Philadelphia reigns as the Fairest City in America, according to the 2013 Be Fair Survey by Fair Trade USA, with Boston undefined
and Dallas-Fort Worth following closely behind.
Fair Trade USA released the survey results to kick off Fair Trade Month in October. It said that the Be Fair Survey revealed that Americans overwhelmingly demonstrate fairness in their everyday lives, from treating people fairly (91 per cent) to simply holding the door for others (91 per cent).
“Americans aspire to include fairness in their shopping habits too,” the organisation said in a statement. The majority of respondants said it’s important to purchase products that treat people fairly by providing safe working conditions (87 per cent), fair compensation (81 per cent) and opportunities for kids to go to school (74 per cent).
“Yet many are missing out on their chance to Be Fair when they shop,” Fair Trade USA said, noting that only one-in-five Americans (18 per cent) are purchasing Fair Trade regularly.
“There is genuine interest in fairness when it comes to the products we purchase. Americans value the ideals of fair compensation and protecting the environment, yet we don’t always know how to make a difference” said Mary Jo Cook, Chief Impact Officer for Fair Trade USA, in a statement. “We, as consumers, have a lot of power. It can be as simple as choosing products with the Fair Trade Certified label.”
October 2013 marks the tenth annual Fair Trade Month.
In 2013, Fair Trade USA partnered with 73 new companies (for a total of 780), and helped launch 600 new Fair Trade Certified products into the North American market. These products are grown and sewn by more than 1.3 million farmers and workers in 70 countries across the globe. Highlights include Green Mountain Coffee who launched the “Great Coffee, Good Vibes, Choose Fair Trade” campaign with Kelly Clarkson. The brand also launched Three Continent Blend as the latest addition to its selection of Fair Trade Certified coffees, one of the largest in the country.