Fairtrade Fortnight 2022 – All You Need To Know by a Sustainable Corporate Gifting Supplier

The Fairtrade mark has become one of the most widely known and trusted sustainability labels in the world. Whilst it’s become synonymous with products like coffee, chocolate, and bananas, there are actually over 6000 Fairtrade certified products on the market right now! As a sustainable corporate gifting supplier it is important to understand the different terminology and take Fairtrade into consideration when choosing products for our sustainable gift boxes. By choosing Fairtrade you can make a real difference to the lives of the people who grow the things we use and love, and show governments and businesses that you believe in fair and just trade. The Fairtrade Foundation will run their annual campaign, Fairtrade Fortnight for two weeks at the end of February, and for the second year running will highlight how the climate crisis is affecting the future of Fairtrade. 

But first, a quick run-down on what Fairtrade means 

Fairtrade is a system of certification intended to ensure a set of standards are met in the production and supply of a product or ingredient. For farmers and workers, this could mean fair wages and a safe work environment, for consumers this could mean ethically produced products.

Fairtrade standards and certification

Fairtrade sets social, economic, and environmental standards for everyone involved in the supply chain. For farmers, this includes protection of workers’ rights or environmental protection and farm management. For businesses, this includes the payment of the Fairtrade Minimum Price safety net and an additional Fairtrade premium. This is an additional sum that goes into a joint fund for farmers and workers to invest in improving the quality of their lives, for example, farm improvements or sustainability projects.

An independent organisation called FLOCERT checks that all of the Fairtrade standards have been met throughout the supply chain. To reassure consumers that these standards have been met and checked, Fairtrade licenses the recognisable FAIRTRADE mark which appears on their products and their packaging. 

Find out more about Fairtrade

Fairtrade and the Climate Crisis

As the global temperature rises and weather patterns become more unpredictable, farmers are finding it increasingly harder to harvest their crops and earn a living. The majority cannot afford to adapt to these changes, with some having to take out loans to cover the cost of replanting after extreme weather events.

We rely on these farmers for many of the products that we eat and drink, in fact in the UK around half of all our food comes from abroad with 10-15% of it coming from low-income countries. Being part of Fairtrade means more money going directly to the farmers and with fairer pay, the farmers can invest in diversifying their crops, sustainable farming practices and even keep money aside should more disasters hit.

However, it's unfair that farmers should be expected to shoulder the burden and costs of climate change which is why it’s so important that governments and businesses step up to listen to these farming communities and invest in their expertise.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2022

Since the last Fairtrade Fortnight, both COP26 and G7 have taken place but unfortunately, they didn’t deliver the change needed to tackle the climate crisis and serious efforts will need to be made to ensure action is taken at COP27 in Cairo next year.

 In 2022, Fairtrade Fortnight will continue to highlight the growing challenges that farmers face within the Fairtrade community. The festival will feature over 50 virtual events designed to inform and educate people about the serious effects of the climate crisis and appeal to businesses, shoppers, and governments to help secure farmers and workers a fairer future. You can find the full festival line-up here

Discover the Fairtrade brands at Social Stories Club

Divine Chocolate are driven by a clear social mission – to help end exploitation in the cocoa industry and create a world where farmers can thrive and prosper. They believe that the farmers who supply cocoa should earn a share of the profits they help create which is why a shareholder of Divine Chocolate is Kuapa Kokoo Farmer’s Union – a co-operative of 100,000 cocoa farmers in Ghana who grow the finest quality cocoa for their products. Divine Chocolate makes a great addition to corporate gift hampers for employees. 

Chocolate and Love are an award-winning brand that makes delicious dark chocolate from the finest organic ingredients. Every aspect of the business is run as ethically as possible, and they source their cacao, cane sugar, vanilla and coffee from cooperatives certified by Fairtrade. They also collaborate with innovative reforestation organisation Weforest.org and to date have planted 28,000 trees! By planting trees with this organisation they can offset the production of paper used in packaging their chocolate bars. These Chocolate and Love chocolate bars can be added to a sustainable gift hamper by building your own gift box or hamper. 

Café Direct was the first coffee company to become Fairtrade certified. For over 25 years, they have supported farmers in coffee-growing regions. They give back 50% of their profits to the farmers to improve the quality of their crops and the quality of their livelihoods. One million families in 14 countries have been impacted. Café Direct guarantees Fairtrade minimum pricing which is 50% higher than the current market price, allowing farmers to make a decent profit. On top of this almost 40% of their coffee purchases are organic. Cafe Direct hot chocolate makes a great addition to corporate gift hampers for clients. 

Choosing Fairtrade products is a simple way that shoppers and businesses can make to stand with farmers and workers on the frontline of the climate crisis. You can find all of our Fairtrade products in our gift shop and check out the Brands We Work With page if you need any more information about the products we stock.

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