VALUES & CRITERIA

What does ethical mean to you?

Empowering women? Caring for the planet? Giving back to a community? All of the brands in our directory ensure that their workers and suppliers have fair-pay and safe working conditions. But we also want to showcase brands that go the extra mile and share your specific values.

As you browse fair&good’s directory, look out for these symbols that show which values are championed by your new favourite brand.

Our fair&good values are the guiding principles behind every brand we showcase. Fair Labour, Transparency, and Consistency are must-haves, but brands also get to spotlight their commitments through our other five values. 

Fair Labour

  • Workers are paid fairly (living wage or above where known) throughout the supply chain, including subcontracted workers, and fair and stable prices are paid for crops and artisan products. Workers’ rights are upheld, including a safe work environment and working conditions, reasonable working hours with no forced overtime. This may not be perfect but continuous improvements are being made. Absolutely no child, forced or trafficked labour, and no modern slavery. The living wage or above is paid to NZ staff.

Transparency

  • Supply chains (from origin through manufacturing, including sub-contracting) and production processes are known and transparent, certified, and audited where possible. This may not be perfect but continuous improvements are being made.

    The brand’s website openly describes and illustrates supply chains.

Community

  • Products are handcrafted by local artisans or grown by local farmers. This includes community-based enterprise, protecting and enhancing livelihoods and skills. Brands that uphold this value listen to the community who are involved in decision-making and leadership.

Gender Equality

  • A person’s gender should never stand in the way of their success. This value demonstrates that a brand is taking specific actions to empower women and girls.

Inclusiveness

  • There is a strong focus on social justice issues, especially including and empowering the excluded and disempowered, such as those previously exploited or trafficked, refugees or forced migrants, the disabled, vulnerable or exploited children and those rejected, alone or homeless.

The Environment

  • Sustainable environmental practices are implemented in all production processes throughout the supply chain, and in the products, packaging and transport where possible. Environmental protection and benefits occur at the source community level as well as at the global level. Examples may include organic, renewable or biodegradable inputs or products; minimising chemical use, waste, pollution and plastic use; design for product longevity, recycling, closed-loop, and efforts to mitigate climate change. No forest clearance. This may not be perfect but continuous improvements are being made.

Giving Back

  • Profits are re-invested back into the community this brand draws from. This includes social enterprise, capacity building, and raising funds for social justice focused causes and charities.

Consistency

  • Values are consistently applied across every area of the business: from source through to manufacture, transport, inputs and outputs, product and packaging, fair labour, social empowerment, and environmental protection, at source and in NZ. This may not be perfect but continuous improvements are being made.

We're picky in a good way! We do the heavy lifting— surveys, interviews and lots of research— to ensure that every brand meets our high standards. So when you browse our directory, you can trust that each brand has been carefully chosen to align with your values and is making a positive impact on people and the planet.

  • Fairtrade products are easily recognised by the blue and green trademark you see on many brands and products, including coffee, chocolate and bananas. Products with the Fairtrade Mark have met rigorous internationally agreed standards and have been independently certified. In Australia and New Zealand, Fairtrade Australia New Zealand helps certify and audit brands and products. As a global organisation, 50% of Fairtrade is owned by producers, farmers and worker organisations!

  • Fair Trade members’ business and trading practices are guided, monitored and endorsed by the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO). They set the standards with The 10 Principles of Fair Trade, which members must adhere to. In New Zealand, the WFTO is represented by The Fair Trade Association (FTA of Australia and New Zealand ).

    The WFTO 10 Principles of Fair Trade are:

    1. Opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers.

    2. Transparency and accountability.

    3. Fair Trade practices.

    4. Fair payment.

    5. No child labour, no forced labour.

    6. Non-discrimination, gender equity and freedom of association.

    7. Good working conditions

    8. Capacity building

    9. Promote Fair Trade

    10. Respect for the environment

  • Certified B Corps, or Benefit Corps are a form of business that seeks to balance purpose and profit. This means that rather than solely focusing on profit maximisation, they consider the impact of their operations on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. B Corps are leaders of a global movement of business as a force for good. They meet the highest verified and independent levels of transparency and accountability on their social and environmental performance.

  • The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is one of the world's leading standards for organic textiles. This standard stipulates requirements throughout the supply chain for both ecological and labour conditions in textile and apparel manufacturing using organically produced raw materials.

  • The Rainforest Alliance certification seal means that the product (or a specified ingredient) was produced by farmers, foresters, and/or companies working together to create a world where people and nature thrive in harmony. While Rainforest Alliance requires a premium amount be made to farmers, the payment must be negotiated between farmers and buyers and there is no set amount. From July 2022, there will be a required minimum price of $70USD per tonne to individual farmers.

  • Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is the largest cotton sustainability program in the world, helping cotton communities thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment. BCI trains cotton workers in more sustainable farming practices, outlines and assesses compliance and has created a network of partners to connect supply with demand.

  • These are generally smaller brands who have a direct relationship with their source. These are often too small to be certified, but we trust them because we know their story, personal connection. and passion to make a difference. Examples include ReCreate, Holi Boli, Aho Design, Heilala Vanilla, Sawbona, Loyal Workshop, Solomon's Gold, and Dilmah. Some larger brands have direct connections to Pacific based suppliers , such as Whittakers and The Body Shop with Samoan growers.

  • Larger companies should have Code of Conduct Agreements with their suppliers, outlining their expectations for fair treatment of workers which their suppliers agree to, including auditing. Examples of brands who have Code of Conduct Agreements:

    AS Colour | Kathmandu | Nature Baby | The Body Shop | Xaura | Orba