Fairtrade International

Fairtrade International is the world’s largest fair trade system bringing together producers, businesses and consumers to transform conventional trade. Representing more than 1.7 million farmers and workers, Fairtrade International owns the Fairtrade label, one of the most recognized ethical labels globally and backed by rigorous standards and certification. More than 30 Fairtrade organisations around the world work towards a better deal for farmers and workers and to create sustainable social, economic and environmental change.

Fairtrade’s overall mission is to connect disadvantaged producers and consumers, promote fairer trading conditions and empower producers to combat poverty, strengthen their position and take more control over their lives.

Donors/Partners:

Fairtrade International works with a diverse group of partners on different initiatives. For coffee initiatives, they are currently partnering with GIZ, the EC, the Nordic Climate Fund, the Dutch Post Code Lottery, LUSH, the Finnish MFA and Comic Relief. Fairtrade is partnering with its Commercial partners to tackle climate risks in coffee value chains, as well as with technical experts such as Climate Edge,  CGIAR, Munich Climate Insurance Initiative, IFAD, Sustainable Agriculture, Food and Environment (SAFE) Platform, Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and International Coffee Organisation, among others.

Key activities:

Fairtrade International provides standards and certification for supply chain businesses, small-scale producer organisations and hired labor organisations. Fairtrade International supports producers, workers and their organisations. They build and sustain Fairtrade markets jointly with producer and worker organisations, businesses and citizen-consumers.

Fairtrade develops networks and alliances. They do also advocate and campaign for fairer trading practices.

Signature projects/tools:

Current projects focus on building climate resilience of smallholder coffee farmers and strengthening capacities of the small-scale producer organisations (SPO) to advocate for social actions and public policies that promote climate change adaptation.

• Growing Resilient Agricultural Enterprises (GREAN) – Uganda (https://www.ndf.fi/project/ncf-6-growing-resilient-agricultural-enterprises-grean-uganda)
• Climate Academy – Kenya and Ethiopia (https://www.fairtradenederland.nl/blog/de-climate-academy-in-machakos-helpt-boeren-in-de-strijd-tegen-klimaatverandering/ and https://coffeeandcocoa.net/2018/07/30/fairtrade-africa-climate-adaptation-project/)
• Climate Academy – Indonesia (https://www.fairtradenapp.org/launch-of-napp-climate-school/)
• Dignity for All – Honduras and Ethiopia (https://www.facebook.com/107515200589714/posts/finnish-funded-dignity-for-all-d4a-wine-impact-project-officially-launched-in-ca/126803671994200/)
• Climate Change Advocacy Project – Latin America
• Growing Women in Coffee – Kenya (https://www.fairtradeafrica.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Growing-women-in-coffee1.pdf)

Priority Countries and corresponding areas of activities

Fairtrade prioritises countries in the following regions: Africa, Asia & the Pacific, and Latin America & the Caribbean. This is where Fairtrade’s three Producer Networks are located, providing direct support to farmers and workers across the globe. The Producer Networks are co-owners of the Fairtrade system and have a voice and vote at the international General Assembly. Currently, Fairtrade is prioritizing its work in Living Income for coffee in the following countries: Colombia, Indonesia and Uganda.