go bananas
Visit and fill out name/email and the site will send an automatic email on your behalf to progressive grocers – requesting that they stock fair trade bananas.
Now, you’ll also probably get an automatic reply from progressive about their ‘efforts’ – which includes a ‘voluntary code of conduct’, which (found here) initially looks/sounds nice.
However, upon a closer look, it seems like the usual coporate-ish reaction to such things.
“Oh, but we are already making every effort to be good, fair, better, nice traders. No, really. We’re not just trying to make money and be ‘progressive’… Look at our fancy code-of-conduct website! It’s a whole 2 years old! That’s how long our tradition is of caring about ethical business! All the farmers/producers (in other countries!?) have to do is pay $50, fill out a complicated form, pay travel expenses for a ‘Ombudsman Representative’ to meet with you (no lawyers, sorry), and cut through probably about 16-thousand other pieces of red-tape…” et cetera, ad infinitum…
http://www.produceandgrocerycode.com.au/accessmediation.htm (And I quote: “Applying to the Produce and Grocery Industry Ombudsman for mediation is simple.” emphasis mine. Really!!??)
http://www.produceandgroceryombudsman.com.au/process.html (More quotes: “Once the Ombudsman’s Representative has been appointment, he or she will ask for any travel expenses to be paid in advance and will ask you to sign an appointment agreement which makes your meeting confidential between everyone there.” and on meeting the the ombudsman: “You must make sure that you have authority to make a final agreement without checking with anyone else. If someone else has the final word then that person must attend too. Lawyers are not allowed to attend but you can bring a support person. That person is not an advocate, just someone there to support you.
” Gee… thanks!)
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:46 am
that all sounds rather shady!
May 23rd, 2009 at 9:39 am
it is sir… it is.