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!

Navigate the glossary by letter

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Standard Operating Procedures describe the main processes and rules of our certification and management system. Normally, they explain a complex …
Standards and Pricing Unit (SU)
The Fairtrade International business unit that manages the development of Fairtrade Standards, Fairtrade Minimum Prices and Fairtrade Premiums.
Standards Committee (SC)
A committee created by the Fairtrade International Board and made up of stakeholder representatives of the Fairtrade Standards. It acts as a …
Subcontractor
An individual or company that provides product-related services on behalf of an organisation, but does not take legal ownership of the product. …
Supply chain
Business entities involved in the supply and purchase of materials, goods or services from raw materials to the final product. In contrast to a chain …
Suspension
If a customer does not adhere to certification requirements (e.g. Non-Conformity with Major Criteria) or contractual obligations, FLOCERT may suspend …
Sustainability
In ecology, sustainability means that a biological system is able to remain diverse and productive indefinitely. Sustainability can also be defined …
TCC Master Operator
In the context of Trader Corporate Certification (TCC), the term Master Operator is used to designate the certificate-holder under whose certificate …
Terms of Reference
The Terms of Reference are created and sent by the Certification Analyst to the Auditor and define the Auditor’s mandate for the upcoming audit.
Third-party audit
A third-party audit is an external audit performed by independent external organisations, such as the external audit performed by an accreditation …
Traceability
The ability to identify and trace the history, location, use and processing of products and materials.
Trademark Use Guidelines
The Trademark Use Guidelines provide detailed information on the appropriate use of trademarks owned by Fairtrade International, including the …
Trader
An organisation with Trader Certification. It may have either a seller or buyer role in transactions depending on its business relationship with the …
Trader Certification (TC)
The Fairtrade certification of traders against the relevant Fairtrade Trader Standards: https://www.fairtrade.net/standard/trader
Trader Corporate Certification
As opposed to traditional Fairtrade Trader Certification where every legal entity buying and selling Fairtrade products holds 1 individual …