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

Initial Audit
In order to become Fairtrade-certified, an organisation must first apply for certification. Based on the information received during the application …
Intact Platform
Intact Platform is the Web Portal to facilitate the certification work for FLOCERT and its customers. Information on certification status, upcoming …
Internal control system (ICS)
An internal control system measures an organisation’s improvement over time with specific, individual control points.
International Labour Organization (ILO)
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is the international organisation responsible for drawing up and overseeing international labour …
Licence Agreement
The contract between the Licensee and a National Fairtrade Organisation or Fairtrade International, which regulates their commercial relations and …
Licence fee
A Licensee pays a licence fee for the use of the FAIRTRADE Certification Mark to the National Fairtrade Organisation (NFO).
Licensee
A company licensed by a National Fairtrade Organisation or Fairtrade International to use the FAIRTRADE Certification Mark.
Licensing Body
The organisation that draws up and signs a licence contract with a Licensee. In countries where a National Fairtrade Organisation (NFO) is located, …
Like for Like
Principle for Mass Balance products whereby purchases of Fairtrade inputs should be comparable (same kind and quality) to the inputs used in the …
Main Audit Site
The location in a Trader Corporate Certification (TCC) set-up where the Documentary Audit takes place, usually at the head office of the certified …
Main Fairtrade product
The principal product that comes out of a production process. The term “production process” applies to both agricultural production and …
Major Compliance Criteria
A limited number of Compliance Criteria (CC) have been classified as “Major”. Fulfilment of these criteria implies compliance with the …
Manufacturer/Processor
A Manufacturer / Processor is a company transforming a Fairtrade product at any stage in the production process from raw material into ready-for-sale …
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
The Fairtrade practice which requires certified customers to ensure that the output amount sold as Fairtrade must be equivalent to the input amount …