In the UK, safeguarding means protecting peoples’ health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from significant harm, abuse, neglect, emotional abuse, and exploitation of any kind, including consequences of any misuse of personal data.
In our sector, we understand safeguarding to mean protecting children and vulnerable adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our staff, associated personnel or programmes. We also work with Fairtrade International through their Protection Policy and Procedures for Children and Vulnerable Adults to act to protect any person from abuse, exploitation and neglect occurring in Fairtrade operations system wide.
We are committed to the protection of people from abuse, exploitation and neglect, and we always take immediate action to follow up on a concern or an allegation about a person’s safety and well-being.
We are committed to supporting children’s rights to survival, development, protection, and participation. Similarly, we also are committed to protecting vulnerable adults from significant harm as defined in Fairtrade standards relating to Forced Labour, Gender Based Violence and Harassment.
We believe that protection of children and vulnerable adults is both a corporate and an individual responsibility, and every person who undertakes and/or shares in the work of Fairtrade Foundation also shares in the responsibility to take every precaution to protect the children and vulnerable adults we directly or indirectly serve.
Fairtrade has Safeguarding focal points who monitor safeguarding concerns throughout the organisation and ensure that we have taken appropriate action to keep people safe.
Download our safeguarding policy here:
Fairtrade Safeguarding Policy – November 2019
What to do if you are concerned about someone’s safety or wellbeing?
If you suspect or wish to report concerns for the safety and/or well-being of any persons who have come into contact with the work of Fairtrade anywhere in the world, including the UK then please email us at safeguarding@fairtrade.org.uk. Every email is important to us.
If the person is need of immediate support, please call the police.
If you are concerned about someone’s safety and/or well-being and it’s not linked to Fairtrade, do still report your concerns to local civil authorities (e.g. council authorities, social services).