WHEN COMMERCE MEETS ALTRUISM: THE FAIR TRADE IN BOLOGNA
The Fair-Trade is a form of commerce based on dialogue, respect, and fairness, which focuses on the achievement of bigger equity between the North and the South of the world through international commerce. It wants to reach a fair price and at the same time ensure the territory safeguard, avoiding the maximization of profit developed by big industrials.
Fair Trade contributes to sustainable development through the offer of better economic conditions and ensuring rights to the marginalized producers and workers of the market, especially the ones from the South of the world.
Here are some of the best places that promote Fair Trade in Bologna.
ALTROMERCATO – EX-AEQUO COOPERATIVA SOCIALE 
Ex-Aequo is a collective business that has been operating in Bologna for the last 25 years in order to promote a model of sustainable development, inclusive and supportive with respect to small companies, through the promotion of fair trade and conscious consumption. It is the historical Fair-Trade shop in Bologna, and it is socially involved in promoting its activities and ideals. They distribute several categories of products, from food and beverages to products for home care, personal care, but also clothing and accessories.
The shop is managed by two entrepreneurs Linda Triggiani and Emanuela Melotti. It takes its name from the homonymous co-op established in 2005, a female business managed exclusively by women. Fair and Bio, the variety of products sold by this shop make everybody curious about it, even the beginners of sustainability. In fact, the workshop provides every kind of product, just like the old shops used to do. In addition, here moms can find an area where their children can play and where they can easily breastfeed. Interesting to mention is the collection of charity party favours: handcrafted, unique, each of them tells a story, a journey, a hope.
DROGHERIA 53 
The decision of Rita Pareschi, the owner of this workshop, is clear: only biological products, from local producers, sustainable and socially helpful. Kindness, welcoming, and conviviality are the main characteristic of this small shop. The fresh products are from small local companies, in the respect of the soil and its natural life cycles. The products are selected keeping an eye on their social and environmental impact, all with the addition of products coming from Fair Trade. Do not forget to bring with you your cotton bag when you will visit Rita!
It is the first social bar that has opened in Bologna, in 2003. It is a place where people can have a meal, or a drink, take a coffee, or just buy biological products. It is open every day from morning until sunset, and it offers every kind of meal or drink. The café is also the place where the co-op Iusta Res carries out its work placement projects for young adults who come from disadvantaged families and economic situations.
In addition to all these activities, the town of Bologna has promoted a project called Bologna is Fair which has been ideated, designed, and developed by the Fair-Trade organizations C’è Un Mondo and Ex-Aequo. The project collects in a digital map (that can be downloaded from the website) all the activities and shops that commit to respecting at least three of the Sustainable Development Goals promoted by the United Nations and in particular, it takes into consideration the Ambiental, social and works rights, and territoriality (local products and Km 0).
A sustainable economy along with conscious consumption can enrich everybody’s future.
Choosing to buy Fair-Trade and sustainable products we will see improvements in the economic condition of the disadvantaged categories, in the environment, and in the future of who commits to produce and promote those products.