【精英翻譯】的部落格

Is It a Fair Trade?這是公平交易產品嗎？

精英翻譯社轉自: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0054/338554/web/

You may have noticed a "fair trade" label on a product you bought recently. More and more companies are joining the fair trade movement and showing it on their packaging. But what exactly is fair trade?

你也許發現到，最近買的產品上貼有「公平交易」的標籤。愈來愈多的企業加入公平交易運動的行列，並大方展示於包裝上。但是到底何謂「公平交易」？

Fair trade is a social movement designed to create better trading conditions for farmers, artists, and other producers in developing countries. Fair trade businesses also promote sustainable farming and production methods. They see trade between developing and developed nations as a way to help solve problems like poverty. To do this, they follow different, more compassionate principles than most other businesses.

「公平交易」是專為開發中國家的農人、藝術家與其他生產者創造較佳交易條件的社會運動。公平交易企業亦倡導永續農作與生產方法。此運動認為促進開發中國家和已開發國家的交易，能解決諸如貧窮等的問題。因此，公平交易有別於多數生意往來，所遵循的原則更具有同理心。

Fair trade businesses pay more than current market prices for goods. They believe the low prices most buyers pay are unfair to sellers. Higher prices allow the producers selling goods to earn more, invest more, and expand their businesses if they want to. In addition, fair trade companies try to avoid working with middlemen. They connect sellers directly with their buyers. This means that sellers don't have to pay a third person to help them reach a market. Many fair trade businesses also use and promote environmentally friendly practices. They may provide credit to sellers who want to grow their businesses. And of course, fair trade means that no slave or child labor can be used at any point.

公平交易企業所購商品的價格高於目前的市價。因為他們相信，多數買家支付的低廉價格，對賣家而言很不公平。高價能讓販售商品的生產者擁有更多獲利，進而增加投資，並可自行決定是否拓展業務。此外，公平交易企業盡量避免和中盤商合作，賣家直接與買家聯絡。這表示賣家不需向第三方付費，也能和市場接上線。許多公平交易企業亦採用與推廣環保，還會向希望拓展業務的賣家提供信用貸款。而且，公平交易全面禁用奴工或童工。

Of course, fair trade has a few problems of its own. Research shows the poorest fair trade sellers aren't earning any more money now than they did before. It's also hard to make sure that fair trade practices are actually being followed, and sometimes people cheat. So is fair trade really fair? For now, it seems, the consumer doesn't have a final answer.

當然，公平交易制度本身也有自己的問題。許多研究顯示，最貧困的公平交易賣家所獲取的營利已大不如前。而且要確保大家是否好好遵守公平交易實務並不簡單，事實上的確許多人並不當一回事。因此，公平交易真的公平嗎？看來消費者至今仍沒有定論。