21 Jun 2023

Fairtrade Change Day: Facing up to emerging challenges

Bonn, Germany - Farmers, workers and entrepreneurs from all over the world gather today to discuss the future of fair trade and to address some big challenges – including attracting more young people into farming and ensuring the sector’s long-term economic and environmental sustainability.

Co-hosted by Fairtrade International and Fairtrade Germany, the Fairtrade Change Day sees more than a hundred participants come together to discuss current trends in global trade and how they will impact the future for two million Fairtrade farmers and workers.

Retailers, cocoa and coffee producers, trade justice and climate activists, politicians and international development experts will be on stage to give their take on challenges such as the next generation of farmers and consumers, the future for voluntary certification and standards, and the transition to a more sustainable model of agriculture.

“It’s getting harder to persuade young people that farming is a viable career,” says Felix Tetteh, a cocoa producer from Ghana and Fairtrade Ambassador, who is on a panel discussing agriculture and consumption challenges for the next generation. “Fairtrade helps us invest in a more sustainable future.”

“It’s essential that the Fairtrade movement checks in regularly to ensure we are on course to realise our mission and vision,” says Melissa Duncan, Fairtrade International’s Executive Director. “We’re operating in a totally different world to when Fairtrade was founded, or even that of a few years ago. Some challenges are the same, such as living wages and incomes, but we’re also facing emerging issues including climate change, human rights and environmental due diligence, and a global cost of living crisis.”

“Fairtrade’s challenge is to be agile and flexible so we can address these evolving threats,” adds Sandra Uwera Murasa, Fairtrade International Global CEO. “I’ve been really impressed by our recent work on human rights and environmental due diligence, for example. And we’re really upping our game on making agriculture more sustainable through innovation, diversification and digitalisation.”

Fairtrade International’s latest annual report was launched today, titled A changing landscape of fairness. The report highlights achievements from 2022 and the breadth of Fairtrade’s services and programmes. Covering more than 1,900 certified producer organisations, Fairtrade’s three regional producer networks delivered training and on-site support for organisational strengthening, market development and climate resilience.

The report highlights some of the 75 projects with institutional and commercial partners across the globe which ramped up investment in living incomes, living wages, human rights, and opportunities for women and young people. Examples of innovation include the first-ever guide for farmers on human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD), youth leadership academies, partnerships aimed at closing the living wage gap for banana farmers, and expanding demand for Fairtrade goods in India.

2022 also saw Fairtrade advocacy making a difference in key areas such as HREDD, deforestation, climate change action and fair pay for garment workers, as the organisation sought to influence awareness and legislation on critical issues for farmers and workers.

“I’m confident Fairtrade is well equipped to face up to future challenges,” says Uwera Murasa. “The fact that here today we have representatives from different generations, products, countries and regions, companies, civil society and politics is proof of Fairtrade’s global impact. Coming on top of a recent GlobeScan survey showing Fairtrade is still the most visible and trusted ethical label, our annual report confirms that, although progress is not always a straight line, Fairtrade is at the forefront of pushing for a more sustainable way of doing business.”