THE charitable partner of Traidcraft has been rebranded as Transform Trade, to “get to the point quicker”, the organisation said.
Formerly known as Traidcraft Exchange, the organisation announced its rebranding this week, after delaying the announcement because of the death of the Queen.
The new name followed extensive consultation with supporters, and was suggested by one of them as a “simpler, more direct name”, whose guiding purpose was more immediately obvious.
“As a global community of farmers, artisans, collectives, campaigners, and supporters . . . we want to radically transform trade. Standing together against an unjust and broken system, we will stand for a better way of doing business that is centred on people, not profit,” the charity said.
The chief executive of the charity, Charlotte Timson, said that trade was driving many of the crises facing the world today. “Climate breakdown, the cost-of-living crisis, global food and energy price-spikes — our broken trade system is behind it. We urgently need to transform the 99 per cent of world trade that isn’t part of the Fair Trade market, and rebalance power. If not, our very future is threatened.”
The UK Government is reportedly considering the removal of human rights from the trade deal being negotiated with the Gulf states, she said, demonstrating the need for urgent advocacy and support for a “people-centred” trade system..
The founder of Traidcraft, Richard Adams, said that the new strategy was “reinvigorating the radical roots of the organisation we set up in the 1970s”.
The new strategy includes the “decolonisation” of internal structures and decision making, with a change from a UK-based leadership team to one that includes leadership from countries where the charity works. The charity is also prioritising locally led development.
“Traidcraft was set up originally in response to the extractive post-colonial nature of trade systems, and was about creating an alternative based on mutual respect, equality and justice. Confronting the need to change as an organization has refocused us on that founding mission and vision. And it’s the main reason behind our decision to change our name to Transform Trade,” a spokesperson said.
A new report on “people-centred trade” is due to be published by the charity shortly.
Transform Trade remains the partner charity of Traidcraft PLC, the Fair Trade company it emerged from in 2018.