Glossary
If you feel that the world of Fair Trade has its very own language – don’t fret! We’ll keep you in the know!
With this glossary we’ll guide you through the common technical terms used by FLOCERT, Fairtrade International and the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO).
Learn about the wor(l)ds of Fair Trade below!
Manufacturer/Processor
A company transforming a Fairtrade product at any stage in the production process from raw material into a ready-for-sale product.
Mark Supervision
The Mark Supervision group is a group of brand experts, nominated by National Fairtrade Organisations (NFOs) and appointed by the Fairtrade …
Mass Balance
Mass Balance is the practice in Fairtrade which requires certified companies to ensure that the amount of outputs sold as Fairtrade must be …
Master Operator
Certified companies that have subcontracted other companies to handle the Fairtrade product and which are therefore registered as Additional Entities …
Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)
Together, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) provide the knowledge for effective programme management and reporting, including accountability and …
Multi Estate
Companies that structurally depend on Hired Labour and are composed of more than one plantation with independent administration are called Multi …
National Fairtrade Organisation (NFO)
A National Fairtrade Organisation is a full member of Fairtrade International, responsible for licensing, marketing, business development, and …
NFO registered organisation
NFO registered organisations are not FLOCERT-certified, but are monitored by National Fairtrade Organisations on their compliance with Fairtrade …
Nomination Committee
The Nomination Committee recommends candidates for Fairtrade International Board committees, trader and independent boards to the Fairtrade …
Non-Conformity (NC)
The non-fulfilment of a specific Standard requirement.
Objective Evidence (OE)
Any means of proving compliance with a (Standard) requirement.
At FLOCERT, Objective Evidence is requested from organisations in order to verify …
Opening Meeting
The meeting held by the auditor at the beginning of an audit.
Learn more about a FLOCERT audit here.
Out-of-home
A sales situation where a product is consumed onsite. This includes, but is not limited to, hotels, restaurants, cafés and vending machines.
Permission to Trade
Intermediate, temporary allowance to start trading under Fairtrade conditions. It by no means represents a valid Fairtrade certificate and it is …
Physical Traceability
In a Fairtrade supply chain, Physical Traceability is the ability to follow a specific product throughout the supply chain and all stages of …