The IFAT Monitoring Process

IFAT’s Monitoring System is based on a three-tier process:

1. Self Assessment,
2. Mutual Review, and
3. External Verification.

Self Assessment is the first step of the monitoring process, in which members assess themselves against IFAT’s Fair Trade Standards. All the standards have indicators, which member organizations must meet or show progress towards. The Self Assessment report states the degree of compliance with these indicators and is sent to IFAT every two years. 

Mutual Review (peer review) is the second step. Members send their Self-Assessment reports to their trading partners allowing for comments and feedback to both the initial organization and to a Registration Committee.

The third process, External Auditing, is used to establish the credibility of an organization’s Self Assessment report and its compliance with the Standards, and to check that the system itself is working. 5-10% of FTOs are audited annually, and ad-hoc External Audits can also be used if and when concerns are raised about a member’s working practices.

An internal IFAT Registration Committee examines all Self-Assessment reports, Mutual Review reports and External Audits, and recommends to the IFAT Executive Committee if the organization should be registered as a Fair Trade Organization. Registered members can then use the FTO mark to identify themselves as a Fair Trade Organization. 

More info at www.ifat.org/monitoring.shtml