What Diversity Really Means to Us
For us at Sonnenglas®, this theme isn't just lip service, it's what drives us every single day. To us, diversity means offering real opportunities, room for growth, and long-term prospects to young people, especially those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds or without formal qualifications. We're using Fair Trade Week as an opportunity to take you to South Africa and show you how fair trade is lived out in our daily work.
Fair Trade at the Sonnenglas® Factory
Beyond Just Standards
Since 2019, we have been a recognized member of the Weltladen-Dachverband (German Worldshop Association). This year, we're celebrating another major milestone: we have officially gained full membership in the WFTO (World Fair Trade Organization).
What does that actually mean? Far beyond fair wages and regulated working hours, our focus is entirely on people. Every team member benefits from comprehensive perks, including subsidized private health insurance. If you’d like to read all the details about our Fair Trade standards, you can find .
Rather than just listing guidelines, however, we’d prefer to let the people who bring Sonnenglas® to life every day speak for themselves.
In the Middle of the Action
A Day in the Life of Thato
One special face on our team is Thato. She has been part of the Sonnenglas® family for several years now and is a true multi-talent. Here, nobody is stuck doing just a single task. We encourage all our team members to learn new skills, discover their talents, and grow in versatile ways. In this video, Thato takes you on a tour through one of our production facilities in South Africa.
Fair Partnerships
Extending Beyond Our Own Workshops
For us, Fair Trade doesn't end at the doors of our own factory. We believe in building a network that strengthens local and regional diversity:
- Local Artists: For special editions, we collaborate closely with local artisans, such as the artist Maxwell, who handcrafted the beaded handles for our .
- Special Partnerships: From our collaboration with Stiftung Mensch, who pack and ship our orders in Germany, to our lovingly handcrafted at Ngwenya Glass in neighboring Eswatini.
- Fair Raw Materials: Even when sourcing materials, we pay strict attention to our supply chain. For example, our soldering tin comes 100% from fair-certified sources.
What Does Fair Trade Mean to Our Team?
We asked around the Sonnenglas® Factory to find out what our team members value most about working in a Fair Trade environment. Their answers range from financial security for their families and a warm, community-driven workplace to the pride of crafting a sustainable product that brightens homes all around the world.
Join Us Throughout Fair Trade Week!
On the front lines, we live these values together every day in our factory. Would you like to dive even deeper, gain more personal insights from South Africa, and see our team in action?
Follow us on Instagram or Facebook. Not just during Fair Trade Week, but all year round, we share exclusive behind-the-scenes insights directly from our factory alongside inspiring ideas on how to make the world a little brighter with Sonnenglas®.