAPAFPA programme of support to growers set up by the government.
SÃO TOMÉ
1 PAPAFPA (Programme d’appui Participatif à l’Agriculture familiale et à la Pêche Artisanale - Participatory Smallholder Agriculture and Artisanal Fisheries Development Programme) is financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Agence française pour le Développement (AFD) – French Development Agency, and by the Government.

What is the cost of certification and the inspection process?
Certification costs 10,000 - 12, 000 USD and is paid by the buyer, in this case Kaoka. But a lot of work is carried out upstream by our local teams who carry out internal inspections on the ground. They regularly verify that the standards are being observed, so that everything is in order for the annual inspection by Ecocert.

What changed most after certification?
Attitudes changed a lot. Before, the growers sold their cocoa beans at any old price. The beans were not of good quality. Today, we offer the best cocoa in São Tomé and it’s organic as well. The living standards of producers have improved, they have been able to extend their houses, buy household electrical goods, and give their children a better education. Before, they were living on 1.5 USD a day, now they make 3 to 4 USD a day. The cooperative provides them with the products authorised to improve their crops (copper, sulphate, calcium) and equipment. It buys medicine for those who are ill, and coffins for the deceased… it should also be pointed out that cocoa production is concentrated in six months of the year (March-April-May and September-October-November). And as the growers are unable to save, when they’re producing cocoa beans life is good, but in the slack period they are destitute! For this reason, we have designed a “piggy-bank” project. Instead of giving them 100% of their income during the production period, we give them 90% and keep back 10% for redistribution in the slack period.
> www.kaoka.fr
CERTIFICATIONS: ESR, BIENTÔT USDA ORGANIC

FROM FREE TRADE ORGANIC TO ESR

The Bio Equitable system is part of a partnership approach (technical and financial assistance to producers), and contractualisation of volumes and prices to provide fair remuneration to producers. Bio Equitable, which was known as Bio Partenaire until recently, collaborated in the revision of the Ecocert ESR documentation.
In 2009, Bio Partenaire decided to delegate the whole of its inspection process to the Ecocert organisation in order to reorganise its efforts to support businesses and the setting up of sector industries. Operators found to be compliant by Ecocert using the ESR documentation can decide freely whether or not to belong to the Bio Partenaire association in order to benefit from the Bio Equitable mark and the various services offered by the association.
CECAB is now therefore certified in accordance with the ESR documentation but for the present continues to display the “Bio Equitable” logo on its chocolates.

Some remarks

Other information

AN EXAMPLE OF COLLABORATION
The French association Bio Partenaire, formerly Bio Equitable, has collaborated in the review of the Ecocert ESR documentation. In 2009, Bio Partenaire decided to delegate the whole of its inspection process to the Ecocert organisation in order to redeploy its efforts to supporting businesses and the setting up of procedures. Operators found to be compliant by Ecocert using the ESR documentation can decide freely whether or not to belong to the Bio Partenaire association in order to benefit from the Bio Equitable mark and the various services offered by the association: training courses on the fair trade process and sector, networking, representation at trade fairs, public relations, etc.

THE ISSUE OF TRANSPORTATION FINALLY TACKLED
In addition to its organic experience, Ecocert has been able to give its requirements an ecological touch by tackling the issue of transportation.
So, in order to encourage local trade, the destination countries are those in which production of the product in question is non-existent or too low to meet national demand. Carriage by sea is the preferred method; if air transportation is chosen, it must be justified; if there is a possibility to combine road and rail (piggyback) transport, the choice for exclusive road transport must be justified.

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