Tag: fairtrade

Fairtrade flower worker wage increases must be matched with higher prices

Stuart Mitchell

Fairtrade International has increased the floor wage that flower farms must pay to workers at more than 70 certified organisations across Africa, and at the same time is encouraging actors in the supply chain to pay more competitive prices for flowers.   The floor wage is the minimum wage that a Fairtrade certified farm is required to pay its workers. It is designed as a safety net to protect workers from wages that fall below internationally recognised extreme poverty levels, especially in countries/sectors where legal minimum wages are absent or very…

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Fairtrade’s Women’s School of Leadership builds confidence, skills, and opportunity

Stuart Mitchell

Women play a central role in agricultural supply chains and that’s one of the reasons why the UN has declared 2026 the Year of the Woman Farmer. From planting and harvesting to sorting, processing, and trading, their work sustains households and cooperatives. Despite this, women in agriculture operate within layers of constraint. This includes deeply rooted cultural norms that undermine their authority, gives them limited access to resources, and requires them to carry the heavy burden of the “triple role” – productive work, reproductive responsibilities, and community obligations. These overlapping…

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From Malawi to Mauritius, the Fairtrade Sugar Climate Action Programme shows how going green is good for farmers, good for the industry and good for the planet

Stuart Mitchell

Life as a small-scale sugar producer is far from sweet, even if you have the backing of the world’s leading sustainability label. Sugar growers face a perfect storm of climate change, volatile markets, changing demand and rising costs — but they’re fighting back with the help of the Fairtrade Sugar Climate Action Programme. The programme builds on recommendations from six years’ worth of independent carbon and water footprint studies, including measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), save water and improve soil health — all while cutting costs and boosting…

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Fairtrade strengthens support for businesses across Central and Eastern Europe

Stuart Mitchell

Starting this month, Fairtrade Germany is supporting Fairtrade customers in 23 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, taking over this responsibility from Fairtrade International. The transition means we can support customers in these markets more efficiently, and help grow Fairtrade sales for producers. Fairtrade Germany has taken over the licensing of the FAIRTRADE Mark for 23 countries in Central and Eastern Europe as of January 2026.  Until now, Fairtrade International has been responsible for licensing partners in these 23 countries. The aim of the handover to Fairtrade Germany is to…

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Fairtrade puts Living Income into action with cocoa programme in Côte d’Ivoire

Stuart Mitchell

Fairtrade has started the on-the-ground implementation of its Living Income and Child Wellbeing Programme for cocoa in Côte d’Ivoire. This long-term programme marks a concrete next step in its partnership with Action, to help reduce the living income gap for cocoa farmers and strengthen child wellbeing in cocoa-growing communities.  From certification to living incomeFairtrade certification provides an essential foundation for more sustainable cocoa production, but certification alone is not enough to ensure that farmers earn a living income. The Living Income and Child Wellbeing Programme therefore combines Fairtrade certification with…

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