Fair Trade Learning: Ethical standards for community-engaged international volunteer tourism

The purpose of this paper is to articulate a set of ethical standards for international volunteer tourism. The standards are focused on promoting Fair Trade Learning (FTL) principles in the management and operation of volunteer programs. Because of the unique social mission, research, and evaluation capacities of higher education, we propose first applying these principles specifically to international volunteer programs operating at the university–community nexus. These standards have emerged through a collaborative, in-person, and online process during the last 2 years with input by numerous concerned global citizens, international education practitioners and researchers, nongovernmental organization representatives, and community members. The document shared below represents current “best practice” for maximizing the benefits and minimizing the negative impacts of volunteer tourism programs for both host communities and volunteers.