Ethical Policy 

Blessed Be aims to trade in a way which supports a sustainable global and local environment and economy.This means in practice that where it is possible and practicable to do so we use certified organic materials and products and (where relevant, possible & practicable) source from Fair Trade suppliers.

Organic - We prefer organic products because of their environmental benefits over conventionally-produced materials (for example, no use of harmful chemicals, recycling principles, waste minimisation).   We prefer certified organic products so that both we and you can be sure that the products really are organic – it is unlawful to claim to be organic without being certified and certified producers have to undergo stringent and regular inspections to gain and maintain their organic status.

Fair Trade – We support certified Fair Trade products because the scheme offers producers in developing economies a guaranteed price at a fair level and builds long-term trading relationships with producers in order to readdress the power imbalance between small, relatively poor producers in the developing world and large, relatively rich purchasers of the developed economies.  The Fair Trade Foundation awards its certification mark to products which meet the following criteria:

-   Price to the producer covers cost of production plus social premium to be used to improve
    living and working conditions
-   Advance payment to provide debt protection
-   Long enough contracts for producers to allow for planning and sustainable production practices
-   Democratic organisations for farmer participation
-   For workers, freedom to join trades unions, decent wages, housing and health & safety
   standards
-   No child or forced labour
-   Programmes for environmental sustainability.

Relevant Links:-

The Soil Association
Principal organic certification body in the United Kingdom
www.soilassociation.org

Fairtrade Foundation
www.fairtrade.org.uk

Ethical Consumer
www.ethicalconsumer.org