Dr. Bronner’s to Celebrate World Fair Trade Day in the UK and More Than 10 other Countries Around the World on May 13
Top-Selling Natural Soap Brand to Hold In-Store Promotions, Social Media Contests, and Events in England and Around the World to Promote Fair Trade
April 2, 2017
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – On May 13, Dr. Bronner’s, family-owned maker of the top-selling natural brand of soap in North America, in partnership with its global network of distributors, will celebrate World Fair Trade Day in Australia, England, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United States. Through educational events, in-store demonstrations and promotions, product giveaways and social media campaigns, Dr. Bronner’s partners worldwide will use the retail space to inform and educate the public about fair trade, and promote the importance of knowing how people all along the supply chain are treated, and how informed and ethical consumption choices can lead to better livelihoods for all. To learn more about Dr. Bronner’s global celebrations of World Fair Trade Day, go to: https://www.drbronner.co.uk.
The campaign will promote Journey to Serendipol, an eight minute documentary about Dr. Bronner’s Fair Trade and Organic Coconut Oil from Sri Lanka, now subtitled in German, French, Japanese, Korean, and Mandarin. To watch, go to: https://youtu.be/gtOQd748dC0.
“My brother and I view our family company as a social engine that does business so we can do good,” says Michael Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner’s. “Sourcing fair trade ingredients allows us to maximize our positive impact, since the production of the coconut, palm, and olive oils we put in our soap helps to improve the livelihoods of the farmers, workers, and communities that produce them. As a global brand sold throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, we are excited to demonstrate our worldwide commitment to fair trade. This will be the first time our global sales and marketing network will mobilise and activate around one cause on the same day. For over 24 hours, around the world, we will demonstrate the power of global community and global business in support of fair trade.”
In the UK, Dr. Bronner’s will be working in partnership with its retail partners to run instore and online promotions to promote fair trade alongside a national media relations and promotions campaign.
“In the UK, we still have some way to go when it comes to recognizing the importance of fair trade across the supply chain,” says Cliff Moss, Managing Director of Dr. Bronner’s UK distributor, Healthy Sales Group. “Even in sectors such as food and drink where fair trade is well established, goods account for as little as 1.5 percent of the overall market. We are therefore looking forward to working with our retail partners to educate the customer on the part they play in helping farmers and their communities around the world and are proud to spread Dr. Bronner’s products far and wide in the UK as a model of a truly dedicated fair trade brand.”
Fair trade is a movement that empowers farmers to organize and earn a livelihood within the highly competitive global marketplace. Started by the World Fair Trade Organization, World Fair Trade Day began in 2001 to showcase the small-scale producers and farmers at the heart of the global fair trade movement and the contributions they make to healthy, sustainable communities around the world. World Fair Trade Day is now celebrated by millions of people across every continent (except Antarctica), and is led by the World Fair Trade Organization and other fair trade movement partners. For the last six years, Dr. Bronner’s has partnered with the organization Fair World Project to organize successful campaigns in retail stores in the United States to connect dedicated fair trade brands with consumers. 2017 will be the first year Dr. Bronner’s celebrates World Fair Trade Day globally.
“Consumer actions play a significant role in the big picture of trade,” says Dana Geffner, Executive Director of Fair World Project. “More and more consumers are saying that it’s important to them to shop with their values, they just don’t necessarily know which brands to trust. Dr. Bronner’s models what it means to be a dedicated fair trade brand. Part of the importance of celebrating World Fair Trade Day is to help grocery retailers meet consumer need, while highlighting and supporting companies who are doing good work in their supply chains.”
World Fair Trade Day retail campaigns have helped to distinguish brands in the U.S. like Dr. Bronner’s from brands who use fair trade ingredients in some products but do not have a dedicated fair trade supply chain. In an era where major corporations are taking stances on global politics and social issues, fair trade is a business model where action to support small-scale farmer movements and fair supply chains results in rewarding returns and job creation. Participating brands in Fair World Project’s program have reported sales growth of nearly 200 percent each year, demonstrating the increasing consumer demand for ethical products and fair trade brands.
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Dr. Bronner’s is a family business committed to honouring the vision of founder Emanuel Bronner by making socially and environmentally responsible products of the highest quality, and by dedicating profits to help make a better world. Dr. Bronner’s commitment to social justice, environmental sustainability and progressive business practices is part of the company’s mission to put into practice the principles that inform the philosophy printed on the company’s iconic soap labels written by founder Emanuel Bronner. The company is the top-selling natural soap maker in North America and a major brand worldwide. Based on 2015 sales, a bottle of Dr. Bronner’s soap was sold, on average, every three seconds throughout the year.
For further information on Dr. Bronner’s, please visit: https://www.drbronner.co.uk.