Jones Snowboards has set a groundbreaking standard for the industry by announcing that its upcoming 2024/25 snowboards and split boards will carry the Fair Trade Certified label. This distinction positions Jones as the pioneer among ski and snowboard hardgoods brands to secure certification from the non-profit organization Fair Trade USA.
The manufacturing partner of Jones Snowboards, SWS Board Technology, achieved Fair Trade Certification for its production facility in October 2023. The certification process involved a comprehensive audit, demonstrating SWS’s commitment to meeting over 100 compliance criteria spanning social responsibility, environmental stewardship, employee empowerment, and economic development.
With each purchase of a Fair Trade Certified Jones product, the company will contribute to a Community Development Fund. This fund supports the most pressing needs of the SWS factory employees’ community, including education, child care, and healthcare. Importantly, the factory employees have a say in how the funds are allocated, ensuring a participatory and empowering approach.
The Fair Trade Certification aligns with Jones’ overarching mission to lead in ethical and responsible business practices. Previous milestones in this endeavor include the transition to 100 percent solar energy and Bio-Resin epoxy in snowboard production in 2020, a comprehensive life cycle assessment of snowboard production in the same year, and the introduction of Re-Up Tech, the industry’s first snowboard recycling program in 2023.
