Fairtrade International

Do you believe everyone deserves a living income? We do. That’s why we are working towards living incomes for farmers. One way we do this is by setting Living Income Reference Prices - the price a typical farmer household with a viable farm size and a sustainable productivity level needs to earn a living income from the sales of their crop. You can now access our Living Income Reference Prices filtered by commodity or country in one spot via our new tool. The tool will be updated with new information as it becomes available, including reference prices for living wages (a wage that covers the basic needs of workers and their families). You can also find more information about how the prices were calculated. To date, Fairtrade has more than a dozen country - or region-specific Living Income Reference Prices for a range of products - including cocoa, coffee, coconuts, cashews, and mangoes - developed through a robust research and validation process with farmers and other local industry experts. Living Income Reference Prices are now recognised as industry standards and can be paid voluntarily by any commercial buyer. It’s part of our growing portfolio of digital tools to help companies better understand how they can work to make sustainable supply chains a reality. #futureisfair http://fairtr.de/lcy

📣 Fairtrade is pleased to anncounce that Rita de Sousa Coutinho has joined Fairtrade International's Board of Directors. De Sousa Coutinho, Independent Board Member, (Portugal), brings to the Board extensive knowledge of food markets and large international retail players. Her skills as as well as her art of asking probing questions will be an excellent addition to the Board. To learn more about Rita, click here: https://lnkd.in/eyf5EPVi

How does Fairtrade support companies with the new EU sustainability rules on deforestation, reporting, due diligence, forced labour and green claims? Join our free webinar on 24 September to hear the answer. 📅 Corporate sustainability rules in the EU are changing. While no certification can take the place of companies’ own due diligence, we can unravel what the new legislations means and support your company throughout your journey to compliance. You’ll hear from Fairtrade's top experts, including Juan Pablo Solís Víquez, Senior Advisor Climate and Environment; Sophie Aujean, Director Global Advocacy; Tytti Nahi, Director Business and Human Rights; and Lashinda van den Ham, Policy Advisor, Fairtrade Nederland (Max Havelaar). The new EU legislation discussed in the webinar will include: • Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (applicable from Jan 2024) • EU Deforestation Regulation (Dec 2024) (we’ll also be doing a separate deforestation webinar for those who want to dive deeper – details to be released soon). • Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (summer 2027) • Forced Labour Regulation (November 2027 TBC) • Green Claims Directive (to be adopted by Q4 2024) 📅 Tuesday, 24 September 2024 🕑 10-11.30 am CET ✏️ Register here: https://bit.ly/4g3s2Gc

🎙️ In today's episode of the Daily Coffee Pro podcast, our Senior Coffee Advisor, Monika Firl, joins Lee Safar to tackle a crucial question: Is Fairtrade here to save anyone? Monika dives deep into the challenges coffee farmers face today, emphasising that price, stability, risk-sharing, and access to knowledge are key ingredients for their success. However, she addresses a common misconception in the industry - the expectation that Fairtrade can "fix" everything. “Are we a saviour?,” Monika asks. “No, everyone seems to be looking for a saviour, but that is not who we are." "We strive to position ourselves as a successful champion for farmers rights, but we don’t have a magic wand.” Monika underscores the importance of collaboration within the industry. She calls on stakeholders to come together and return to the basics - ensuring that coffee farmers receive a fair deal, so they can sustain themselves and keep the industry thriving. 🔗 Tune in to the full episode to hear more from Monika and Lee on the vital role Fairtrade plays in the coffee sector. https://bit.ly/4g3YBUj Also available on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 🎧 #futureisfair #sustainability #coffee #podcast

In today’s episode, Monika Firl, our Senior Coffee Advisor, sits down with Lee Safar from the Daily Coffee Pro Podcast to discuss the gap between language and action for Fairtrade. Monika dives into the complexities surrounding certifications like Fairtrade and the common misconceptions that arise. When asked if Fairtrade farmers truly benefit, she powerfully responds: "There are now two million farmers participating in Fairtrade. Do you think they don’t understand the difference between profit and loss?” Monika also challenges the critics and non-participants of Fairtrade to raise the bar rather than lower it, emphasising the need for real investment. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of how Fairtrade is making a difference and why it matters 👉 https://bit.ly/3Z36hAk Also available on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 🎧 #futureisfair #sustainability #coffee #podcast

🚨 Exciting News! 🚨 We’re thrilled to announce that Fairtrade’s very own Monika Firl, Senior Coffee Advisor, is featured in a special five-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro podcast by Map It Forward hosted by Lee Safar! 🎙️ In the first episode, ‘What is Fairtrade International in 2024?’, Monika takes us on a journey from Fairtrade’s humble beginnings to its pivotal role today in reshaping global trade. 🌍☕ She dives into how Fairtrade is dedicated to supporting farmers, rebalancing trade by making it fairer, and raising consumer awareness. And the challenges to balance what the farmers need with what the industry wants. Monika also shares some behind-the-scenes insights into Fairtrade’s decision-making process, revealing that it’s not just one person calling the shots but a ‘complex web of people and voices’ working together democratically. 🗣️🤝 Curious to learn more? Tune in to the full episode here: https://bit.ly/4723mcY Also available on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 🎧 👉 Listen now and get inspired!

We strongly believe in the objectives of EU Deforestation Regulation to create sustainable supply chains by preventing the sale and import of forest-damaging products. But more financial support and clarification of the technical terms are needed from the European Commission in order for coffee and cocoa producers to meet the 30 December 2024 deadline. (30 June 2025 for small and micro enterprises).   The 2023 regulation applies to companies placing relevant commodities or products on the EU market or exporting those from it. They will need to demonstrate that their products are deforestation-free as of the 2020 cut-off date and are not linked to forest degradation or illegal harvesting and trade.   Fairtrade is very concerned that producer organisations will be cut off from trade with the EU market or pushed out of supply chains by larger producers not because they farm on deforested land, but because they face challenges in collecting, managing, and submitting the necessary data.   This is why we are calling on the European Commission to address the regulation’s shortcomings and help the millions of small-scale farmers at risk.    Read our full statement, which outlines what we are asking the European Commission. 🔗 https://bit.ly/3YTvGfx

Fairtrade applauds the decision of the Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development - State Department for Agriculture to nullify the election of Mr. John Chebochok as a Zonal Director for Ainamoi of the Toror/Tegat Tea Factory. We appreciate the efforts by local activists and organisations – including the Coalition Against Sexual Violence made up 13 Kenyan NGOs – to prevent a person with serious allegations of sexually exploiting women during his employment in the Kenyan tea sector. The allegations were made public in a BBC Panorama documentary in early 2023. We also thank our producer network Fairtrade Africa for its work with stakeholders to raise our concerns. Fairtrade works with both small-scale tea farmers and workers and is committed to overcoming poverty, tackling inequality and economic hardship, and protecting human rights. You can also find this statement on our website 👉 https://bit.ly/3XdMTzj

Have you noticed the price of your daily coffee going up ☕? There are many reasons for this, including farmers facing mounting economic and climate pressures. In theory, this increase in price should trickle down to farmers. But as our Senior Coffee Advisor Monika Firl explains to Carlo Martuscelli in this POLITICO Europe article, it’s not always that simple. Many farmers rely on loans to finance investments that go into growing the year’s crop, repaying them once it’s sold. That puts them one wrong investment away from bankruptcy. “These kind of dramatic jumps up and down over such a short period of time are bad for business for everybody, but the farmers are the ones who are the most vulnerable,” said Firl. So how are we tackling these rising costs? ·     📈 In 2023, we increased the Fairtrade Minimum Price for coffee: 29% for Arabica beans and 19% for Robusta beans, plus a 33% increase to the organic differential. This gives farmers a financial safety net and helps cover basic production costs to keep farms running. ·      💰 Fairtrade-certified farmers receive a Premium – an additional sum of money that is collectively invested in projects to improve productivity, climate adaptation, quality, infrastructure, and basic community services. ·     👨🏽🌾 We have Living Income Reference Prices for coffee - the price a typical farmer household with a viable farm size and a sustainable productivity level needs to earn a living income from the sales of their crop - in Colombia, Ethiopia, Honduras, Indonesia, Nicaragua, Peru and Uganda.

....But the global coffee industry generates more than $200 billion per year. Where does the remaining $3.96 from your cup of coffee go? It gets divvied up between shops, roasters and intermediaries. We’ve all got expenses to cover, but farmers are facing the costs of adapting to climate change alongside steep inflation--and the average coffee farmer’s income has not changed in the last two decades. There’s no doubt about it; farmers need higher prices. In 2023, the Fairtrade Minimum Price for coffee increased: 29% for Arabica beans and 19% for Robusta beans, plus a 33% increase to the organic differential. So what exactly is the Fairtrade Minimum Price? It is a crucial financial safety net for farmers when it comes to selling their goods and helps cover basic production costs to keep farms running. This safety net helps coffee farmers better adapt to the uncertain times we are living in, while leaving the door open for them to earn more when market prices are above the Fairtrade Minimum Price. This is an essential tool that coffee farmers must be allowed to leverage in order to find renewed stability in their profession. Stat Source: The World Bank #ChooseFairtrade #FairtradeCoffee #TradeJustice #theFutueisFair