Summary:

Fairtrade Standards are evolving – and we need your input

Why are we evolving Fairtrade Standards?

Fairtrade is evolving its Standards to remain effective, credible and practical in a changing environment. The changes respond to key challenges, including increasing complexity in Fairtrade Standards, rising regulatory demands, growing risks for producer organisations affecting their productivity and livelihoods; higher expectations from the market on how companies address risk in their supply chains. We recognize that all of these factors mean that we as Fairtrade need to evolve to stay relevant and competitive as the demands on certification shift and change rapidly.
What are the four key commitments in the evolved Fairtrade Standards?

• Fairtrade Standards support Human Rights and the environment has been consistently at the core of Fairtrade and we will continue to do this to the highest level.
• Adopt a risk-based approach to focus on meaningful actions for producer organisations to prioritise resources where it matters the most.
• Strengthening management systems at the producer level because this is incredibly important to be able to identify and address risks that are continuously changing.
• Making Fairtrade Standards consistent and user-friendly for everyone, reducing the number of Standards and streamlining requirements and reducing duplication.

The evolved Fairtrade Standards are now open for consultation until August 31st. We encourage you to participate and submit your responses before the consultation closes.

The consultation is based on the revised principles-based framework and the proposed risk and results approach. It also includes the changes to extend scope of some requirements to ensure a shared understanding of what is needed to implement the requirements effectively.
To access the survey, you will need to login using your e-mail to receive a secure link to the survey. Kindly follow the instructions provided at the beginning of the survey.

Thank you for taking the time to share your perspectives and contribute to the development of the Fairtrade Standards!