From the harvest of cones to the production and the final sale of Christmas trees, Fair Trees is based
on fixed and transparent procedures.
Harvesting the seeds
Fair Trees purchases cones from Fair Seed LLC, which employs Georgian cone pickers on a contract basis.
Fair Trees pays the cone pickers a relatively higher price per kilo than other purchasers, partly to ensure fair salaries, good safety at work and decent terms of employment and partly to contribute to the development in Georgia through the Fair Trees Fund.
The annual harvest lasts approximately four weeks.
Fair Trees has defined the concept Fair Harvest as follows:
- Supply of professional climbing equipment, according to high EU standard
- Climbing training lasting at least 5 days for all pickers including a test before each harvest
season - Medical check-up before picking of cones is started
- Accident insurance for the cone pickers during the harvest season
- Annual health insurance for the families
- First aid courses for the cone pickers as well as preparation of accident and rescue plans
- Offer of Red Cross first aid courses for the cone pickers’ families
- Support for social projects in Ambrolauri and other municipalities in the region
- Living wage in the event of a poor harvest
To meet the Fair Trade principle for sustainable production, the cone pickers similarly commit to:
- Only pick up to 2/3 of the cones per tree/per section to secure the regeneration of the forest
and in consideration of the wildlife - Not to use climbing spurs in consideration of the health of the trees
- Considerate behaviour in the forest – no breaking off of branches or felling of trees and only
harvesting from own defined sections according to licenses.
Fair Harvest is managed by Fair Seed LLC. Fair Seed LLC is certified by WFTO. The product is
organically approved using the Georgian Bio Certificate issued by Caucascert Ltd. Furthermore,
seeds are being approved for organic production under the organic control of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark.
The production of Christmas trees in Europe
In Denmark, Fair Trees produces so-called young plants, which are resold to Christmas trees
producers across Europe. All Christmas trees producers accept a Fair Trees license agreement.
This agreement is based on a number of Fair Trade principles, with which producers commit to comply.
Among other things, the license agreement includes requirements for Global GAP, bio certification (for organic production)
as well as paying employees salaries in accordance with the collective agreement in force in the country of production.
Furthermore, producers accept a third-party audit performed by the Fair Trees auditing body. The auditing body ensures that the Fair Trees producers and other business partners comply with Fair Trees’ ethical and business requirements.
- In an Audit, the following documents must be audited:
- overview of Fair Trees production areas
- documentation for purchase of Fair Trees plants and/or Fair Seed
- documentation for purchase of Fair Trees labels
- presentation of eco certification for organic producers
- sub suppliers must sign a Fair Trees license agreement
Every Christmas tree carries a Fair Trees label showing end-users that they have purchased a Fair Trees Christmas tree and thus contribute to a sustainable development with the highest possible consideration for people and nature.
The role of the reseller
As a Fair Trees reseller, you agree to the Fair Trade principles as regards salary and employment conditions for employees in accordance with the collective agreement in force. In their marketing of Fair Trees Christmas trees, resellers are encouraged to make visible that a Fair Trees Christmas tree is a sustainable choice, in which consumers through their purchase contribute to a sustainable development within the framework of the Fair Trade principles and the UN Global Goals. Marketing is made, among other measures, through the promotion of logos for Fair Trees,
Fair Trade Denmark, the UN Global Goals and any eco certification.
Contact information
If you have any questions or wish to get started as a producer or reseller, please contact Marianne Bols:
+45 75 76 00 43
mb@fairtrees.dk