Fair Trade USA™ Leverages Technology to Strengthen Responsible Recruitment Under Grant from the Walmart Foundation

Grant will also help drive other environmental and social improvements in global supply chains

OAKLAND, Calif., March 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Walmart Foundation has made a grant for $1.097 million to Fair Trade USA™ to support the creation of a more scalable and sustainable impact model. The grant will support the organization's ongoing technical transformation which will enable Fair Trade USA to help brands in strengthening responsible recruitment and to drive other environmental and social improvements in global supply chains. 

"These types of grants are extremely important to the future of sustainable supply chains," said Paul Rice, Founder and CEO of Fair Trade USA. "The Walmart Foundation has supported our technology transformation over a number of years. Their support allows us to build the tools that will continue to drive higher incomes, better education, and more impactful environmental protections to communities around the world."

Other areas of support include:

• Enhancement of the Fair Trade Academy to help educate workers on relevant technical, social, and environmental issues
• Further exploration of integrating Fair Trade USA's certification with the Ethical Charter and other industry initiatives

Last year, Fair Trade USA launched a bold new initiative: a multi-year technology transformation program aimed at building a more scalable and sustainable impact model. This initiative leverages the latest advances in technology and data management to increase transparency and trust throughout the global supply chain, create and share better supply chain intelligence, and activate a thriving market ecosystem from producer to consumer.

The grant will also provide funds to support Fair Trade USA's worker voice tool technology for its next generation assurance model.

For more information about Fair Trade USA, visit the website. 

About Philanthropy at Walmart
Walmart.org represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. By leaning in where the business has unique strengths, Walmart.org works to tackle key social issues and collaborate with others to spark long-lasting systemic change. Walmart has stores in 24 countries, employing more than 2 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Walmart.org is helping people live better by supporting programs that work to accelerate upward job mobility for frontline workers, address hunger and make healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality, and build strong communities where Walmart operates. To learn more, visit walmart.org or connect on Twitter @Walmartorg.

About Fair Trade USA   
Fair Trade USA, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the leading certifier of fair trade products in North America. Offering award-winning, rigorous, and globally recognized sustainable sourcing certification programs that improve livelihoods, protect the environment, and build resilient, transparent supply chains, its trusted Fair Trade Certified™ seal on a product signifies that it was made according to stringent fair trade standards. Fair Trade USA is building an innovative model of responsible business, conscious consumerism, and shared value to eliminate poverty and enable sustainable development for farmers, workers, their families, and communities around the world. 

Contact Information:   
Fair Trade USA  
Vernaé Graham 
Senior Manager, Public Relations 
[email protected]
FairTradeCertified.org

SOURCE Fair Trade USA