Virksomheden Danyun, der står bag den økologiske the fra Yunnan, blev i 2001 medlem af WFTO, World Fair Trade Organisation. Det skete i forbindelse med Danyuns første projekt - Threads of Yunnan. Threads of Yunnan omfatter håndarbejdsprodukter skabt af minoritetskvinder fra Yunnan. Disse produkter, puder, tasker, mv. - udvikles og sælges af Danyun i samarbejde med kvinderne - med henblik på at hjælpe minoritetskvinderne til at tjene deres egne penge og forbedre deres selvstændige roller som kvinder.I 2006 besluttede Danyun at fokusere fuldt ud på begrebet Fair Trade, således at så stor en del af Danuyns forretning skulle understøtte Fair Trade begrebet. Og som en konsekvens ændredes navnet til Danyun Fair Trade Development Co. Ltd.
En hurdle var navneskiftet for Danyun:
For det med at lade Fair Trade indgå i firma navnet gik sandelig ikke for det kinesiske navn på selskabet i Kina. For hvis nogen er Fair Trade – betyder det så at andre er Unfair Trade? Så begrebet kunne ikke indgå i det kinesiske firma navn. Det ville jo betyde at virksomheden opererede med - unfair trade.
En anden hurdle er de mennesker, der indgår i Danyun projekterne: Et af målene for Danyun er, at hjælpe især de bønder og små-producenter, der indgår i Danyuns projekter med at operere, så de efterlever Fair Trade principperne. Og det kan være en udfordring, når du aldrig har hørt om Fair Trade - og når Fair Trade principperne er en meget anderledes måde at føre forretning på, end den du er vokset op med.
Hvordan kan det være en udfordring?
Hvis du har kendskab til Kina og hvordan ”man gør forretning i Kina” (nogle steder), vil du vide, at her er flere udfordringer, og at Danyuns projekt med at skabe forretning og produkter på Fair Trade principper overnight. Det er en længere rejse.
Hvor ser du udfordringerne i Danyun Fair Trade princpipper?
Fair Trade Value #1 Create opportunities: Danyun’s mission is to bring hope through partnership with a focus on the peoples of Yunnan. Therefore we are committed to work with marginalized producers and companies to assist them getting their products to the market. With a goal of self-sufficiency and ownership, we help them move away from income insecurity and poverty.
Fair Trade Value #2 Transparency and accountability: We believe in transparency and accountability in all our dealings with the producers as well as with our customers. Decisions made about orders, delivery and payment are made in public meetings. A written record of transactions is used and kept. These records are always available to those involved.
Fair Trade Value #3 Capacity Building: Danyun works with individual producers and companies as well as communities. We are deeply committed to improving the lives of everyone in the communities with whom we work. By building schools, water systems, clinics and providing protein meals (meat) to school children, supporting children to take a further education etc. we are building something just as important: hope and potential for a better life in the future.
Fair Trade Value #4 Payment of a Fair Price: Income matters. It is the difference between merely surviving and prospering. That is why Danyun works closely with its producers in setting prices. When setting prices we discuss the time and costs involved with our producers and suppliers. We compare prices with the standard within their communities and we compare prices with the Fair Wage system. We strive to ensure all our producers earn a living wage. With the product mark-up we pay for things like trips to the project sites to meet with the producers, training the producers, domestic shipping of products from the producers to our office, product development, marketing, customer service, and more. Additionally, Danyun places consistent orders so artisans can earn a consistent income.
Fair Trade Value #5 Gender Equity: Danyun seeks to empower the women in our communities. In addition to paying fairly and equally we generate an environment where women can network and support each other. Plus, through working with handicraft punctuation, women can easily work out of their homes, which allow them to care for their families while earning an income. In our handicraft area we have also established a production unit where the women can meet on a daily basis and work together. We have made a place with computers for the older children to use and another place with materials for activities, for the smaller children to play.
Fair Trade Value #6 Trading Practices: Danyun operates its business with concern for the social, economic and environmental well-being of our producers and partners and does not maximize profit at their expense. We maintain long-term relationships based on solidarity, trust and mutual respect. Whenever possible we pay pre-advance payment and our producers are always paid on time.
Fair Trade Value #7 Working Conditions: We provide a safe and healthy working environment for the artisans and comply with national and local laws. We seek to raise awareness of health and safety issues by building clinics, building clean toilets, holding training and events, and providing protective clothing, medicine and other supplies for people’s well-being.
Fair Trade Value #8 Child and forced labor: Danyun does not use child or forced labor, nor does it engage with companies who use child or forced labor. Working with companies and artisans we encourage education of their children and we support children with ability to continue education after middle school.
Fair Trade Value #9 The Environment: We work with our artisans and partner companies to ensure that our products are made responsibly. We promote “Green” and our tea is organic certified. We seek to reduce waste in the use of material and we educate our partners and artisans in environmental issues.
Fair Trade Value #10 Promoting Fair Trade: We are active in promoting fair trade toward our suppliers, partners, artisans and customers. We market our products to the domestic and international market to create better opportunities for our artisans and partner companies.
Du kan - iøvrigt - nu købe Danyuns kvalitets the, der både er økologisk og fair trade mærket, I Magasin Mad & vin på Kongens Nytorv I Kbh.
