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Fairtrade International calls on industry to act for fair supply chains

Via its Global Strategy 2026-2028, Fairtrade International is calling on the food industry to embed fairer sourcing practices and invest in long-term supplier relationships.

In March this year, non-profit organisation Fairtrade International unveiled its Global Strategy 2026-2028, aimed at building farmer resilience and advancing fair and sustainable trade further.

The three-year plan responds to “immediate market needs and producer realities, such as fair prices, market access, and climate adaptation” and is designed to strengthen collaboration between producers and businesses at a time when external pressures are mounting, the non-profit said.

The strategy centres around three main goals: fostering sustainable livelihoods, advancing resilient and fair supply chains, and inspiring a collective commitment to fair and sustainable trade.

Food and drink companies are “essential partners” to fair trade

Speaking to Ingredients Network, Dr Arisbe Mendoza, director of global impact, advocacy and partnerships at Fairtrade International, said food and beverage companies are “essential partners” with influence to drive change and achieve goals outlined in the strategy.

“We invite food and beverage companies to move from commitment to implementation, by embedding fairer sourcing practices into their core business, investing in long-term supplier relationships and sharing responsibility for the resilience of supply chains,” Mendoza said.

Companies can, for example, commit to fairing pricing and income, actively supporting living income and living wage goals by paying prices that “reflect the true cost of sustainable production”.

They can also move away from short-term buying towards multi-year commitments with suppliers, to provide “stability and predictability” for producers. Beyond this, industry can “co-invest in resilience”, she said, by supporting farmers and workers in adapting to sustainable farming through targeted investments in sustainable practices, infrastructure, and innovation.

“Strong, resilient supply chains are at the heart of what we are trying to achieve,” she explained, which means “going beyond compliance”, towards deeper and more meaningful action and investment.

Fairtrade International to launch digital and data tools to catalyse change

Over the next three years, Fairtrade International will implement a series of digital and data tools to help such change, as well as expand and diversify its fundraising programme to allow investment in training for farmers and workers.

“We have a shared opportunity to shape the future of supply chains,” Mendoza said. “Fairtrade can act as a catalyst for this transformation, but lasting change depends on collaboration. When supply chain actors work together, we can build systems that are fit for the future and deliver real impact for farmers and workers.”

A three-year action plan for focus, agility, and impact

According to Marike Runneboom de Peña, global CEO of Fairtrade International, “now is the time to pivot”, given today's global environment which is defined by geopolitical instability, climate change, evolving consumer values and an expanding regulatory market.

“If this global strategy is impactful as we intend it to be, belief, trust, credibility, and participation in the Fairtrade system will have grown thanks to expanding and new partnerships, as well as consumer interest in Fairtrade products,” Runneboom de Peña said.

Fairtrade International's latest global strategy sees the non-profit shorten its strategy cycle to three years versus five, which should ensure “greater focus, agility and real-world impact”, explained Mendoza.

“The environment in which Fairtrade operates is changing rapidly, whether due to geopolitical shifts, evolving regulation or the accelerating effects of climate change. In this context, longer strategy cycles risk losing relevance or focus, particularly in the later years,” she said. “A three-year horizon allows us to stay closer to reality: to set clear priorities, take action and adapt where needed, while remaining accountable for delivering tangible outcomes for farmers and workers.”