(Profiles are based primarily on responses to our GSP renewal impact survey. Though launched in August 2016, we are always looking for more company examples, so please take a moment to complete the survey if you have not already.)

On International Women’s Day, it only seemed right to spotlight WorldFinds in Westmont, Illinois, a woman-founded and run company dedicated to empowering women in the developing world through fair trade. WorldFinds imports handmade, custom jewelry from India that is sold in 900 stores across the United States. Yet its ability to promote development – both at home and abroad – very much depends on the GSP program. According to Founder/President Kelly Weinberger:

GSP is extremely important to our woman-owned, fair trade business. It not only helps our small staff here in the U.S., but our business provides low-income artisan groups in India with sustainable work.

When GSP expired in 2013, WorldFinds feared that raising prices would reduce sales on GSP products. Instead of risking lower sales, it opted to reduce profits margin, but that was not without cost: WorldFinds has to freeze U.S. hiring and salary increases. Over the course of the expiration, WorldFinds paid about $55,000 in extra tariffs.

GSP renewal changed that. WorldFinds hired one full-time employee and recently brought on another part-time worker – a big increase for a small business with a staff of (now) nine. GSP renewal also allowed it to invest in new office technology.

The company’s global initiatives, such as its Girls Education Fund, also benefit from renewal. The fund provides additional resources to the most marginalized families in its artisan communities in India through support such tuition fees, school uniforms, transportation, and books. Its recent increase in orders allowed WorldFinds’ artisan groups to send three times as many girls to school.

Continuation of the GSP program beyond its scheduled expiration on December 31 is vital to WorldFinds’ ability to create jobs and improve lives, both in the United States and India.

Click on the image below to download the GSP company profile for WorldFinds.

The map below shows the overall GSP imports and savings by state for 2016.

Companies in California led the way with nearly $120 million in tax savings. Imports into New Jersey, Texas, and New York all faced $55-$65 million less in taxes because of GSP, while imports into Florida, Illinois, Georgia, and Ohio all faced at least $30 million less in taxes because of GSP.

REMINDER FOR ALL GSP PROGRAM USERS: GSP EXPIRES AT THE END OF 2017.

Please click that link to learn about how to get involved in the Coalition for GSP’s renewal activities this year.

Please also add your organization to the new, FREE 2017 GSP Supporter List here.

The infographic below highlights some other key facts and figures about the GSP program for 2016.

We’ll be rolling out lots of new GSP-related data in the coming weeks and months as we work to educate Congress on the importance of renewing GSP before its scheduled expiration on December 31, 2017.

If you have not yet done so, please add your name to the free 2017 GSP Supporter List so the Coalition for GSP can show the broad support for renewal across the country.

The map below shows the overall GSP imports and savings by state from January to November.

Companies in California continued to lead the way with $108 million in tax savings. Imports into New Jersey, Texas, and New York all faced $50-$60 million less in taxes because of GSP, while imports into Florida, Illinois, and Georgia all faced at least $30-$40 million less in taxes because of GSP.

This map will be updated monthly as new trade data become available and the most up-to-date version will be available at all times on our Graphics page. These posts highlight some of the individual states, products, and countries with the biggest increases in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, and November.

REMINDER FOR ALL GSP PROGRAM USERS: GSP EXPIRES AT THE END OF 2017.

Please click that link to learn about how to get involved in the Coalition for GSP’s renewal activities this year.

Overall, GSP saved U.S. companies $667 million in 2016 through November. GSP savings are up about $58 million, or 10 percent compared to the first 11 months of 2015.

Some states, such as Oregon and Indiana, saw particularly large increases in GSP imports and savings compared to November 2015, as shown in the graphic below.

In Oregon, GSP imports and savings each increased by about 50 percent compared to one year earlier. Wooden doors from Brazil, Indonesia, and South Africa; lighting fixtures from Thailand, and food products from Ecuador all contributed to Oregon’s GSP increases.

In Indiana, GSP imports and savings each increased by about 35 percent compared to one year earlier. Motor vehicles parts and polycarbonates from Thailand and engine parts and electric motors from the Philippines contributed to Indiana’s GSP increases.

Savings on GSP imports from Paraguay increased by 148 percent compared to November last year. Increased imports of sugar contributed most to this increase. GSP eliminated about $237,000 in import taxes on ceramic mugs in November, with more about $47,000 saved on imports into Florida alone.

REMINDER FOR ALL GSP PROGRAM USERS: GSP EXPIRES AT THE END OF 2017.

Please click that link to learn about how to get involved in the Coalition for GSP’s renewal activities this year.

The map below shows the overall GSP imports and savings by state from January to October.

Overall, GSP saved U.S. companies $600 million in the first 10 months of 2016. GSP savings in 2016 are up about $49 million, or 9 percent, compared to the first 10 months of 2015.

In Louisiana, GSP imports more than doubled and savings increased by about 59 percent compared to one year earlier. Valves and parts from India, copper cathodes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and ferrochromium (typically used to produce stainless steel) from South Africa contributed the most to Louisiana’s GSP increases.

In New Mexico, GSP imports increased by 80 percent and savings from GSP by 144 percent compared to one year earlier. Aluminum products and electric motors from India along with rubber gloves from Thailand and Indonesia contributed most to New Mexico’s GSP increases.

Savings on GSP imports from Armenia increased more than 50 percent to $137,000. GSP eliminated about $223,000 in import taxes on glass construction products (e.g, pavers and blocks) in October, with nearly all of those imports going to Florida.

REMINDER FOR ALL GSP PROGRAM USERS: GSP EXPIRES AT THE END OF 2017. Please click that link to learn about how to get involved in the Coalition for GSP’s renewal activities this year.

2017 is officially here!

Unfortunately, that means American companies will face millions of dollars per day in new taxes in unless Congress passes – and the new President signs – legislation extending the GSP program in the next 364 days.

GSP renewal faces special challenges as an “import-only” program. The experience in 2013 shows both the harm inflicted on GSP importers by expiration and the difficulty in getting Congress to refocus on GSP renewal once the action-forcing event (i.e., scheduled expiration) passes.

The Coalition for GSP does not believe that doing “more of the same” will be enough to pass renewal legislation in 2017. In the coming weeks, the Renew GSP Today website will undergo some big changes, including new tools to help GSP users advocate for renewal. Beyond the website, there are a number of other potential initiatives planned for 2017. Please let us know which ones you might participate in here.

The Coalition can provide tools and encouragement, but GSP users must engage early and often to build support for renewal. The link above highlights some ways to get engaged. It’s never too late to answer our GSP renewal impact survey. More opportunities certainly will arise over the year.

The only way to receive information about GSP renewal (as opposed to providing info to support it) is to join the Coalition for GSP. Coalition members receive regular updates on GSP renewal that is not available from any other source. Membership helps companies make educated sourcing decisions given the uncertainty created by GSP expiration, while member dues fund all of the Coalition’s work. This form allows you to determine your company-specific dues and/or to join the Coalition.

December 31, 2017 will be here sooner than we know it. With a new Congress and Administration, GSP importers must redouble their efforts to show the importance of the GSP program for American companies and workers. The Coalition for GSP looks forward to working with you in 2017 to build support for legislation renewing GSP!

The map below shows the overall GSP imports and savings by state from January to September.

Overall, GSP saved U.S. companies $531 million in the first nine months of 2016. GSP savings in 2016 are up about $40 million, or 8 percent, compared to the first nine months of 2015.