News Best Practice Handbook

Network of European Worldshops

1 Best Practice Handbook

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NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

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For the German and Dutch Worldshops associations the decision to make changes was taken after research had shown that there was a potential market of consumers that was not being reached. The prospect of increased sales and reaching out to a wider audience spurred the process.

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In Austria and the Netherlands, Worldshops that have made radical changes to the way they work have experienced increased turnover. $

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In the experience of Belgium’s Oxfam Wereldwinkels, a mentality change took quite some time to take shape. Persuading staff within the organisation to adapt to a new idea was vital for changes to take effect from the inside. When it was eventually accepted, much of the groundwork in the transformation process had been done. In adopting the idea, the staff began to pursue changes themselves, because they wanted to.

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With government funding the Dutch Worldshops Association researched people’s knowledge of Worldshops in its country. The result was that many perceived the Worldshops as being ‘grey’, ‘alternative’ and not particularly attractive. Prompted to make some serious changes, it imagined what Worldshops in the Netherlands would look like in 2015, setting targets for the future that would be revisited at three-year intervals. The national Transformatie (Transformation) project was born, that would implement a nationwide shop concept. After a voting process, the shops almost unilaterally agreed.

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NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

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In France, the local associations, members of the national association, do not always agree with the drive to transform. Ten years ago when the national association proposed putting paid staff in shops, many of them opposed the idea on the grounds that the European Worldshop movement should always be a volunteer movement. Despite this, in 2004 there was a vote in favor of creating paid staff positions at the annual general meeting.

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In the UK, the national association understands transformation as doing things properly. It believes that being professional is about being correct and efficient, and making Fair Trade a lifestyle choice, not a charity. But it believes it is not doing things in a standardised way. All of the shops in its network look different, are dynamic, and have their own vision. #

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NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

5 Best Practice Handbook

Worldshops in Germany belonging to its national network are all very individual, each one valuing its own unique identity. In 2003 the central office adopted a sensitive approach to accommodate the varying attitudes and characters of its member shops when it embarked upon its process of transformation. Initially pitched as ‘unification’, the angle was adapted to ‘making shops more attractive’ – a concept that has been warmly received amongst its members, allowing them to transform while being able to continue to celebrate their own uniqueness and diversity.

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The national associations of the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium highlight the need to change the mentality of some volunteers to help them understand the importance of pro-actively using sales tactics in the shop and to motivate them towards a more market-driven environment. They teach them that there is an impact throughout the chain: the more that is sold in the shops, the more the shops themselves prosper, resulting in a healthier trade cycle for all, including producer partners. As long as no unethical methods are used, they believe that this is a legitimate way of promoting Fair Trade.

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Austria’s national association takes marketing very seriously. But this was not always the case: some years back, it was a taboo subject until a big internal and sometimes contraversial discussion led to the creation of a marketing strategy. Now the organisation’s culture is very much orientated towards competitive market forces.

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Oxfam Wereldwinkels in Belgium educated its staff to change the understanding its employees had about certain issues. Over three years the idea was accepted across the network and subsequently adopted throughout the country. (

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In Germany, shops decide for themselves if they want to be part of the project, with incentives made available to them. When the results of the transformed shops are clear, it is hoped that other shops will also take part. Although the central office encourages shops to embrace the entire transformation “package”, some shops prefer to pick and choose elements of the process that they feel suit their individual needs.

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NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

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Network of European Worldshops

7 Best Practice Handbook

For Belgium’s Oxfam Wereldwinkels vision and mission statement are key words. In 1998 the beginnings of a mission statement were being created, the origins of which were essentially a marketing plan. One thing was clear: the organisation wanted to become a network of speciality shops. Once this was determined, a three-year plan and long-term vision of how it wanted to develop this idea took shape, with proposals for transformation for both the national association and the Worldshops in several areas. #

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Germany’s national association took its first steps in the national transformation process at shop level by including a local fieldworker to assist in the development a time-bound plan of action for each shop. When shops commit to either part or all of the transformation process, this plan is essential for the smooth running and structuring of the process. Shops that are interested in adapting to only some of the processes are required to demonstrate that they will accommodate the remaining components over a period of two years. The plan allows for flexibility and includes formal inputs and monitoring from the field workers to ensure that the shops are continually supported throughout the process. This service is included in the annual membership fees the shops pay to the national association. #

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In Belgium, Oxfam Wereldwinkel’s mission is re-visited every two years, taking in different angles and points of view while constantly moving, changing and improving its procedures and working methods, allowing for creativity and innovation.

The goal of the Dutch Worldshops association is for all of its shops to be part of the transformation process. Of around 400 shops belonging to it, approximately 140 have transformed already, with 250 shops having agreed to participate in the process. The remainder are being encouraged to take part, especially so that the existing funding may be used while it is still available.

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In the case of Oxfam Ireland, it was decided to divide the existing shops selling both Fair Trade and second-hand into ‘Fair Trade only’ and ‘Second Hand only’. A strategy of everything that needed to be done was developed. According to financial resources, timelines for goals were set for priorities to be met over a three-year period. This enabled a realistic and clear approach of what was needed to be done now and what was to be set aside for later.

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At CTM Altromercato in Italy, its strategy is not just to create a long-term direction in the form of a three-year plan building vision and common identity across its network. It also wants to show that Fair Trade is not just about selling. It nurtures a “Fair Trade culture” towards consumers so that they think “Fair” in every way as they go about their daily lives.

NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

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Integral to its drive to develop its new giftshop concept, the Dutch Worldshops association worked with its shops to extend the product range to new consumer groups. It realised that any attempts to extend its consumer base must be accompanied by a firm understanding of the current trends in the new groups it was targeting, and created successful retail strategies around this formula.

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Oxfam Ireland brings in external experts to conduct appropriate staff training in sales and customer service skills.

In Belgium, Oxfam Wereldwinkels arranges professionals to run customer service training workshops. This is quite an achievement as before the transformation it was unthinkable that someone from outside could come and give training on how to do things in the Worldshops. Now, however, there is an understanding that the Worldshops will benefit from someone else’s knowledge and expertise to support the shops at local level.

NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

9 Best Practice Handbook

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Austria’s national association employs professional advisors to run group seminar sessions on business strategies and shop presentation. These seminars have had a positive effect on the shops, the impact being that the sales have clearly risen in relation to the knowledge gained from the seminars.

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Currently, Denmark’s national association is working out how to continue paying its coordinator’s salary now that essential project funds are running out.

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Network of European Worldshops

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CTM Altromercato in Italy enjoys a prosperous business relationship with supermarkets, enabling money made to be invested back into the shops.

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Sales from certain high-selling products such as coffee are invested into Austria’s national association, as it collaborates closely with the national importer organisation.

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Austria’s national association has entered into an arrangement with its national Fair Trade importer, EZA, whereby the importer has agreed to fund a third of the central office’s income. Another third comes from membership fees, the remainder from grants. As a result, there are sufficient funds to pay for a permanent coordinator and advisors.

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In France’s national network, presently about 40 of 115 shops have paid staff and a special government program currently assists local associations to hire retail staff. Some shops pay campaigners with this money, but unfortunately this means that when the government ends this project in 2005, those shops that have used the money for a campaigner and not a shop manager will not have improved their turnover in the same way and may have to go back to depending entirely on volunteers once again.

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NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

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Claro in Switzerland upgraded using revenue from its import partner. #

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The Dutch Transformatie initiative is subsidised by the Dutch government with a grant of Euro 2 m. Without this money it would never have been possible. It has also given this national association the opportunity to employ four core staff as well as professional architects and designers to create the shop concept. The only contribution expected from the shops is towards the architectural expertise, for which they are each charged •1000.

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The central office of Oxfam Wereldwinkels in Belgium relies on income from its import organisation to function. Any special projects - such as transformation – receive funding from this source. The central office is able to provide subsidies to the shops to: • Employ staff with specialist skills • Contribute financially to the renovation of the shops • Cover some of the relocation costs for those shops who felt that their performance would be increased by moving premises • Cover any increased rental costs as a result of such a move • Make money available for regional promotions and other campaign activity All these benefits to the shops result from the fact that the central body is made financially secure via its collaboration with the importer.

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Now that funding for its transformation project has come to an end, the Danish national association is forced to look new sources of financial support in order to continue.

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Finland’s national Worldshops association has abandoned its central office in a bid to allocate funds to employ a professional fundraiser. If applications prove successful, new funding will be used to re-establish a central office and generate more projects.

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Shops belonging to the German national network each pay a contribution of Euro 1200 to take part in the government funded ‘Weltladen 2006’ project, which gains them access to all the components of the shop concept in a two-year time period.

NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

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Without subsidies from external sources, shops belonging to the Oxfam Ireland network have footed the bill themselves. An internal budget has been set up, accounting for the activities in the first two years of the process, according to a set strategy. One large shop that runs exceptionally well helps cover the losses incurred from the other shops.

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In Switzerland, after a merger with an importer, Claro became a limited company. The national association has a strong business orientation and is set up in a similar way to the head office of a retail company with a central board and business department divisions, allowing for a centralised point for decisionmaking procedures. This business environment also makes way for a different kind of relationship between the national association and the shops, creating more of a “corporate culture” within the network.

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In Germany the national body has been able to employ ten paid staff, most of them part-time. #

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The Dutch Worldshops Association presents a more regionally-oriented structure at national level. Throughout the Netherlands there are around 400 shops, divided into regions with regional meetings. • Representatives from the regional boards meet at district meetings, followed by the national board • The national board also makes propositions on issues, which the shops vote on in their regional meetings The system allows for shops to have their say and all decision-making is done by voting. In a country with so many Worldshops, a hierarchical structure takes form.

NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

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Network of European Worldshops

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Germany’s national Worldshop network has at least six working groups focusing on issues such as campaigning, shop concept, youthwork and monitoring. Each group is composed of one board member (plus, in most cases a staff-member) and volunteers from shops. #

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The case of the German national association is an organisational structure typical across Worldshop networks in Europe, relevant for organisations big and small. Its characteristics are that: • A five-member board composed of representatives of the Worldshops is elected by members every other year, with rotation • Of this board, every second year three people are elected, with two in the intervening years, to ensure a degree of continuity • Ten regional representatives from Worldshops around the country are also present • The board members are elected during the AGM of all members, with the regional representatives being elected at the regional meetings

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In France, the national network has organised itself with a national board, executive board and working group. In the UK, the national association emphasises the need to have board members with a wide array of expertise.

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A feature of the board in the French Worldshop network is for the board chair-person to be interchanged as much as possible. It feels that change and new initiatives are healthy. : (

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Spain’s national association is located in San Sebastián, far away from the infrastructures of big cities such as Madrid or Barcelona. Placed in a more central and accessible location, such as Madrid, the office might easily attract more volunteers and other staff.

NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

14 Best Practice Handbook

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Financial pressures meant that the Finnish Worldshop association had to close its central office in 2004. This decision freed up money to employ a professional fundraiser who could gather funds for activities to take the association forward, including a new central office plus other new projects that may be viable in the future. As a result, the association’s coordinator works from home without the support of a central office, and the material that would normally be kept in the office is split between the people in the board.

Portugal’s Worldshop association currently has no central office, and getting this established is one crucial aspect to its further development. "

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At Italy’s “Botteghe del Mondo” association, most of the Worldshops are owned by cooperatives. All have a board and the president is the legal representative. Associates and members vote at the general assembly.

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NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

15 Best Practice Handbook

CTM Altromercato in Italy places importance upon co-operative structures within its network. The local community invests financially in the Worldshop which in turn invests in the coordinating national body. 6 !

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In France, that national network is composed of local associations who run the shops, of which there are 115. In order to form a local association belonging to the network, a group of people must approach the national association with a “co-operative” proposal. The cooperative must have firm, time-bound objectives to establish a Worldshop.

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In France, each local association pays a fee of 4% of its yearly turnover to fund the national association. It also forwards 20% of the money each new member pays to join a Worldshop to the national body. For example, a member joining a local association might pay 15 Euros, three of which go to the national office.

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Legal requirements of association vary according to country. In Germany, an association is easy to set up and easy to dismantle, therefore making it a versatile structure to work with. However, if a shop ceases its educational activities, allowing for the business aspect to take over as the primary activity, or if it becomes too big, there is a legal requirement to change the structure of the shop and become a limited company.

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In the Netherlands, good practice in its national network dictates that getting the hierarchy straight in a new Worldshop leads to easier decision-making processes. ! ! #

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For Oxfam Wereldwinkels in Belgium, participation at the AGM is compulsory for those shops that have committed their involvement to the network. This is important for continuity and to make sure the shops do value their responsibility. Within the shops themselves, decision-making is done in the way they prefer, very often by consensus or majority voting.

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At the Dutch Worldshops association, efforts are made to include board members at local level with business and retail experience.

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NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

16 Best Practice Handbook

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In England and Scotland, Fair Trade shops operate as “private limited companies” under UK law and are formally registered as businesses. Even though many shops engage in awareness-raising activities and are run in an ethical fashion, they operate in a commercial fashion.

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The coordinator can also take on other roles, as in the case of Oxfam Ireland. There the salaried shop manager is responsible for training new volunteers in customer service, Fair Trade awareness and other issues. Shop-level decision-making is done by consensus.

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Worldshops in Germany and the Netherlands enjoy regional representation. In both countries the shops are divided into regions where they conduct regional meetings, during which a regional board is elected. %

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In Denmark, the Worldshops association currently has no long-term vision because of uncertainty about its financial future.

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17 Best Practice Handbook

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A new ‘wave’ or ‘movement’ has taken place within Claro in Switzerland. A new mission statement is now under way to suit the new name and identity of the shops in its network, given that the transformation process has essentially re-branded the entire organisation. This was not without risk as the shift from the old, familiar name of “Third World Shops” to “Claro” meant a big step in the eyes of the consumer as well as for the employees. Overall, this has been a positive experience for the shops, inspiring renewed motivation and creativity. !

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Oxfam Ireland has created a 5-year strategic plan of what it want to achieve in the first five years of having ‘Fair Trade only’ (as opposed to Fair Trade and second-hand) shops in Ireland. The change implicates that it must create a new identity in the minds of the consumer and of the employees. Still in preparation, the plan so far includes: st 1 year: • Establish a warehouse and delivery system and system of accounting. • Carry out customer service training for shop managers who can then duplicate this to others. nd 2 year: • Develop a new logo and overall branding message and ambiance of the shops to incorporate the Oxfam Ireland branding, but which makes the Fair Trade message more visible. • Use logo in all shop marketing materials, as well as on shop fronts. • Carry out business development training for shop managers. (Previously, shop managers had to sell both second-hand clothing and Fair Trade products in their stores, which required two different skills as both are very diverse. The result was that shops were neither specialised in one skill or the other.) This training involves ‘sales by category by week’, which entails identifying the weekly best-selling categories and structuring purchases and sales strategy on this information. • Create a volunteer newsletter. rd 3 year: • Install the new shop fronts. • Re-design shop interiors and lighting according to set guidelines. • Conduct market research to enable a better understanding of the end-consumer, its perception and understanding of Fair Trade and its attitudes and expectations towards the shops.

NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

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Network of European Worldshops

18 Best Practice Handbook

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France’s national network follows a strategic plan. Its priorities are to develop: • the Worldshop network • producer partner relationships • organisational identity The plan also sets out the terms of guidance and direction the national association can give to the 150 local associations around the country. 2

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For Germany’s national association, developing a strategic plan has been vital to its progress, working to a three-year plan structure.

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Oxfam Wereldwinkels in Belgium uses a threeyear strategy plan to accompany its marketing objectives and organisational mission and vision, helping it define its purpose and goals in practical terms.

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In the Netherlands, as part of its Transformatie project the national association has developed a longterm strategy based on its own vision of what it could look like in the future. Its biggest challenge has been to secure support from all the shop-workers around the country and convince them to think on a national level as opposed to on a local one.

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In the Netherlands, the Wereldwinkel network is recognised and respected by consumers. New shops starting up in this network automatically take on this identity.

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Worldshops in the Oxfam Ireland Worldshop network display a shared, branded design on their shop fronts, as part of an overall rebranding strategy. This brand is echoed throughout the Worldshops’ marketing materials and is a point of immediate recognition and familiarity for customers. #

NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

20 Best Practice Handbook

In Austria, the national association has designed its own branding that is not only used by the Worldshops in its network but is also extended to its accredited importers, which use this branding on their product promotional materials for the shops. 2

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The CTM Altromercato network in Italy has created its own successful Fair Trade brand. This is for both products and organisation.

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In Sweden, the national association has begun a process of transformation of itself and the diverse shops in its network. It sees its first step towards the process in the creation of a common logo to be displayed in the window of each shop, so as to create a sense of common identity around the network. This is not branding of each shop, rather, it is an association with the branding of the national association. This logo is simply a poster or sticker that is placed on the shop window or inside the shop, and the independent look of the different shops is retained.

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Members of the British Association for Fair Trade Shops (BAFTS) are unified through the display the BAFTS logo in their shops, and on the shop window. They may also carry BAFTS leaflets in the shops. The level of visibility of the logo can vary from one shop to another, and some shops may choose not to use it at all. All BAFTS shops value their independent identity and diversity with one another.

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NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

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The German national association constantly seeks new ways of expanding its customer base. Using market research, a new category has been identified as: ‘post-materialistic, liberal and highly educated’. These are consumers with high levels of income and education with an interest in and knowledge of global issues. They have the means and potential to make active lifestyle choices that affect their purchasing patterns, with a clear preference for brands and quality. Most important of all, they have high purchasing power.

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Consumers have been analysed to establish a new target group by Oxfam Wereldwinkels in Belgium. Five years ago the organisation concluded that it was reaching only 1% of the population. After research it found that 15-18% of the population is open to the Fair Trade message. Its second target group, it realised, is the larger public, of which 55% agrees that ethical values are important factors in determining what it buys. # !

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In promoting the gift-shop concept, shops in the Dutch national network downsized on other goods such as foodstuffs or repackaged them to fit the new profile. ‘Gift-food’ in attractive ‘gift-food-packages’ was born.

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22 Best Practice Handbook

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Some aspects of the Shop Concept of Oxfam Wereldwinkels, Belgium • All shop interiors are identical, making it easier for consumers to navigate their way around and find the products they are interested in • Colour plays a leading role in defining the shop concept, and those used – orange, yellow and purple – are vibrant and sunny to reflect the atmosphere of the countries where the products originate from • Seven ‘worlds’, denoted by colour, are featured in each store: the world of jewellery; the world of clothing; the world of food, and so on • The shops are spacious and organised • There has been much positive feedback from consumers, who say they feel that their shopping experience inside these shops has been considerably enhanced. These are real, professional looking shops selling the kinds of gifts that people want to buy.

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Some aspects of the Shop Concept of the German National Association • Professional interior designers ensure that the of each shop design is different, but that the formula is the same • The design includes: grey metal ladders for the sides of the shelves; glass shelves, except for the top and bottom, which are made of birchwood, as are the food shelves; desks also have a birchwood surface and grey metal to the sides and front • Walls and the ceiling are white, except for a couple of points where a simple orange line is painted on the wall; no shelves are situated here, instead making way for a presentation table for promotion materials. • Floors are either a mixture of orange, grey and white tiles or linoleum in the same colours • Shops are divided into sections according to product • Lighting is optimised to create a bright and welcoming environment

NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

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Worldshops in the Belgian Oxfam Wereldwinkels emphasise the need for staff with specific experience and # # specialisms to drive forward their shop concept. Exper! # tise in sales and marketing for handicraft; sales and # $ marketing for food; knowledge of window dressing and campaigning are all highly valued and important for a professional outlook. With this expertise readily avail# # $ able in the shops, rather than having to rely on assis; ! tance from the national association the shops are able ! : to continuously improve and enhance themselves in a ) $ ! self-sufficient way. !

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The lively and colourful medium-sized, medium-income “Altromercato” shops in medium and small towns around Italy sell an even mix of craft and grocery products and appeal to a wide range of consumers with a high level of Fair Trade awareness. The aim is to sell large volumes of mid-range products. Dedicated educational spaces also feature.

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# ! Some aspects of the “Partnership” Shop Concept of CTM Altromercato, Italy • Product range – “Special”: superior quality, original and unique crafts – Exclusive gifts for self and friends – Quality with the added value of Fair Trade • Target customer – Young to middle aged, affluent, well educated – Lacks in-depth awareness of Fair Trade but attracted by the quality and originality on offer • Sales objectives – Fewer sales of higher-priced products – •200-250,000 annual revenue estimate • Location – High streets in commercial districts in large and mid-sized urban centres – 70-100 square metre sales surface • Main product categories (Crafts make up 70% of the shop’s product range and shops must agree to sell 85% of crafts supplied by CTM Altromercato) – Artistic crafts and textiles – Household accessories and furniture – Jewelry and personal accessories – Groceries (30% of total product range) • Fixtures – Customised for each shop with shop-fittings tailored to each product range – Iron shelves with white paper finish and lighting • Atmosphere – Attention to detail: warm, welcoming and light atmosphere – Dedicated presentation of each category – Helpful, friendly staff • Materials and colours – Natural materials with low environmental impact and warm orange, yellow or red shades – Wooden floors – Wrought iron shelves with rice paper finish and bamboo merchandising supports

NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

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In Germany, a promotional area full of interesting material about Fair Trade and the current issues is made available in each shop. On a smaller-scale, in Denmark the mission statement is clearly displayed on the wall so that the Fair Trade message is clearly visible to all who enter the shop.

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Oxfam Wereldwinkels in Belgium has created a central campaigns team based at its headquarters. Members of this team visit Worldshops around the country to spread information about national campaigns that the Worldshops then implement at local level.

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Majorca’s Worldshop, belonging to the Spanish national network, is a real success story. It is really big and in the middle of town, and has multiplied its sales three-fold since it started only a few years ago. Its childrens’ play area makes it easier for parents to browse the shop, and is open every working day, all day.

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In the past, shops in Austria’s national association have settled for “2nd best“ locations but have since learnt the importance of seeking the best location possible. The national association has also encountered some resistance among staff who do not necessarily want to work in a small and perhaps crowded space in a shopping mall next to a supermarket. In fact, this is an optimal place for brisk business because of the abundance of shoppers.

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One of Portugal’s nine shops has recently moved to new premises in downtown Lisbon where the shop and sales have grown considerably.

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NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

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Network of European Worldshops

25 Best Practice Handbook

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Location analysis plays a significant role in the “Weltladen 2006” (Worldshops 2006) project in Germany. When a shop agrees to participate in the project, part of the fee it pays goes towards this exercise.

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At CTM in Italy, shops are located with target audience in mind (age, gender, class, sensitivity to the Fair Trade message and so on). High end, highly branded shops appeal to the upper end of the market in big cities and smaller, independent shops are present in small towns.

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At the Dutch Worldshops Association, market research is continuously carried out so that the shops keep up to speed in engaging their target market and providing it with the things it wants, in a place that will easily attract the types of consumer it is looking for. It has an equation: that the right location plus modern image plus Fair Trade as a “lifestyle” choice that is exotic and exclusive will attract its target audience: middle class females aged between 20 – 40. ! #

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Shops in the Swiss Claro network must foot their own bill if they decide to move. Shops are encouraged to move if their existing premises are not optimal: a good location not only increases sales, but a stimulating and vibrant environment also motivates the staff. The central office advises shops to invest their profits into a possible shop relocation and to take up loans to support the process.

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Worldshops belonging to Germany’s national association have benefited from free publicity via the government’s ‘Fair Feels Good’ campaign, which carries the national association’s logo. Information about the Worldshops is also available in the campaign leaflet.

NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

26 Best Practice Handbook

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Every Christmas, shops in the Oxfam Ireland network advertise in a few local newspapers. Small but expensive, the benefits pay off: Christmas time is an ideal time to get the shoppers in buying presents! New customers then know about the shop for the next time. Glossy magazines are also targeted a few times a year. Professional photos of high quality items are sent out to popular publications with a press release. Roughly nine out of ten of the magazines take the bait and feature the organisation and its products. If only a few magazines use the material on a couple of occasions, a good deal of free publicity is created, and new audiences are reached.

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Oxfam Ireland provides business development training for shop managers to enable them to focus specifically on sales techniques. This training involves identifying the weekly best-selling categories. Informed purchasing and sales decisions may then be structured on these findings.

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Oxfam Wereldwinkels in Belgium is introducing a new till-system in a number of its shops that will lead to greater retail efficiency and marketing potential.. It includes a bar-coding system that enables immediate registration of products, whose information, together with prices, is contained in a database provided by the central office.

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Oxfam Ireland is one instance where the tracking of best selling products is achieved with very little technology. It requires careful and regular registration of products by the shop managers, who often use “old-fashioned” tills. Fifteen categories may be rung into these tills, including food, crafts, textiles, toys, incense and soaps. Sales information from these categories is sent to the head office once a week. Every month it is analysed and compared before being distributed to the shops, who can see how many sales were made for each category, and how much they may have increased or decreased in comparison to the same time in the previous year or month. Shop managers then use this information to help determine purchasing and marketing strategies.

NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

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Germany is one example where improved technology in the form of a software and computerised cash system has played an important part in the upgrading of the national Worldshop network. Each shop can decide whether to invest in just the software or purchase the entire cash system. Shops whose transformation is already in progress pay a monthly fee of •75, while those not yet signed up for the transformation process are charged more.

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The software included in the package accommodates for: • all important aspects of the shop’s sales activity • non-sales related activity such as campaigning and awareness-raising • software for individual shop intranet and websites. By going onto the German website customers can therefore now navigate to, and view the website of each Worldshop that uses the new software. $

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Network of European Worldshops

28 Best Practice Handbook

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At Oxfam Ireland customer service training is compulsory for all volunteers within its shop network. A handbook of “Do’s and Don’t’s” is also available as a handy daily reference tool.

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The CTM Altromercato network in Italy always use volunteers in its shops, but its aim is to make sure that each venture is sustainable, which means being able to have salaried staff and not rely on volunteers.

NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

29 Best Practice Handbook

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The Finnish network of Worldshops makes use of a positive aspect of its national social security system. A number of its volunteers are unemployed people receiving state benefits, serving in the Worldshops for six months at a time. In this way the Worldshops can fulfil their need for full-time staff without having to pay wages. Volunteers using this system also benefit from the arrangement, as they learn new skills in a positive environment that can be used for future employment opportunities. The negative side to this solution is the high rate of staff-turnover this situation brings.

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Shops in the Swiss Claro network value volunteers with expertise in different areas. One person may have greater knowledge of purchasing, sales and administration while another may have excellent client-facing and sales skills. The Claro shops make sure that volunteers get to do tasks that suit their skills and interests, so that each staff member becomes experienced in his or her own specific “niche”. !

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Portugal’s national Worldshop network attracts volunteers from all over Europe, stimulating ideas and enhancing the impact the shops have on consumers. Diversity is positively encouraged.

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Some of the shops in the Spanish national network do very well because the ages of the volunteers match the target audience. Older volunteers in one particular set of shops gear their efforts towards reaching out to people with disposable income, and in another very young and dynamic shop, many political activities are organised by the students volunteering there.

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NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

30 Best Practice Handbook

Oxfam Wereldwinkels in Belgium and Claro in Switzerland are two instances where the national association is linked to the importer. Staff training is structured and regular. Since 1999, outside experts have provided regular customer service training to shop volunteers and paid staff in Belgium. In Switzerland the company headquarters provides its shops with tools such as handbooks containing practical retail hints and information about Fair Trade, as well as regular statistical information about the products in stock.

The Dutch Worldshops Association provides training for its shop staff in the form of: 1. Induction training for all new-comers 2. Merchandising 3. For those staff who have experienced the shop transformation process, guidance in working with the new concept from retail experts 4. Co-ordinator training, over the course of three days that goes into detail about all the managerial aspects of running a shop

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Oxfam Ireland’s central office provides training for the shop managers, who are in turn responsible for training their volunteers. In this way, the responsibility is shared between the shops and the national body.

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NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

31 Best Practice Handbook

In the Netherlands, where transformation has led to a hierarchical structure, the national association’s board makes proposals that are voted on when shops meet at their regional meetings. Decisionmaking therefore takes place at regional level and is a quicker process than waiting for each annual meeting as regional meetings happen frequently throughout the year.

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For Oxfam Wereldwinkels in Belgium, both the shop network and the central office have seen tremendous growth in size and numbers over the last few years, and as a result its decision making structures are constantly being adapted to fit the new circumstances. Rapid growth leads to new demands and considerations, and the board often finds it no longer has the time to discuss everything. Responsibilities are shifted to different levels: what used to be decided by the board two years ago is now delegated to a director; decisions directors used to make are now made by managers.

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In Portugal, as in Spain, rapid growth of the Worldshop network has meant that the members have had to keep check of how to deal with the increasing popularity of Fair Trade and, as a point of contact, how to deal with the number of media enquiries. It feels that it is important that an organised network can answer all those questions, or it will have uncontrolled growth. It needs to face the challenge of building a tight and effective network.

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In the Netherlands, a country that has seen considerable expansion in its Worldshop network, regionally-elected boards have the power to make decisions, retaining democracy. In Germany, shops belonging to the national network would prefer that they themselves suggest new proposals, and not those coming from the board.

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Network of European Worldshops

32 Best Practice Handbook

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The national network of the UK benefits from a very dynamic, informative and relevant newsletter. Members can learn about the experiences of fellow members, the challenges they have faced, the activities they have been getting involved in and the ideas they have had. In this way it also serves as a networking tool, as the members are inspired to contact eachother to talk more. It also considers its website to be an important aspect of its work. On it, members’ contact details can be found including those that are retailing via mail or over the internet.

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An interactive website designed by Italy’s national “Assobothege” association is underway to share information and help strengthen the network. Through it, experiences of each single Worldshop will be documented, and the experience of one becomes available for all.

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Seminars are organised by Italy’s national “Assobothege” association during the annual Italian Fair Trade Fair. As an important event for co-operation, in this large country with many Worldshops the shops make the most of their opportunity to network with one another. #

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The annual general meeting of the UK Worldshop network is a positive networking event between shops and importers from around the country. Training events, discussions, product displays and lectures from highprofile players compliment the agenda.

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Sweden’s national association has formed a communications working group to ensure adequate and smooth channels of communication between the shops and the national office. In this way shops feel that they are being listened to and that their concerns are being heard.

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In Spain, the national network embraces all Fair Trade organisations in the country, including importers.

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In Austria, the national association dictates that seven accredited importers are used to supply its shops and only 3% of sales can come from outside. In return, the importers contribute financially to the national association. 2

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For Worldshops in Portugal, importers from Spain and Italy been very supportive, sharing business plans and offering advice and special conditions in the early stages of business.

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Until 2003, a person at Solidar’Monde, the importing organisation associated to the French network, had a designated employee who would present the products to the shops, giving valuable insight into background, social value and context which could be passed onto the consumer.

For Oxfam Wereldwinkels in Belgium and the Swiss Claro network, the relationship with the importer has been an essential ingredient in the transformation process. In both cases the central office has been strengthened due to importer revenue covering the salaries of full-time staff – a luxury to most national associations. These staff are employed for their business and retail expertise, assets that would not be available without the close relationship between the national association and a financially strong importer. . # #

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NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

34 Best Practice Handbook

In Switzerland the shop concept within the Claro network is determined by the importer, to which the national association belongs. Shops wishing to join this network must fully adopt the Claro concept as a high-profile name. The requirements are that they agree to use the Claro brand and take a certain minimum product range as well as commit to a specific shop design, required opening hours and retail standards. While there is still room for individuality, shops joining the network must adhere to the overall concept driven by the importer company.

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The Dutch Worldshops associaton accredits importers that it intends its shops to use to ensure they are fair. There is high demand to become accredited and many do not make the mark.

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Finland’s national association is concerned that it currently has no clear system in place with regards to the monitoring of import organisations in its country. While there is some monitoring activity, no official procedures and processes, such as set questions, indicators and guidelines, exist. It would urgently like to improve this situation, but a lack of resources prevents progress.

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The UK’s British Association for Fair Trade Shops (BAFTS) updates its official importers directory every year. The directory is a strong asset to the organisation and the only one of its kind in the UK. The importers that feature in the directory, of which there are very many in the UK, are accredited by BAFTS, whose members are only allowed to use the accredited importers. A central group assesses applications. Because of its value to the movement, the directory is now available for sale to the public.

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For the Dutch Worldshops Association, a preliminary study was the determining factor in starting the Transformatie (transformation) project, which received heavy subsidies from the government.

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The Worldshop Associations of Sweden and Finland currently rely upon on partnerships with their governments for project funding. In Sweden the funds for one project are now coming to an end, and new funds must be found to allow for the progress to continue. Representatives in Finland believe that their only realistic option at the moment is to obtain funding from the ministry of foreign affairs or from the EU.

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Private banks in Spain’s capital have teamed up with the United Nations to run a two-day conference on global issues, with an emphasis on Fair Trade awareness. Members of Spain’s national Worldshops association will attend, as well as University students considering research into the marketing potential of Fair Trade co-operatives in the developing world. This may lead to new export/importing relationships between these co-operatives and importers in Spain. The event is funded by the banks and if successful, other interested partners, including the UN and the universities, may fund further aspects of the project’s development.

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The central office of the UK network works to make every World Fair Trade Day successful by publishing and distributing materials and resources to its members. It believes that WFTD should not only be a global day, focusing on global Fair Trade and a global campaign, but that it should also be a local event for the benefit of the community.

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The NEWS’ Campaign Against Exploitative Child Labour is open for the participation of all the members in its network, and also promotes the annual World Fair Trade Day. NEWS promotes campaign activity throughout European Worldshops.

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NEWS: Christofsstr. 13 | 55116 Mainz | Germany | tel. +49 6131 9066 410 | www.worldshops.org | [email protected]

Network of European Worldshops

37 Best Practice Handbook

Campaigning had been a dominant theme in the work of the German Worldshops Association between 1999 and 2002, in the form of its own campaigns, publicity, events and volunteer education programmes. Today this work continues but, with the new concept underway, in a reduced form. # ! 2

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Worldshops in the Dutch network, which has fully embraced the gift-shop concept, do still partake in some campaigning activity. The national association drives the campaigns, picking themes that fit the shop concept and the merchandise within the shops. Additionally, a campaigns body linked to the national association but separate from the shops promotes Fair Trade targets community organisations and youth groups. Members of these campaigns teams may also be involved in the Worldshop.

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In Portugal, the national association was founded on the premise that campaigning and activism defined the national association and it members, helping it determine what it wanted to be. What had been a political and ideological start has, however, more recently turned into an increasingly logistical and practical approach, prompting the network to consider how it can realistically balance the cultural and political with the technical and organisational issues.

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People behind setting up a new Worldshops in Portugal were determined not to get into debt before they had even started, and as regular businesses they did not qualify for grants. As a result, they: • Did not apply for loans • Built up the core business in a small street kiosk (in one small town in Portugal, the local authorities actually donated a commercial retail space) • Later moved to larger premises and used existing capital plus donations from friends and family • Wrote letters to companies asking for free computers and software – and got them!

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One of the major goals of the Dutch Transformatie project is that better shops will yield more profit, allowing for paid employees and the shops’ financial independence to expand and develop further. This is a sustainable model. Already, it has become clear that transformed shops make more profit than those that have not taken part in the project.

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The Oxfam Ireland network has a strong ethos that promotes the idea that market access opportunities for producers must be related back to them from the European Worldshop level. It believes that this is a responsibility of the Worldshops to the Fair Trade movement.

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