Feature Photo Credit: Fairtrade Fortnight 2024: Be The Change – Fairtrade
As the leaves start to change colour, it reminds us that this time of the year doesn’t only signify the end of a happy season, but also the start of something new. September comes with a lot of responsibilities both in our daily lives and on an ethical level, as it is a month full of celebrations when it comes to environmental sustainability.
From Zero Waste Week celebrations to National Organic Month, World Vegetarian Day, Second Hand September and Fairtrade Fortnight, this month is home to a lot of international (and national) ethical campaigns. I strongly believe that as we start to embrace a new season, we are more likely to embrace new habits too. So there’s no better time to start taking part in these sustainable campaigns and adopt new ethical ways of living and consuming.
WHAT does fairtrade mean?
Fairtrade Standards currently exist for 18 product categories, including fruits, vegetables, wine, coffee, and cotton, with more in development. Where specific standards are not available, ethically conscious consumers can opt for fairly traded goods from organizations like the World Fair Trade Organisation (WHO), (formerly IFAT), the Fair Trade Federation and the British Association for Fair Trade Shops (BAFTS).
WHAT IS FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT?
Fairtrade Fortnight is a yearly initiative that aims to shed light on the Fairtrade movement. This movement advocates for improved working conditions, equitable wages, and sustainable farming methods for farmers and labourers in developing nations, as well as developed ones of course. Spanning two weeks, from 9th until 22nd September this year, this campaign urges both consumers and businesses to opt for products bearing the Fairtrade mark, representing just and ethical trade practices.
This Fairtrade movement originated in the late 1980s, stemming from a rising worldwide recognition of exploitation in global trade. Numerous farmers and labourers in the Global South were ensnared in poverty because of unjust pricing and insufficient labour rights. It was not until 1992 that the Fairtrade Foundation was founded in the UK, and only then they were able to guarantee that producers were fairly compensated for their products, enabling them to enhance their lives and communities. Just like these challenges existed in the UK, they also existed – and still do – in the rest of the world.
Fairtrade Fortnight was established to bring attention to these challenges and advocate for Fairtrade goods, although it goes way beyond purchasing goods. It’s about acknowledging our influence as consumers in creating a fairer and more sustainable world. Through backing Fairtrade, we play a part in a system that prioritises equity, human rights, and environmental responsibility. So the period in which we celebrate this campaign serves as a prompt that our daily decisions can make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals worldwide and that we should act accordingly. Not just during these two weeks of celebrations, but all year round.
HOW CAN YOU TAKE PART?
During Fairtrade Fortnight, events such as fetes, fairs, tastings, fashion shows, and community gatherings are held around the country in order to promote Fairtrade-certified products. These activities are usually supported by various organisations and aim to encourage the public to choose fair and ethically traded goods. Most of the time, when the public first finds out about a certain fair trade-certified product during these festivities, they tend to stay loyal to that specific product and purchase it again and again throughout the year.
This year is no different. As the focus of this year’s campaign is showcasing the three decades of collaborative efforts with farmers and workers, establishing the Fairtrade market as a prominent force in creating life-changing benefits globally; the organisation has put together a fantastic (and almost endless list) of online and offline events we can take part in. As Fairtrade Fortnight 2024 marks 30 years of collaborative efforts, the campaign of this year really focuses on getting the higher powers – aka politicians and MPs – to listen to our collective efforts and put some regulations in place.
Be the Change challenge
Over the course of 30 years, Fairtrade sales have generated over £1.7 billion in Fairtrade Premium, empowering farmers and fostering significant transformations in their communities. Imagine the potential impact if policymakers were persuaded to reform trade regulations, ensuring fairness across all trade practices. This could lead to countless success stories. That’s why during this Fairtrade Fortnight, they’re initiating the Be the Change challenge for newly elected MPs. As Fairtrade Fortnight begins, the organisation is launching a quick and easy tool we can use to ask our MP to stand with Fairtrade farmers. You can sign up for their newsletter here to be the first to receive this tool, so you too can sign.
So, from online events and webinars to attend to petitions to sign and local campaigns to get involved in, there is a lot about Fairtrade Fortnight we can get involved in. And if that’s not enough and you want to learn more about it, the organisation has lots of resources for you here, including some really fantastic success stories. My favourite? The one from Maria Doris who is truly making her mark in Colombia with Fairtrade!
WHERE CAN YOU SHOP FAIRTRADE?
The easy way to start getting involved with Fairtrade Fortnight is to start shopping for Fairtrade products for your home. And there is nothing easier to do nowadays, especially when it comes to buying Fairtrade groceries, as there are hundreds of popular Fairtrade products in all major UK retailers.
This week I am giving you a list of the UK retailers working with Fairtrade to strengthen the position of farmers and workers in supply chains, create sustainable livelihoods and raise industry standards. Of course, I also want to offer some individual brand recommendations too.
Co-op
Co-op has been a strong advocate for Fairtrade for more than 25 years and is dedicated to becoming the top supporter of Fairtrade convenience in the UK. They have achieved various ‘Fairtrade firsts,’ such as being the first UK retailer to offer Fairtrade products in all stores back in 1998. Co-op ensures that 100% of their tea, coffee, bananas, cocoa, bagged sugar, and African roses are Fairtrade certified.
Additionally, as the leading seller of Fairtrade wine globally, Co-op has played a significant role in developing the UK Fairtrade market into the largest worldwide. Apart from sourcing Fairtrade products, Co-op also backs several Fairtrade projects and recently contributed £300k to support Fairtrade producer organisations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic last year.
M&S
M&S was among the earliest supporters of Fairtrade in the UK and now boasts over 200 Fairtrade certified products, maintaining its position as one of Fairtrade’s prominent retail partners. M&S has collaborated with numerous Fairtrade tea and coffee producers for over 40 years, so much so that all M&S own-label tea and coffee has been Fairtrade certified since 2006. Apart from offering 100% Fairtrade tea and coffee, M&S has the widest selection of Fairtrade jam and marmalade among retailers.
Aldi UK and Ireland
Aldi is dedicated to procuring Fairtrade products in various categories such as bananas, cocoa, and flowers. They have allocated £200k over four years to back the Fairtrade Flowers Gender Empowerment Project. This initiative includes the Women’s School of Leadership (WSOL), providing training on women’s rights, gender equality, business management, and business development. Additionally, WSOL has introduced a mentorship program where participants share their knowledge with other women in the community.
In 2020, Aldi’s commitment to their own-brand products resulted in generating £1.1 million in Fairtrade Premium, showcasing their outstanding support for Fairtrade farmers and workers globally – especially when it comes to flowers, which they source from Fairtrade Ethiopian factories.
Lidl GB
Lidl GB offers a wide selection of over 40 Fairtrade-certified products in their stores. This includes a diverse range of cocoa items such as block chocolate, biscuits, cereal, and ice cream. Their dedication to Fairtrade extends to tea, coffee, sugar, bananas, wine, and flowers too. In addition to sourcing Fairtrade ingredients, Lidl GB actively supports the annual Fairtrade Fortnight campaign to raise awareness about the challenges farmers face due to the climate crisis.
Collaborating with farming communities, Lidl is striving to ensure sustainable livelihoods, environmentally friendly growing practices, and high-quality products. Through their own-brand commitment in 2020, Lidl GB contributed £1.9 million to Fairtrade Premium, showcasing their strong partnership with Fairtrade producers worldwide.
Waitrose & Partners
Waitrose & Partners offer the largest selection of Fairtrade products under their own label among UK supermarkets. Besides carrying various Fairtrade brands, all their own-brand tea, coffee, bananas, and sugar are Fairtrade certified. Recently, they successfully transitioned all cocoa used in their confectionery to Fairtrade, showcasing their support for farmers in their supply chains.
Waitrose values enduring partnerships with its suppliers, some of whom have been part of their supply chains for over three decades. They are committed to enhancing the transparency of their Fairtrade supply chains to better understand the specific challenges encountered by small-scale farmers and women.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s has contributed around £25 million in Fairtrade Premium from their own-brand product sales in the last four years. Notably, in 2019, Sainsbury’s accounted for 15% of all Fairtrade Premium generated in the UK through their own-brand sales.
Their primary focus is on Fairtrade bananas, with an unwavering commitment to sourcing from countries like Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Cameroon, and St Lucia. Sainsbury’s stands out as the top UK retailer for Fairtrade bananas, with one in four Fairtrade bananas in the country being sold by them. Besides bananas, Sainsbury’s offers a variety of Fairtrade products in categories such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate, wine, sugar, and nuts too.
Ocado
Ocado, as pioneer in the online grocery market, introduced the UK’s first Fairtrade online aisle. This aisle features a vast selection of Fairtrade products, including renowned brands like Tony’s Chocolonely, Ben & Jerry’s, Clipper, and CRU Kafe. Moreover, all of Ocado’s own-label bananas are Fairtrade certified, ensuring fair compensation for the growers. Additionally, Ocado offers a diverse range of Fairtrade products from Marks & Spencer, spanning coffee, jams, chocolate, and wine.
brand recommendations
The truth is that all of our supermarkets are committed to giving us the opportunity to shop fairtrade, however it’s the brands themselves that are leading the way in helping to alleviate poverty in developing countries, ensuring that workers are being paid fairly, are working under humane conditions, and have sufficient labour rights, as well as encouraging sustainable methods of production, so it’s important to give them the spotlight too – here are just a few of my favourites………..
Happy Earth Apparel
Happy Earth Apparel exclusively uses organic cotton for its clothing, avoiding polyester due to its environmental impact and harmful chemicals, while focusing on sustainable, natural practices that protect both people and the planet.
Happy Earth values every person involved in the production process, ensuring ethical practices from start to finish. Over 95% of their products are made in Fair Trade-certified factories, with all suppliers required to uphold workers’ rights and follow Happy Earth’s strict Code of Conduct, based on International Labour Organisation principles. To remain a partner, suppliers must meet or exceed these standards, which cover areas like fair working conditions, labour rights, and ethical business practices.
Key guidelines include:
- Employment must be freely chosen, with no forced labour, and workers are free to leave their employer with reasonable notice.
- Workers have the right to join unions and collectively bargain without discrimination.
- Work environments must be safe and hygienic, with access to clean facilities and regular safety training.
- Child labour is strictly prohibited.
- Workers are paid living wages, which meet or exceed national standards and ensure basic needs are met.
- Working hours must not exceed 48 per week, with overtime being voluntary and responsibly managed.
- Discrimination in hiring, compensation, and promotions is not allowed.
- Employment must be regular and in line with national laws, with no fees for recruitment or deceptive contracts.
- Inhumane treatment, including physical or verbal abuse, is forbidden, and workers have access to a grievance system.
- Suppliers must comply with environmental laws, have environmental policies, and continuously improve their environmental performance.
Happy Earth maintains these standards to ensure ethical production and environmental sustainability across their supply chain. Join their email list and they’ll give you 15% off your first order – add your phone, and they’ll make it 20% off!
fanfare
Fanfare Label is a seasonless, circular clothing brand changing the way people buy, wear and consume clothing. Fanfare Label embraces Fairtrade principles by addressing fashion’s complex issues through a fully circular solution, prioritising sustainability and ethical practices. The brand is committed to creating fashion without compromise, ensuring that both people and the planet are respected. Their handmade designs highlight high-quality craftsmanship while adhering to Fairtrade standards.
Known for their sustainable jeans with bold prints and designs, Fanfare Label uses eco-friendly, Fairtrade-certified inks to prove that ethical fashion can be vibrant and fun. Their SS24 linen collection continues this ethos, offering pieces perfect for summer while promoting responsible sourcing.
Fanfare Label reduces waste by rescuing textiles and giving fabrics a second life. They use certified sustainable materials like OEKO-TEX certified cotton and source deadstock fabrics from smaller enterprises, supporting fair labour and minimizing the fashion industry’s overproduction issues. Join Join Fanfare Label and get 15% off your first order.
The Good Tee
The Good Tee, a Fairtrade Certified B Corp brand, is dedicated to humanizing the fashion industry through a fully transparent supply chain, better working conditions, and sustainability from seed to shelf. By paying a premium to support Fairtrade cotton farmers, particularly in India where farmer suicide rates are high, the brand helps ensure their freedom and dignity.
Partnering with Fairtrade Canada, The Good Tee promotes sustainable livelihoods, protects ecosystems, and supports Fair Trade Certified factories adhering to rigorous standards. Premiums from each product sold go directly to cotton farmers and workers, funding community projects and improving lives.
Thought
Thought is a sustainable clothing company dedicated to achieving high social standards and supporting ethical factories. With a commitment to fair wages and respectful working conditions for all involved in the production process, many of its garments are GOTS and Fairtrade certified. Thought’s philosophy is to design timeless fashion using natural fibers such as hemp, bamboo, and organic cotton while caring for the environment.
As advocates of slow, thoughtful fashion, Thought actively promotes sustainability and innovation within its community, and partners only with like-minded brands and maintains a blog to share its vision. Thought also has a long-standing relationship with TRAID, making it easy for customers to pass on pre-loved clothing. By educating, supporting, and skill-sharing, the company aims to strengthen the wider sustainable fashion movement.
Mayamiko
Mayamiko, established by Paola Masperi, is a responsible womenswear and lifestyle brand that places ethics and sustainability at its core. By empowering artisans and tailors globally through programmes like business management and financial literacy, the company equips individuals with the skills, training, and education needed to support themselves. Mayamiko also locally sources its materials from fabric markets, adheres to a zero-waste production policy, and operates out of a solar-powered workshop.
Inspired by indigenous artisans and traditional techniques, Mayamiko’s cross-seasonal collections are designed for the global woman. The brand’s main collections, which originated in Malawi, pay homage to their birthplace with the use of locally sourced ‘chitenje’ fabrics and African techniques. Mayamiko offers a growing selection of handcrafted pieces, including plant-dyed jewelry from Sri Lanka, hand-knitted fair trade Peruvian hats, and upcycled silk from Italy.
Divine Chocolate
Divine Chocolate is a global, farmer-owned chocolate company and the UK’s first farmer-owned confectionery brand. It is co-owned by the 85,000 members of the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative in Ghana, who played a pivotal role in launching the first farmer-owned Fairtrade chocolate product. As the only Fairtrade chocolate company co-owned by cocoa farmers, Divine’s mission is to ensure that farmers gain a greater share of the wealth they help create, elevating their position in the value chain.
Divine offers an extensive range of flavoured bars, including the highly recommended organic dark chocolate collection. Made with cocoa from São Tomé, the Divine Organic collection is 100% organic, vegan, and certified Fairtrade, delivering exceptional, feel-good flavours. Divine uses the power of chocolate to delight consumers while fostering dignified trading relationships, empowering both producers and consumers.
Tony’s Chocolonely
Tony’s Chocolonely is a chocolate brand dedicated to creating 100% slave-free chocolate by tackling the deeply rooted inequality in the cocoa supply chain. The chocolate industry is dominated by large corporations that keep cocoa prices low, forcing millions of farmers into poverty. This leads to forced labour and child labour on cocoa farms, particularly in West Africa. Tony’s Chocolonely exists to change this system, fighting against these illegal practices through its 5 Sourcing Principles, designed to ensure fair wages and sustainable practices.
The company sources 100% traceable cocoa beans from partner cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, maintaining complete transparency through its BeanTracker system. This allows Tony’s to guarantee that all beans come directly from these cooperatives. To bridge the gap between the low farmgate price and the Living Income Reference Price (LIRP), Tony’s pays both a Fairtrade premium and an additional living income premium, ensuring farmers receive a fair wage. These premiums are crucial in helping farmers move toward a living income and end exploitation.
Tony’s mission is to inspire other chocolate companies to adopt these principles and eradicate child and forced labour from the cocoa supply chain. Even the design of Tony’s bars, with unevenly sized pieces, symbolizes the inequality in the industry.
green & blacks
Green & Black’s was founded in London in 1991 by husband and wife Craig Sams, an organic food pioneer, and Jo Fairley, a journalist. Craig, who had opened Britain’s first natural food shop in 1969, discovered organic cocoa and created the UK’s first organic chocolate bar, made with 70% cocoa and real vanilla. Jo, recognizing its market potential, helped launch Green & Black’s.
In 1994, Green & Black’s Maya Gold became the first UK chocolate to earn Fairtrade certification. This bar, inspired by a traditional Mayan cocoa drink from Belize, blends dark chocolate with orange, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Today, the brand remains committed to Fairtrade and organic principles, with their Fairtrade cocoa powder being a popular choice for baking rich, chocolatey treats. Green & Black’s continues to uphold its legacy of ethical sourcing and premium quality ingredients.
Liberation Fairtrade nuts
Liberation Foods, a Fairtrade-certified Community Interest Company and Social Enterprise, is dedicated to ensuring smallholder farming communities receive fair value for their work. Linked inextricably with ethical trade, Liberation Foods was founded over two decades ago through partnerships with TWIN Trading and Equal Exchange. These pioneers in fair trade uncovered the unique challenges faced by smallholder nut farmers and indigenous gatherer communities, from technical issues like aflatoxin in peanuts to logistical hurdles in transporting Brazil nuts from the Amazon.
Liberation Foods not only provides market opportunities for these smallholder farmers but also actively contributes to initiatives addressing the climate crisis and global trade inequalities. Through partnerships with organizations like Transform Trade and participation in events like Fairtrade Fortnight’s Endangered Aisle, Liberation highlights the urgent need for ethical and sustainable farming practices. Their mission is to connect consumers in the UK and Europe with farming communities through high-quality, ethically sourced products, helping smallholder farmers around the world thrive.
Propercorn
Propercorn, the UK’s first B Corp certified snack company, is celebrated for its commitment to social and environmental responsibility. Known for crafting delicious, high-quality popcorn, Propercorn launched its foray into Fairtrade in 2017 with the Perfectly Sweet popcorn. Since then, they’ve expanded the range to include chocolate popcorn made with Fairtrade certified cocoa and sugar. Along with these offerings, Propercorn’s palm-oil-free Microwave popcorn is the only one of its kind, providing an eco-friendly snacking option.
Clipper teas
Clipper Tea was founded in 1984 by a tea-loving husband and wife duo in Dorset, with a commitment to ethical sourcing and natural production. Starting with just two chests of Assam tea sold to local shops, Clipper has grown into a global brand offering over 150 products in more than 50 countries. Despite its growth, all Clipper teas are still blended in their factory in Beaminster, Dorset.
In 1994, Clipper became the UK’s first Fairtrade tea company, playing a key role in developing Fairtrade Standards. Today, it is the world’s largest buyer of Fairtrade tea, supporting over 114,000 producers and their families worldwide. Clipper was also the first to offer green tea in UK supermarkets and, in 2018, launched the world’s first plastic-free, non-GM, unbleached tea bag made from plant-based materials. Their Classic Black Everyday Fairtrade tea remains a fan favourite, known for its rich and refreshing flavour.
Cafédirect
Cafédirect, a pioneering UK coffee company, is dedicated to supporting coffee farmers and ensuring the sustainability of coffee production. Recognizing that 80% of farmers currently struggle to make a living, Cafédirect aims to transform the way coffee is bought and sold by putting growers first. The company buys directly from farmers, pays them fairly, and invests in cooperatives to provide local support and training. Growers also own shares in the business and have a voice on the Board, ensuring they benefit from its profits.
Cafédirect has long-term relationships with its farmers, with 78% of partnerships lasting over 20 years. This stability allows farmers to invest in their coffee quality, environment, and communities. The company works with 25 cooperatives across Latin America and Tanzania, supporting over 100,000 small-scale farmers.
As the first UK coffee brand to be B Corp certified in 2018, Cafédirect is committed to high social and environmental standards. Its latest B Corp score of 126.2, the highest for a UK coffee brand, reflects its dedication to creating positive change in the industry. Cafédirect continues to lead the way in ethical business, inspiring other coffee companies to join the movement for a better world.
and finally.......
This Fairtrade Fortnight, let’s celebrate by making conscious choices that support fairness and equality. Together, we can help build a world where trade is not just free, but fair for all. Let’s all start from our food cupboards (and also our wardrobes!)!
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