Frans van der Hoff
Encyclopedia
Frans van der Hoff or Francisco VanderHoff Boersma as he is called in Latin America, is a Dutch
missionary
who, in collaboration with Nico Roozen
and ecumenical development agency Solidaridad
, launched Max Havelaar
, the first Fairtrade label in 1988. Frans van der Hoff's contacts with disadvantaged Mexican coffee producers were key in securing the supply and ensuring the success of the very first Fairtrade certification initiative.
Frans van der Hoff was born in 1939 in a disciplined farming family in Southern Netherlands
. He became politically active early on in student movements during his studies at Radboud University Nijmegen
. He later received a Ph.D.
in political economy
and another one in theology
while studying in Germany
. In 1970, van der Hoff moved to Santiago de Chile to work in the barrio
s as a worker-priest
. During the 1973 coup
, van der Hoff moved to Mexico
to continue his work in the slums of Mexico City
. Seven years later, he moved to Oaxaca
in the Southern part of Mexico
. As a worker-priest, he quickly integrated the community and started to learn about the misery and economic hardship of local coffee
producers. In 1981, he participates in the launch of UCIRI (Union de Comunidades Indigenas de la Region del Istmo), a coffee producer cooperative
created to bypass local traders (also called coyotes) and pool resources.
In 1985, van der Hoff met Nico Roozen
at the Utrecht
train station through a mutual friend. Roozen, who was then responsible for business development at ecumenical development agency Solidaridad
, quickly became interested in van der Hoff's work. On November 15, 1988, the two launched together the first Fairtrade labelling initiative, Max Havelaar
. The initiative offered disadvantaged coffee
producers following various social and environmental standards a fair price, significantly above the market price, for their crop. The coffee
, originating from the UCIRI cooperative, was imported by Dutch
company Van Weely, roasted by Neuteboom and then sold directly to world shops and retailers across the Netherlands
. The initiative was a great success and was replicated in several other markets.
In 2006, Fairtrade-certified sales amounted to approximately €1.6 billion worldwide and over 569 producer organizations, representing roughly over 1.5 million producers, in 58 developing countries were Fairtrade certified.
by the Council of Europe
.
Van der Hoff was appointed Commander in the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
by the Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation in 2006.
Van der Hoff received in 2006 an honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium for his efforts to establish a 'different economy'.
In 2006 he was awarded the Groeneveldprize from the Groeneveld Foundation in the Netherlands, for his special efforts for nature and the preservation of the environment.
He was named Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by French president Chirac in 2005.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
who, in collaboration with Nico Roozen
Nico Roozen
Nico Roozen is a Dutch economist who, in collaboration with Frans van der Hoff and ecumenical development agency Solidaridad, launched Max Havelaar, the first Fairtrade certification initiative in 1988. Roozen played a key role in convincing several major Dutch retailers to offer Fairtrade goods,...
and ecumenical development agency Solidaridad
Solidaridad
Solidaridad is a Dutch ecumenical development agency founded in 1969. Its main objective is the promotion of social justice, for which it runs three programs:*Fairtrade, for economic justice, with coffee, tropical fruits and cotton/textiles as sub-programs;...
, launched Max Havelaar
Stichting Max Havelaar
Stichting Max Havelaar is the Dutch member of FLO International, which unites 23 Fairtrade producer and labelling initiatives across Europe, Asia, Latin America, North America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Several of these corresponding organizations in other European countries also use the...
, the first Fairtrade label in 1988. Frans van der Hoff's contacts with disadvantaged Mexican coffee producers were key in securing the supply and ensuring the success of the very first Fairtrade certification initiative.
Frans van der Hoff was born in 1939 in a disciplined farming family in Southern Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He became politically active early on in student movements during his studies at Radboud University Nijmegen
Radboud University Nijmegen
Radboud University Nijmegen is a public university with a strong focus on research in Nijmegen, the Netherlands...
. He later received a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in political economy
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
and another one in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
while studying in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In 1970, van der Hoff moved to Santiago de Chile to work in the barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
s as a worker-priest
Worker-Priest
Worker-priest was a missionary initiative by the French Catholic Church in particular for priests to take up work in such places as car factories to experience the everyday life of the working class...
. During the 1973 coup
Chilean coup of 1973
The 1973 Chilean coup d'état was a watershed event of the Cold War and the history of Chile. Following an extended period of political unrest between the conservative-dominated Congress of Chile and the socialist-leaning President Salvador Allende, discontent culminated in the latter's downfall in...
, van der Hoff moved to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to continue his work in the slums of Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. Seven years later, he moved to Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
in the Southern part of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. As a worker-priest, he quickly integrated the community and started to learn about the misery and economic hardship of local coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
producers. In 1981, he participates in the launch of UCIRI (Union de Comunidades Indigenas de la Region del Istmo), a coffee producer cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
created to bypass local traders (also called coyotes) and pool resources.
In 1985, van der Hoff met Nico Roozen
Nico Roozen
Nico Roozen is a Dutch economist who, in collaboration with Frans van der Hoff and ecumenical development agency Solidaridad, launched Max Havelaar, the first Fairtrade certification initiative in 1988. Roozen played a key role in convincing several major Dutch retailers to offer Fairtrade goods,...
at the Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
train station through a mutual friend. Roozen, who was then responsible for business development at ecumenical development agency Solidaridad
Solidaridad
Solidaridad is a Dutch ecumenical development agency founded in 1969. Its main objective is the promotion of social justice, for which it runs three programs:*Fairtrade, for economic justice, with coffee, tropical fruits and cotton/textiles as sub-programs;...
, quickly became interested in van der Hoff's work. On November 15, 1988, the two launched together the first Fairtrade labelling initiative, Max Havelaar
Stichting Max Havelaar
Stichting Max Havelaar is the Dutch member of FLO International, which unites 23 Fairtrade producer and labelling initiatives across Europe, Asia, Latin America, North America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Several of these corresponding organizations in other European countries also use the...
. The initiative offered disadvantaged coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
producers following various social and environmental standards a fair price, significantly above the market price, for their crop. The coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, originating from the UCIRI cooperative, was imported by Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
company Van Weely, roasted by Neuteboom and then sold directly to world shops and retailers across the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. The initiative was a great success and was replicated in several other markets.
In 2006, Fairtrade-certified sales amounted to approximately €1.6 billion worldwide and over 569 producer organizations, representing roughly over 1.5 million producers, in 58 developing countries were Fairtrade certified.
Awards
Van der Hoff was awarded the 2006 North-South PrizeNorth-South Prize
The North–South Prize is awarded annually by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe to two public figures who are recognised for their deep commitment, outstanding achievements and hope they have generated in the field of protection of human rights, the defence of pluralist democracy and...
by the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
.
Van der Hoff was appointed Commander in the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Order of the Crown (Belgium)
The Order of the Crown is an Order of Belgium which was created on 15 October 1897 by King Leopold II in his capacity as ruler of the Congo Free State. The order was first intended to recognize heroic deeds and distinguished service achieved from service in the Congo Free State - many of which acts...
by the Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation in 2006.
Van der Hoff received in 2006 an honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium for his efforts to establish a 'different economy'.
In 2006 he was awarded the Groeneveldprize from the Groeneveld Foundation in the Netherlands, for his special efforts for nature and the preservation of the environment.
He was named Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by French president Chirac in 2005.