28 Jul 2014
Committed to Impact, Fairtrade Complies with ISEAL Impacts Code
Fairtrade International recently passed an independent evaluation against the ISEAL Alliance’s Impacts Code – a framework for building a monitoring and evaluation system that examines both short- and long-term impacts. The result is a reflection of the growing importance that Fairtrade places on monitoring, evaluation and learning, and our increasing investment in this area of work.
Fairtrade’s vision is a world in which all small producers and workers can enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods, fulfil their potential and decide on their future. Understanding the impacts of Fairtrade – both positive and negative – is key to improving the Fairtrade system.
As part of compliance with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Assessing the Impacts of Social and Environmental Standards (Impacts Code) and a commitment to transparency, Fairtrade has published an overview of Fairtrade’s Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework, a detailed Theory of Change, and publishes annual monitoring and impact reports, regular evaluation research and commodity briefings. Find all reports on our Impact and Research page.
A growing body of research shows that Fairtrade has led to positive impacts for farmers and workers, while also pointing out areas where more work needs to be done. Latest research documents include:
- 2013 Monitoring the Scope and Beneifts of Fairtrade, 5th Edition
- An Evaluation of Fairtrade Impact on Smallholders and Workers in the Banana Sector in Northern Colombia
- Assessing the Impacts of Fairtrade on Worker-Defined Forms of Empowerment on Ecuadorian Flower Plantations
The independent evaluation also highlighted some areas for improvement going forward. These include improving Fairtrade’s approach to learning from monitoring and evaluation data, and offering more opportunities for stakeholders to engage with the MEL Programme. Fairtrade will work on improving these areas as part of next steps in developing the plan.
For a complete overview of Fairtrade’s MEL Programme, please visit our Impact page.
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The ISEAL Alliance is the global association for social and environmental standards systems. ISEAL members are leaders in the field, committed to creating solid and credible standards systems. Working with established and emerging voluntary standards initiatives in its membership, ISEAL develops guidance and facilitates coordinated efforts to ensure their effectiveness and credibility and scale up their impacts. Through its Codes of Good Practice, ISEAL defines the global benchmark for credible social and environmental standards. Compliance with these Codes is a membership condition.