Small-scale Producer Organizations

Fairtrade Standard

The Fairtrade Standard for Small-scale Producer Organizations applies to small-scale farming organizations that supply Fairtrade products.

Principles underlying this Standard

  • Members must be small-scale producers. The majority of the members of the organization must be smallholders who don’t depend on hired workers all the time, but run their farm mainly by using their own and their family’s labour.

  • Democracy. All members have a voice and vote in the decision-making process of the organization. Members also decide collectively how to use the Fairtrade Premium (the extra sum of money paid on top of the selling price) to best suit their needs.

  • Enabling strong producer organizations. The Standard provides a framework for small-scale producers to build resilient and inclusive organizations, improve their farming performance, and generate more benefits for their members and their communities.

Download the Standard for Small-scale Producer Organizations

Current version 2.5

This Standard applies to all Fairtrade Small-scale Producer Organizations as of 1 July 2019. For organizations certified before this date, transition periods apply as specified in the Standard. This version supersedes all previous versions.

EN | Fairtrade Standard for Small-scale Producer Organizations

ES | Criterio de Comercio Justo Fairtrade para Organizaciones de pequeños productores

FR | Standard du Commerce Equitable Fairtrade pour les Organisations de Petit Producteurs

PT | Critério de Comércio Justo Fairtrade para Organizações de pequenos Produtores

Interpretation note

Main changes

For information on the changes made since the previous version, see:

EN | Main changes document

ES | Documento sobre los Principales Cambios

FR | Document de Changements Principaux

PT | Documento sobre as principais mudanças

At a glance and overview of the Standard

SPO indicators for farm size and average number of workers

Explanatory Document to the current Standard version 2.3

Fairtrade Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence Guide and Tools for Small-scale Producer Organizations

Former standard version 1.5

Explanatory Document to the former standard version 1.5

Supplemental documents to former standard version 1.5

These documents will guide producers with the implementation of the Fairtrade development plan.

EN | Fairtrade Planning and Reporting Templates

ES | Plantillas para la planificación y reporte Fairtrade

FR | Modèles Fairtrade pour la planification et les rapports

PT | Modelos de planeamentos e de relatórios Fairtrade

EN | Fairtrade Development Plan List of Ideas

ES | Lista de ideas para el Plan de desarollo de Comercio Justo Fairtrade

FR | Liste d'idées pour le Plan de développement du commerce équitable Fairtrade

PT | Lista de Idéias para o plano de desenvolvimento do Comércio Justo Fairtrade

EN | Sample map for risk assessment in production areas

ES | Ejemplo de mapa para la evaluación de riesgos en las áreas de producción

FR | Exemple de carte d'évaluation des risques dans les zones de production

PT | Mapa exemplo para identificar riscos em áreas de produção

EU Organic Regulation 2018/848 - Adaptation options for organic Fairtrade certified POs

Product-specific standards for small-scale producer organizations

Additional Standards apply to small-scale producer organizations supplying particular products. Part of the standards also applies to the companies that trade with them.

To access a product standard, please click an item in the list below.

Secondary products

Secondary products and their derivatives have been included in the scope of Fairtrade certification. For further information on the definition, pricing rules and non-exhaustive list of secondary products and their derivatives please see the Explanatory Note for Secondary Products.

EN | Explanatory note

EN | Fairtrade Secondary Products List