SERRV International
Encyclopedia
SERRV International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, alternative trading organization
operating in the United States, Africa, Asia and Latin America. The organization is credited to be one of the first fair trade
initiatives worldwide, with imports as early as 1949. In 2006, it was one of the country's largest fair trade importers with annual sales of approximately $10 million. It currently works with 85 small-scale, cooperatively run producer groups in 35 countries.
The organization's mission is to "promote the social and economic progress of people in developing regions of the world by marketing their products in a just and direct manner". SERRV International was funded and supported in 2005 by the Calvert Foundation, Catholic Relief Services
, the Idyll Foundation and MMA Community Development Investments, Inc.
The organization is a founding member of the World Fair Trade Organization
(WFTO) and the Fair Trade Federation
. It follows the internationally recognized fair trade
principles of fair wage, gender equality
, long-term relationships, concern for the environment, democratic decision making, safe working conditions, respect for culture, and prohibition of child exploitation.
as a way to help refugees in Europe recover economically and socially from World War II
. The name SERRV is an acronym for Sales Exchange for Refugee Rehabilitation and Vocation. It first imported wooden cuckoo clocks from Germany to Maryland to sell in the U.S.
The program grew from assisting WWII refugees to working with impoverished people throughout the world. SERRV began importing handicrafts from the world's least developed countries as a way to alleviate poverty. By 1960, with the help of Church World Service, a nation-wide network of churches were selling SERRV crafts as part of their mission work. In 1964, the first full-time director was hired and three staff members were appointed.
In 1999, SERRV International split from the Church of the Brethren to become an independent 501(c)(3) organization. Sales at this time had reached more than $5.5 million and the product line branched out into fair trade
coffee
and chocolate
as well as handicrafts. SERRV became the U.S. distributor of Fair Trade Divine Chocolate, the first farmer-owned chocolate company in the world.
In 2001, in addition to marketing fair trade products, the organization stepped up its efforts as a development organization. Its current development projects with artisans and farmers include skill training workshops, product design assistance, and small grants, all largely funded by charitable contributions to SERRV from individuals, foundations, and churches.
In 2004, the organization launched a new marketing identity called A Greater Gift, which represents its catalog and retail business. Shortly afterward, SERRV also launched EQUO Foods, its own fair trade foods brand. In the fall of 2008 SERRV dropped the identity of A Greater Gift and started using SERRV once again. The 2008 catalog had many new changes in style, layout and content. Divine USA also introduced new chocolate products in the fall of 2008.
Alternative trading organization
An alternative trading organization is usually a non-governmental organization or mission-driven business aligned with the Fair trade movement, aiming "to contribute to the alleviation of poverty in developing regions of the world by establishing a system of trade that allows marginalized...
operating in the United States, Africa, Asia and Latin America. The organization is credited to be one of the first fair trade
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
initiatives worldwide, with imports as early as 1949. In 2006, it was one of the country's largest fair trade importers with annual sales of approximately $10 million. It currently works with 85 small-scale, cooperatively run producer groups in 35 countries.
The organization's mission is to "promote the social and economic progress of people in developing regions of the world by marketing their products in a just and direct manner". SERRV International was funded and supported in 2005 by the Calvert Foundation, Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Relief Services is the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Founded in 1943 by the U.S. bishops, the agency provides assistance to 130 million people in more than 90 countries and territories in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and...
, the Idyll Foundation and MMA Community Development Investments, Inc.
The organization is a founding member of the World Fair Trade Organization
World Fair Trade Organization
The World Fair Trade Organization , formerly the International Fair Trade Association , was created in 1989 and is a global association of 324 organizations in over 70 countries...
(WFTO) and the Fair Trade Federation
Fair Trade Federation
The Fair Trade Federation is a Washington DC-based nonprofit trade association that provides support to and promotes North American businesses that they identify as being fully committed to the principles of fair trade...
. It follows the internationally recognized fair trade
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
principles of fair wage, gender equality
Gender equality
Gender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
, long-term relationships, concern for the environment, democratic decision making, safe working conditions, respect for culture, and prohibition of child exploitation.
History
SERRV International was launched in 1949. It began as a program of the Church of the BrethrenChurch of the Brethren
The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination originating from the Schwarzenau Brethren organized in 1708 by eight persons led by Alexander Mack, in Schwarzenau, Bad Berleburg, Germany. The Brethren movement began as a melding of Radical Pietist and Anabaptist ideas during the...
as a way to help refugees in Europe recover economically and socially from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The name SERRV is an acronym for Sales Exchange for Refugee Rehabilitation and Vocation. It first imported wooden cuckoo clocks from Germany to Maryland to sell in the U.S.
The program grew from assisting WWII refugees to working with impoverished people throughout the world. SERRV began importing handicrafts from the world's least developed countries as a way to alleviate poverty. By 1960, with the help of Church World Service, a nation-wide network of churches were selling SERRV crafts as part of their mission work. In 1964, the first full-time director was hired and three staff members were appointed.
In 1999, SERRV International split from the Church of the Brethren to become an independent 501(c)(3) organization. Sales at this time had reached more than $5.5 million and the product line branched out into fair trade
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
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,...
and chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
as well as handicrafts. SERRV became the U.S. distributor of Fair Trade Divine Chocolate, the first farmer-owned chocolate company in the world.
In 2001, in addition to marketing fair trade products, the organization stepped up its efforts as a development organization. Its current development projects with artisans and farmers include skill training workshops, product design assistance, and small grants, all largely funded by charitable contributions to SERRV from individuals, foundations, and churches.
In 2004, the organization launched a new marketing identity called A Greater Gift, which represents its catalog and retail business. Shortly afterward, SERRV also launched EQUO Foods, its own fair trade foods brand. In the fall of 2008 SERRV dropped the identity of A Greater Gift and started using SERRV once again. The 2008 catalog had many new changes in style, layout and content. Divine USA also introduced new chocolate products in the fall of 2008.