Equal Exchange
Equal Exchange is a worker-owned, Fair Trade cooperative that brings
Fair Trade coffee and more to the U.S. market. Equal Exchange partners
with LWR and with other faith groups to help farmers build a better life for themselves and their communities.
For each pound of coffee, tea, cocoa, sugar and snacks bought through the LWR Coffee Project, Equal Exchange donates $.20 to the LWR Small Farmer Fund. Since the Project began in 1997, these donation have amounted to more than $550,000!
Equal Exchange follows these Fair Trade principles:
- To pay a fair price with a guaranteed minimum, ensuring the farmers a fair return for their labors.
- To work with cooperatives that are owned and governed by the small-scale farmers themselves.
- To buy directly from the farmers so the benefits of trade go to the farmers and their communities.
- To provide credit that farmers can afford, helping them break the cycle of debt.
- To encourage ecologically sustainable farming practices, such as
organic and shade-grown agriculture, which build a long-term economic
base for farmers while protecting community health and the environment.
- To develop long-term trade partnerships based on trust and respect.
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