Paul Rice is the Founder of Fair Trade USA, the leading certifier of Fair Trade products in North America. Since launching the Fair Trade Certified™ label in 1998, he has grown it into one of the fastest-expanding segments of the food and apparel industries, partnering with over 1,700 brands, including Patagonia, Nespresso, and Walmart. Fair Trade USA now certifies a wide range of products, generating $1.2 billion in financial impact for 1.6 million farmers and workers in 72+ countries.
A pioneer in Conscious Capitalism, Rice is an advocate for ethical sourcing to improve lives, protect the planet, and drive sustainable business. His eleven years working with farmers in Nicaragua, where he founded PRODECOOP, inspired him to build the Fair Trade movement in the U.S.
An accomplished social entrepreneur, Rice has received the Skoll Award, World Economic Forum’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year, and numerous other accolades. His book Every Purchase Matters will be published in April 2025.
Clean WaterEconomic OpportunityEnvironmental SustainabilityFinancial ServicesHuman RightsInternational JusticeLivelihoodsLiving ConditionsOcean EcosystemsPeace and Human RightsResponsible Supply ChainsSmallholder ProductivityStandardsSustainable Markets
Central America, Central and Southern Asia, Eastern Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Southeast Asia, West and Central Africa
