Fair Trade cooperative supports responsible finance
13-10-2011
The importance of fair trade and transparency in the responsible financial sector was the focus of a recent seminar held in Stockholm, Sweden earlier this week.
Representatives from Oikocredit Sweden, Swedish ethical bank Ekobanken and the Association for Fairtrade discussed how consumers can use their money in a socially responsible way.
Special guests included two farmers from Oikocredit Fair Trade partner Kuapa Kokoo in Ghana. Cocoa farmers Appiah Kwarteng and Victoria Bhoama discussed the Fair Trade Certified cocoa produced by more than 62,000 cooperative members, and the cooperative’s majority ownership of Fair Trade chocolate company Divine Chocolate.
Divine Chocolate has been an Oikocredit equity partner since 2006, while the first loan directly tothe Kuapa Kokoo cooperative was disbursed this month (October). Oikocredit finances around 60 partners active in fair trade in 27 countries, including Cafe Direct and UK fashion brand, People Tree. Read more about Divine Chocolate and Oikocredit’s Fair Trade partners.