FAQ
How do the Association for Promoting Fairtrade in Finland and Pro Fair Trade Finland differ from each other?
The Association for Promoting Fairtrade in Finland promotes Fair Trade as an official association whose task is to monitor the use of the Fair Trade label by issuing licenses and by supervising the activities of commercial actors. The Association for Promoting Fairtrade in Finland does not have individual members, but consists of member organisations.
Pro Fair Trade Finland is a civic organisation focused on fair and ecological world trade, and does not have official tasks related to the Fairtrade brand. Private persons can join Pro Fair Trade Finland and its activities.
How can I join the activities of Pro Fair Trade Finland?
Pro Fair Trade Finland is active in roughly 15 towns. You can see a list of the local groups and information concerning them at the top of this web page. If there are no Pro Fair Trade Finland activities in your town yet, we encourage you to start a local group of your own!
There are no Pro Fair Trade Finland activities in my town yet. How can I start a local group?
The requirement for starting a local group is five active Pro Fair Trade Finland members who want to promote fairer world trade. One volunteer is chosen as the group’s contact person, whose task is to take care of communication with the board of Pro Fair Trade Finland.
Local groups are not independent associations, but function under Pro Fair Trade Finland. The activity of the group is hence not tied to the Associations Act and the only requirement for starting a group is notifying the office of the association, which in turn informs the board of the association. The activities of a group are not strictly regulated; a group may convene as often as it wishes, and its activities can be decided on by the members of the group.
Newly started local groups get a Pro Fair Trade Finland local group folder, any Fairtrade-related promotional material they wish and an annual activity allowance. The office and the board of Pro Fair Trade Finland will gladly help its new and old groups, and we are always there to answer any questions related to local group activities.
How can I join Pro Fair Trade Finland?
You can join Pro Fair Trade Finland by paying the membership fee to the Suupohjan paikallisosuuspankki bank, account number 12345-12345. The membership fees for the year 2007 are as follows:
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students, unemployed, seniors and others of limited means: 12€
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regular membership fee: 18€
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family membership fee: 30€
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support membership fee: minimum 100€
What are the benefits of a Pro Fair Trade Finland membership?
As a member of Pro Fair Trade Finland you receive the publication Maailmankauppalehti 4 times a year. The supplement to the Maailmankauppalehti includes the Pro Fair Trade Finland newsletter. As a member of Pro Fair Trade Finland you get compensation for travel and accommodation expenses to the national trainings and other events of Pro Fair Trade Finland, which are held about 5 times a year.