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Fair Trade and the Depersonalization of Ethics

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Abstract

Fair Trade has changed considerably since its early days. In this article, we argue that these changes have led to a depersonalization of ethics, thus raising serious questions about the future of Fair Trade. In particular, the depersonalization of ethics which is seen to accompany the current changes has led to greater variety in the interpretations of Fair Trade. Hiding these divergences behind the labels is increasing the risk that the movement will lose its credibility.

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Abbreviations

EFTA:

European Fair Trade Association

FLO:

Fairtrade labelling organizations International

IFAT:

International Fair Trade Association

NEWS!:

Network of European World Shops

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University, Guyancourt Cedex, France

    Jérôme Ballet & Aurélie Carimentrand

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  1. Jérôme Ballet
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  2. Aurélie Carimentrand
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Correspondence to Jérôme Ballet.

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Ballet, J., Carimentrand, A. Fair Trade and the Depersonalization of Ethics. J Bus Ethics 92 (Suppl 2), 317–330 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-010-0576-0

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