Key Issues

Fairtrade’s holistic approach aims to address a number of important topics and themes.

Deforestation

Forests protect the planet, contribute to soil and water protection, support diverse animal and plant life, and serve as home to indigenous populations. Poverty and a lack of decent living conditions lead people to turn to the forest to meet their basic needs, such as using wood for fuel, or clearing land to grow crops to eat or sell. Learn how Fairtrade supports farmers to protect forests and prevent deforestation.
Child labour

Worldwide 160 million children are still in child labour. It’s a deep rooted problem that needs a holistic approach to solve.
Decent livelihoods

A decent standard of living – one that covers basic needs and supports an existence worthy of human dignity – is a human right. But small-scale farmers and agricultural workers – despite growing the crops that drive supply chains worth billions on the global market – too often live in poverty.
Climate and environment

Nature is in crisis. Farming covers more than a third of the world’s land surface, and is the main driver of deforestation.
Forced labour

Slavery was supposedly abolished years ago. Yet today millions of people worldwide are exploited to do work against their will.
Gender equality

Around 60-80 percent of the world’s food is grown by women. Yet they often don’t own the land and see little of the profit made from it.
Human rights and due diligence

There is growing global consensus that companies need to show their respect for people and planet by conducting due diligence on human rights and the environment. Fairtrade supports all supply chain actors in their due diligence efforts.
Mitigating risks

There is growing global consensus that companies need to show their respect for people and planet by conducting due diligence on human rights and the environment. Fairtrade supports all supply chain actors in their due diligence efforts.
SDGs

The Sustainable Development Goals aim to end poverty “in all its forms, everywhere”, while leaving no one behind. This ambition is central to Fairtrade’s mission.
Workers' rights

Workers on farms and in factories are among the most vulnerable people in global trade. See how Fairtrade is working for workers.
Living Income Reference Prices
Putting farmers and workers at the center of due diligence legislation
Living income
Living wage
Supply chain collaboration
SDG1
SDG2
SDG5
SDG8
Trade unions
SDG12
SDG13
SDG17
Remediating child labour
Environmental rights
Mitigating risks
Access to remedy