We work with government, parliament, business, civil society and other stakeholders to advocate for policies that will make trade fairer.
The Fairtrade Foundation Manifesto
Read more on how we are asking the next government to build fairness and resilience for producers and consumers: The Fairtrade Foundation Manifesto
*The Fairtrade Foundation is an independent charity and does not endorse any political party or candidate.
Fairtrade Fortnight 2023
Our exclusive research for Fairtrade Fortnight 2023: Endangered Aisle: How climate change is threatening the future of the UK’s favourite foods.
Current priorities
Living wages in banana supply chains
A research study on the role of the Fairtrade Premium in reducing pressure on wages and generating the enabling environment needed to make living wages effective in improving livelihoods for workers in banana supply chains in Ghana and Colombia.
Climate justice
The need for climate justice is at the heart of the Fairtrade movement.
Millions of producers worldwide are on the frontline of the climate emergency. They are among those who have contributed the least to the climate crisis, but are feeling its worst effects – including ever-growing threats to their livelihoods.
We want to see trade systems working to create a sustainable future for people and planet.
Fairer flower supply chains
Recommendations for building fairer, more sustainable and resilient flower supply chains in East Africa
This paper is based on learning from the Building Resilience in Flower Supply Chains project.
The recommendations draw on project research and activities carried out between August 2020 and June 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Blooming back better
This report summarises the challenges facing flower and plant workers, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the role Fairtrade is playing to address both. It looks at the ways in which we believe the flower industry and governments can work together to build back fairer.
We look particularly closely at the importance of living wages.
Achieving living incomes for cocoa farmers
Chocolate is a booming business but the majority of cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana live in abject poverty.
Our reports below outline how governments, chocolate companies, traders, retailers and shoppers can help make living incomes a reality for these farmers.
- The Invisible Women Behind our Chocolate (2020, PDF)
- Fairtrade Research Paper: Cocoa and the Invisible Women (2020, PDF)
- Craving a Change in Chocolate (2019, PDF)
- Fairtrade Fortnight 2020 parliamentary briefing (2020, PDF)
- Aligning Living Income Methodologies in the Cocoa Sector: Lessons from the Ben & Jerry’s and Tony’s Open Chain MEL Working Group
- Adjusting Living Income Benchmarks for Household Size in the Cocoa Sector: Methodological Note from the Ben & Jerry’s Tony’s Open Chain MEL Working Group
COVID-19 and building back fairer
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Fairtrade continued to advocate for and support small-scale farmers and workers.
Inquiry submissions into COVID-19:
Market regulation and competition law
Competition Law and Sustainability
Our 2019 report brings together the findings of a series of interviews with stakeholders in the UK grocery sector. It explores how competition law affects efforts to collaborate together to tackle sustainability issues.
Business and human rights
- Fairtrade response to the DEFRA consultation on a proposed Deforestation Law (2020)
- Corporate Justice Coalition (CORE) statement on the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act (2019, PDF)
- CORE statement on mandatory HRDD (2019, PDF)
- Fairtrade International human rights commitment and HRDD advocacy position.
Fairtrade International policies
Parliamentary briefings
- Report on the impact of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit on Fairtrade Triangular Supply Chains (2020)
- Briefing on Future Trade Policy (2020)
- Briefing on the Trade Bill 2019-2021 – Report Stage (2020)
- Briefing on the Trade Bill 2019-2021 – Second Reading (2020)
- Briefing on the Agriculture Bill 2019-2021 – Second Reading (2020)
- Briefing on the Agriculture Bill 2019-2021 – Report Stage (2020)
- Briefing on the Agriculture Bill 2019-2021 – Committee Stage (2020)
- Briefing on the UK’s global tariff schedule consultation (2020)
- Briefing ahead of Westminster Hall debate on ‘Trade deals and fair trade’ (2020).