TransFair USA Selects Carmichael Lynch Spong as Agency of Record
Posted: 10/30/2007
MINNEAPOLIS (Oct. 29, 2007) – TransFair USA, a nonprofit organization and the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade Certified™ products in the United States, recently selected Carmichael Lynch Spong as its agency of record. The firm will embark on a strategic communications campaign focused on raising awareness of Fair Trade Certified products and concepts, and the role Fair Trade Certified plays in alleviating third-world poverty.
Founded in 1998 and based in Oakland, Calif., TransFair USA is one of 20 members of Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO), the nonprofit umbrella organization based in Bonn, Germany, that sets Fair Trade certification standards. TransFair USA audits and certifies transactions between U.S. companies offering Fair Trade Certified products and their international suppliers. This guarantees that the farmers and workers producing Fair Trade Certified goods are paid fair prices and wages, have better working conditions, and it also promotes environmental stewardship and assists producers in quality improvement.
“We’re excited to have Carmichael Lynch Spong on board because they’re passionate about our mission of enabling sustainable development and community empowerment through certifying and promoting Fair Trade Certified products. The firm is driven to help us empower and enrich the lives of family farmers and workers around the world,” says Anthony Marek, director of public relations and external communications for TransFair USA.
As one of the 20 largest public relations firms in the nation, Carmichael Lynch Spong represents a select portfolio of clients that are the leaders of their industries. Current nonprofit clients include the American Humane Association and Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation.
“TransFair USA is helping to create a more sustainable economy for growers and producers around the world, and our firm is delighted to be a catalyst in this effort,” says Douglas K. Spong, APR, president of Carmichael Lynch Spong.
About Carmichael Lynch Spong
Carmichael Lynch Spong is one of the most decorated public relations firms in the world. It is the 2004 and 2005 recipient of “Midsize Agency of the Year” by national trade journals the Holmes Report and PR Week, respectively. The firm represents a select portfolio of blue-chip clients. Carmichael Lynch Spong is a division of Carmichael Lynch Inc., which is owned by the Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. (NYSE: IPG), New York. Visit www.carmichaellynchspong.com for more information.
About TransFair USA
TransFair USA is the only independent, third-party certifier of Fair Trade Certified™ products in the United States. TransFair USA audits and certifies transactions between U.S. companies offering Fair Trade Certified products and their international suppliers to guarantee that the farmers and workers producing Fair Trade Certified goods were paid fair prices and wages. TransFair USA certifies coffee, tea, herbs, vanilla, cocoa, chocolate, rice, sugar and bananas. Visit www.FairTradeCertified.org.
About Fair Trade Certified
Fair Trade Certified is an innovative, market-based approach to sustainable development that helps farmers and workers in the global South benefit from international trade, while offering a simple way for consumers to know that their products were produced in a responsible manner. Fair Trade Certified farmers are guaranteed a fair price for their crop, and learn how to compete in the global marketplace through direct, long-term contracts with international buyers. This empowerment lifts farming families from poverty through trade, not aid, keeping food on the table children in school and families on their land. Fair Trade Certified workers are guaranteed fair wages and safe working conditions, and forced child labor is prohibited. Fair Trade Certified producers are also paid an additional social premium for use on long-term community and business development projects such as healthcare, scholarships, women’s leadership initiatives and micro-finance programs, as voted on by the farmers and workers themselves.