When most companies close the year, they assess their financial performance and thank their customers for sales. While we definitely succeeded on that dimension this year with over 1,000 retail locations across the United States and 300% sales growth, our far more important impact was increasing the quality of life for thousands of women and children across the globe – and we want to thank you for making that possible.

This year as we wrote this report we had the opportunity to hear from hundreds of partners across 34 countries where life is improving as a result of growing fair trade partnerships. For me, the important thing is not only providing employment for the 5,680 artisans who actually craft the beautiful handmade goods, but to also see the inter-generational shift that occurs when the earning power of women increases. Studies have shown that as income increases to more than $2 per day, there are many quantifiable social impacts such as decreased infant mortality, longer life expectancy, and lower health care costs. So knowing that over 22,720 dependents and family members benefited this year is something that will have an lasting impact across hundreds of changing communities.

This is also why through World of Good Development Organization (our 501(c)3 sister organization) we have launched the Fair Trade Wage Guide (FTWG), a web based tool to help all companies calculate and pay fair wages. In developing countries, between 60-80% of women comprise the informal sector which includes making products at home, cleaning and/or farming. In these trade environments there is little regulation and almost no negotiating power to prevent exploitation. As U.S. companies increasingly import products made in the informal sector, we need to ensure that these workers are treated fairly. Thanks to the leadership of the team at World of Good Development Organization, the FTWG is becoming a robust tool and an international resource for partner organizations like The International Fair Trade Association. We’ve even had conversations to pursue collaboration with the International Labor Organization.

Finally, this year has also led to increasing investments in community development projects around the world. We are now reaching a scale as a company where we can make an additional meaningful impact by supporting socio-economic improvements in some of the villages where our artisan partners live. This year when I went to Kenya I had the chance to hear firsthand how the building of two wells has changed the lives of women who were walking almost three hours a day just to get drinkable water. Thanks to your purchases, a small grant was made and has now transformed the daily lives of these women – allowing them to spend more time with their children as well as doing other productive activities for their families.