FAIR TRADE PURCHASING POLICY
What does that mean?
- Workers receive education and a socially fair salary.
- The predominant fauna is used economically and sustainably.
- Argan oil comes from a women's cooperative in Morocco.
- Shea butter comes from a women's cooperative in Ghana.
- Inca inchi oil comes from a fair trade project in Peru.
- Baobab oil comes from a fair trade project in Burkina Faso.
THE SHEABUTTER COOPERATIVE IN GHANA
Our shea butter is produced by several groups of women in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The Upper West Region is the poorest region of the country with more than 80% of the population living below the poverty line.
The project tries to include remote "bush villages" with work they are traditionally already very good at, in order to create a source of income here.
In 2013 we have financed a sun and rain shelter for the workers with the proceeds from the sale of A⁴ Red Carpet Eye Cream.
Our Shea butter is a handmade, unrefined product, without additives and produced in the traditional way.
As much as possible of the entire value chain is left in Ghana, which is why not only the shea butter, but also the packaging and label is 100% "made in Ghana".
The purchasing policy is based on a fair trade concept: the purchase price of shea butter is at least 40% higher than the cheapest known shea butter purchase price in the area.
THE ARGAN OIL COOPERATIVE IN MAROKKO
The Women's Cooperative Group Association consists of 6 main cooperatives and a large number of smaller village cooperatives that do the preparatory work for oil production (harvesting, drying, peeling, etc.)The cooperative group provides work for over 2000 rural women, who also benefit from the social projects of the cooperatives.The cooperative gives women and girls the opportunity to professionalize their traditional crafts, earn their own money and receive further training.
ACTIVITIES AND THE SOCIAL COMMITMENT OF THE COOPERATIVES:
• Literacy/cutting/sewing and handicraft courses for rural women.
• Motivation of women in the cooperatives for self-government and economic independence.
• Equality of women in marriage and in civil society.
Protection of the argan tree through sustainable harvesting methods.
• Organization of campaigns for nature conservation and argan trees.
• Ongoing training programmes for the women workers in the production.
FUTURE SOCIAL PROJECTS FOR THE EMPLOYEES
• Since a large number of young women with 1-2 small children repeatedly express the wish to work in order to contribute some money to the family budget, the cooperatives are planning to set up appropriate rooms in the near future and provide childcare.
• The foundation of a fund for interest-free loans to help women in emergency situations or to help them with small purchases for their daily life.
• The introduction of a health insurance for the employees of the cooperative so that they can receive medical care. At present, hardly any of the cooperative's workers can afford health insurance. And for a visit to the doctor she has to work for a week.
• We participate in the social projects for women. We donate a part of our profits for this purpose to the cooperatives. That is our modest social commitment.
THE COMMITMENT OF THE COOPERATIVES FOR REFORESTATION OF THE ARGAN FOREST
"For the women in the cooperative the oil production is not only a welcome merit, they also learn to appreciate and protect the tree. They have even committed themselves to planting at least 10 new argan trees per year for each employee."
- Prof. Dr. Zoubida Charrouf, the founder of the cooperatives
The network of cooperatives was founded in 1996 by Prof. Dr. Zoubida Charrouf, professor of chemistry at the University of Rabat. She herself is a half-berber and is fully committed to the preservation of the argan tree and to the countrywomen in the Argan area in south-west Morocco. Zoubida Charrouf has set up her own foundation to protect the argan tree and promote local and sustainable development (www.association-ibnalbaytar.com). She is also committed to the education of women and girls, because she knows from her own bitter experience what this means. In her own body she experienced what educated and uneducated means.