Paul Rice is an award-winning social entrepreneur, author, and founder of Fair Trade USA, the leading certifier of Fair Trade products in North America.
Paul launched Fair Trade USA in 1998. Under his 26-year tenure as CEO, Fair Trade Certified became one of the fastest growing segments of the food and apparel industries. By forging partnerships with over 1,700 leading brands and retailers, the organization has generated $1.3 billion in cumulative financial impact for 1 million farmers, workers, and their families in 72 countries worldwide.
Previously, Paul worked with family farmers for 11 years in the highlands of Nicaragua, where he founded and led the country’s first Fair Trade coffee export cooperative.
Paul is an Ashoka Fellow, a Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship winner, Ethical Corporation’s 2019 Business Leader of the Year, and 4-time Fast Company magazine Social Capitalist of the Year. His new book "Every Purchase Matters" is a USA Today National Bestseller.
Clean WaterEconomic OpportunityEnvironmental SustainabilityFinancial ServicesHuman RightsInternational JusticeLivelihoodsLiving ConditionsMiscOcean 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
