JTS recognised by the Social Enterprise World Forum
Tracy Mitchell • June 22, 2022
Earlier this month the Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) officially recognised JTS as a social enterprise. JTS has long considered itself a social enterprise and acted as such. However, the scrutiny and approval of a respected third party gives consumers added confidence in the company’s claims.
The verification criteria used by SEWF covered the following areas of mission and governance:
- Mission: the social enterprise has a clearly stated primary social or environmental mission.
- Ethics: the social enterprise is transparent about and accountable to its mission and aspires to the highest ethical business standards in all internal and external dealings.
- Income: the social enterprise generates the majority (51% or more) of its operating income from trade, the sale of products and services, including grants for product outputs or services.
- Surplus: the social enterprise reinvests the majority (51% or more) of its surpluses in pursuit of the mission.
- Ownership: the social enterprise is controlled in the interests of the stated mission, not individually controlled.
- Asset Lock: the social enterprise has provisions in place to ensure that if the organisation is dissolved, disposed of or converted, all residual assets will be distributed in line with the stated mission.
It is exciting to have this additional recognition which builds on our World Fair Trade Organization Guaranteed Member status. We really hope this recognition will help us support our producer partners through increasing the sales of their wonderful food products.
Official recognition for our great tasting fair & fine food products
A Fair Trade stall is about so much more than selling tea, coffee and chocolate. Every purchase supports smallholder farmers and producers who are working incredibly hard to build sustainable livelihoods in the face of climate change, rising fuel costs and an unpredictable global market. For many of the communities we work with, having reliable customers is essential. By running a True Origin stall at your church, you become part of that support network, helping to create regular demand for products that often aren't available in supermarkets or high street shops. Whether your church is passionate about global justice, caring for creation or simply making a practical difference, a Fair Trade stall is a simple but powerful way to turn those values into action. Start Small You don't need a huge team or a large budget to get started. Begin by talking with your church leaders about the idea. Many churches are happy to provide a small loan or donation to purchase initial stock, particularly if it can be repaid gradually as sales grow. Remember that most of the income from a stall is best reinvested into buying more stock rather than raising money for church funds. This helps keep the stall sustainable and ensures producers continue to receive orders. If you're new to running a stall, don't worry, you won't be on your own. The True Origin team and experienced Fair Traders are always happy to share advice and practical tips.
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