One more year, one more training!

Another year is gone... another auditor’s training as well…

As every year, most of the auditors, analysts, managers, and some other Fairtrade actors traveled from all around the continent to meet each other during the Auditors’ Training 2009.

The Latin Americans met in San José, Costa Rica and the Africans in Cape Town, South Africa (the Asians will meet soon in Kochi, India). Some had gained some weight, others lost some hair... the live of a FLO-CERT auditor is not always easy… But all of us were happy to spend some time together and were full of energy, not only to learn a lot about one of the currently fastest growing certification schemes in the world, but also to catch up about the latest news and celebrate with the old friends!. The new faces were scarcer this time, however all of them were welcomed to the great Fairtrade family.

As every year, every auditor’s training has its own surprises. This 2009, the auditors were surprised with the launch of E-cert, which against any prognostics, experienced an instantaneous acceptance and they even seemed to like it; moreover some are eager to start working with it!! Another strong component this year were the “New compliance criteria for small farmers” and the “Generic Trade Standards” (GTS), which came full of new and exiting requirements in order to make the system more delightful and our lives a bit more complicated…

The reactions to such an agenda were diverse. Some of the most experienced auditors left with the impression that they did not learn so much, while the new auditors were impressed by the complexity of the Fairtrade world and satisfied because they have always the chance to learn new “tricks” to refine their techniques when they go to these kind of activities. Few auditors complained because the agenda was so tight that they had not the opportunity to talk about the topics they had in mind or mention the thousand examples that they know, while other auditors would like to work longer days and spend the night discussing about how to improve their work.

However, at the end of the event the relationship is always “win-win” and the balance is positive: analysts and managers feel that they have gained experience from the field, transmitted through the eyes and words of the auditors themselves; auditors by their side are able comprehend a bit better the latest trends of our organization and the destination markets.

Actually it is really amazing to have the opportunity to take part of these meetings.

You always experience the feeling of being part of something bigger: the continental representation of the Fairtrade movement.

We are all proud of our work and of providing our small brick to help building a stronger movement. At the end, what brings us together is the spirit to work for a better world in which trade takes place in a fairer way.

Adelante compañeros!

Written by Gabriela Centeno, Certification Analyst for Latin America. FLO-CERT.