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Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps Presents at San Francisco Green Festival

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Gero Leson to Represent Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps on Panel Entitled: 'Why Fair Trade Matters: The Human Face Behind the Label'

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Sunday, November 11th at the Green Festival in San Francisco, California Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps will present on our project to source all major ingredients in our world-renowned soaps from sources that are certified to Fair Trade and organic standards.

A quiet revolution is happening across the globe, affecting the products we use each day. Fair Trade is helping producers build the means to make a better living, maintain their traditional lifestyles with dignity, and create a brighter future for their children. While bringing to light the human stories behind this expanding social justice and environmental movement, panelists will share what you can do to support Fair Trade in your neighborhood, and, in turn, help families and communities around the world.

WHAT: "Why Fair Trade Matters: The Human Face Behind the Label" Panel Discussion

WHO: Dr. Bronner's Director of Special Operations Gero Leson, Andrienne Fitch-Frankel, Global Exchange and Yochanan Zakai, Coop America

WHEN: 3:00 p.m. Sunday, November 11, 2007

WHERE: San Francisco Green Festival at the San Francisco Concourse Exhibition Center (Room 2)

As Dr. Bronner's Director of Special Operations, Leson coordinates the conversion of Dr. Bronner's raw materials for soaps and cosmetics to sources that are certified as "organic" and "fair trade". Initial projects include a coconut oil mill in Sri Lanka that purchases from family-owned estates, a small-holder project for palm oil in Ghana and close cooperation with Canaan Fair Trade, a company in the West Bank that purchases olive oil from more than 1500 smallholders organized in the Palestine Fair Trade Association. Project activities are diverse. They involve grower recruitment and certification, the selection of technology, construction, management of production teams and suppliers, development of organic fertilizer supplies -- and trying to find out "what's fair?" and what to do about it?

To improve the livelihoods of farmers and workers in our "area of economic influence," over the course of 2006-2007 Dr. Bronner's has reorganized how we source our major raw materials, including organic coconut, palm and olive oil. They account for more than 95% of our raw material purchases, and we have developed a program to ensure they are produced according to "Fair Trade" standards.