The World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) has announced a new certification system - the Sustainable Fair Trade Management System (SFTMS) - in the run-up to World Fair Trade Day 2009.

The SFTMS is the new worldwide standard for the independent certification of organisations that demonstrate a 100 per cent fair trade commitment in their business practices.

SFTMS Certification will require organisations and companies to follow a three-year development process to make their businesses transparent, accountable and fair.

The SFTMS has been developed over the last two years by economist Heinz Werner Engel, one of the world’s leading experts in environmental management systems, with the active support of the 350 members of the WFTO across 70 countries.

It is built on the WFTO’s Ten Principles of Fair Trade, which cover creating opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers; transparency and accountability in all transactions; capacity building to improve self-determination through management skills and access to markets; promoting fair trade and justice in world trade; the widely recognised payment of a fair price; gender equality; safe and healthy working conditions; respect for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; respect for the environment; and concern for the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of marginalised small producers.

The first company to complete the 12 pilot-project process for the SFTMS is Derby-based company Pachacuti.

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