Black Mamba confirmed as a verified SERRV Better World Partner

If you know our story, then you already know how important it is for Black Mamba to support the communities and people that sustain us. If this is your introduction to us, that’s okay too! We love to talk about the incredible organisations that work to assist small-scale producers in their industries. 

We recently completed the SERRV Better World Partner Audit and received our verified partner certification. SERRV International is one of the first fair trade organisations in the world, established in 1949. To better understand what they do, we need to talk about what fair trade actually is. 

It’s more than just a label you see on product packaging! It’s a system of verification that works to ensure that the production and supply of any product meet standards for safe working conditions, liveable wages, and worker’s rights. SERRV’s mission is to build Sustainable Employment, Resources, Rights, and Vision within the small-scale artisan and farming communities. (It’s in the name!)

The incredible thing about SERRV is that they don’t merely conduct verifications, they also support other amazing things such as:

• Active work to create employment opportunities that are free of any discrimination. They further ensure that artisans' children stay in school and have brighter futures, actively combating child labour.
• Artisans working with SERRV are paid fair wages in advance, to ensure they can support themselves and their families while they work.
• Sustainable crafting methods and recycled materials are encouraged, thus contributing to more eco-friendly practices.
• SERRV provides loans and donations to assist with healthcare and education initiatives, rebuild after natural disasters, and build community improvement projects.
• Traditional crafting techniques are preserved to ensure that important traditions are not lost in the production process.

We scored 73 points out of 100, which means we still have work to do, but we are very excited to be recognised as a business that strives for a better world and we always welcome suggestions to improve our quest to change the world one chilli at a time. 

We are not new to these ideals, having partnered with both GUBA Permaculture Training Centre as well as Fair and Square - a local member-based organization in Eswatini that advocates for fair trade and supports members to grow following fair trade principles. When you support inclusive value chains and small-scale producers like the ones we work with at Black Mamba, you support making a difference in their communities as well. We all have the power to make a difference, whether that is at the start of the production process or at the point of sale as the consumer!