Equal Exchange's mission is to build long-term trade partnerships that are economically just and environmentally sound, to foster mutually beneficial relationships between farmers and consumers and to demonstrate, through our success, the contribution of worker co-operatives and Fair Trade to a more equitable, democratic and sustainable world.
New Member Orientation 5/24
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| Equal Exchange Photo |
Consumer support and advocacy has been absolutely crucial to Equal Exchange since our founding in 1986. Over the decades, consumers have organized with Equal Exchange to gain placement in grocery stores across the US, organized distribution of Equal Exchange products in their communities, and spread the word about our alternative trade model to friends, family, and neighbors to help build our alternative trade economy. Thank you for already supporting us, we want to invite you to engage with us on a deeper level.
We invite you to join us for our next New Member Orientation
Tuesday, May 24th on Zoom
7:00pm Eastern | 6:00pm Central | 4:00pm Pacific
Now is a great time to get involved!
A little bit more about our Citizen-Consumer community
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| Equal Exchange |
Our model relies on the active participation of all three legs of the stool, a metaphor we use to describe Equal Exchange’s democratic multistakeholder model. The three legs of the stool are made up of small farmers, Equal Exchange worker-owners, and Citizen-Consumers like you!
In 2016, we began to formalize our citizen-consumer network. Since that time Citizen-Consumers have gathered for annual summits to learn about the food system and build community. Members meet online for monthly meetings and for other educational events throughout the year. Together, we’ve also engaged in campaign activities including political and consumer-based actions to work toward a better food system.
In 2020, Equal Exchange formally created a space for Citizen-Consumers in our governance model through dedicated seats on the Equal Exchange board, filled and elected by Citizen-Consumers.
Our membership has gone on to create incredible projects inspired by the Equal Exchange mission, organized buying clubs in their community to distribute Equal Exchange products, helped to get placement of Equal Exchange products at their local grocery stores, engaged with local politicians for in-district meetings to encourage them to endorse legislation in support of an independent food system, and formed friendships and community with like-minded folks from across the country.
Our solidarity trade model would not be possible without the active participation of Citizen-Consumers.
We hope to see you there!
Join Us!
We invite you to join our growing community of citizen-consumers who are getting even more deeply involved in Equal Exchange.
We need consumer participation in our organization to build a deeply democratic trade system made up of farmers and their democratic organizations, workers and their democratic organization, and citizen-consumers who now have a democratic space in Equal Exchange as well as their own network.
Join us in changing trade, together!
