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Fair Trade

Meridian builds ongoing and sustainable partnerships with master artisan organizations in low- and middle-income countries around the world. Through these partnerships, we are able to deliver our providers with fair wages, safe working conditions, sustainable skills and a lasting social impact. We are proud to share these values with the international fair trade community.

Fair trade is an approach to international business founded on the principles of transparency, equal partnerships and respect. Fair trade supports craftspeople in developing countries who face steep hurdles in finding markets for their goods. It seeks to empower these producers with fair pay, safe working conditions, environmental responsibility and sustained economic growth.

As a member of this community, Meridian is committed to the following principles:

Create Opportunities for Economically and Socially Marginalized Producers

Through partnerships with master artisan organizations in developing countries, we connect them to the global economy through our online consumer marketplace. By working together in fair trade conditions, we empower our providers with the tools to build sustainable business.

Develop Transparent and Accountable Relationships

We build ongoing and lasting relationships with our artisan partners built on meaningful, open, and respectful communication. Through a collaborative sourcing and evaluation process we ensure our partners are likeminded and actively involved in the product’s entire supply chain.

Build Capacity

We maintain long-term relationships with our partners based on mutual respect and trust. Our alliance does not stop at sourcing a product. Instead, we continue to work with our artisans long after our initial orders to build their capacity, improve their access to markets, and provide financial and technical assistance. Constantly improving our best practices together strengthens our artisan communities and empowers them to grow sustainably.

Promote Fair Trade

We are proud to be members of the fair trade community and seek to spread the word about our passion for fair trade with our customers. We encourage our customers to be curious and passionate consumers and we are committed to educating others about alternative supply chains, improving living standards and the health and education of the global artisan population.

Pay Promptly and Fairly

All of our artisan partners set their prices based on the true costs of labor, time, materials, and other relevant factors. We comply with or exceed the local, national or international fair trade minimum standards and participate in ongoing communication with our partners to ensure that income is distributed equitably at all times. In an environment where many international retail companies purchase products on consignment or with credit to be paid at a later time, Meridian pays for all its products up front and in full in a prompt and professional manner.

Support Safe and Empowering Work Conditions

We choose our artisan partners based on a variety of factors, one of which is the safety of their working conditions. We are opposed to discrimination of any kind in the workplace and make an effort to visit the work sites of all of our artisan organizations to ensure they meet or exceed international, national and local standards.

Ensure the Rights of Children

We work directly with all of our artisan partners to ensure that there are no forced labor conditions at any of our facilities across the globe. We respect and support the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and international, national and local law on the employment of children. We do not condone any exploitation of children whatsoever.

Cultivate Environmental Stewardship

We collaborate with our artisan organizations to support and facilitate working with organic, recycled and/or environmentally sustainable methods whenever possible. Many of our products are made using repurposed or recycled materials. We hold environmental stewardship as a guiding value of our daily business and actively aim to reduce, reuse, reclaim and recycle materials.

Respect Cultural Identity

We celebrate the diversity of our artisan community and make a conscious effort to be respectful of the cultural identity of our products and production pipeline. Our collaborative development process merges the indigenous traditions and techniques of our creators with modern heritage designs and materials to provide a sustainable income and work for our partners.