The Fairtrade Foundation, founded in 1992, is an independent non-profit organisation which focuses on the empowerment of underprivileged farmers and workers across the globe. They aim to secure reasonable and fair working conditions and rates of pay for those who struggle to advocate for themselves.
They regularly run campaigns which raise awareness of the good work they complete and place the spotlight on Fairtrade-certified products. The aim being to encourage people interested in making the change to swap to more ethically sourced products.
It’s an inclusive, charitable association, and Fairtrade Fortnight is a great opportunity to get involved in something meaningful.
Why Fairtrade Fortnight?
Ingredients as basic as sugar, chocolate, and coffee are at risk of falling foul of modern slavery practises. The nature of the abuse makes it difficult to recognise and counter in developing countries.
Farming the ingredients is becoming increasingly difficult as well. Extreme weather patterns, becoming more common due to climate change, are negatively impacting the crop yield of farmers. Flooding, drought, and severe temperature differences are directly impacting the future of farming, and the consequences could be far-reaching.
It is abundantly clear that change is a necessary and unavoidable solution to these issues which affect everyone. From individual efforts to corporate-wide initiatives, every endeavour undertaken has the potential to make a real difference.
Little changes, such as buying Fairtrade products where possible, to bigger changes, such an enacting more rigorous ESG and sustainability policies company-wide, will all have an impact.
Choosing sustainably and ethically as a business is a greater concern, as more importance is placed on ESG in the workplace and in processes, from the office all the way down through the supply chain.
Crack Down on ESG this Fairtrade Fortnight with ARCUS Supplier Management Software
ARCUS® Supplier Management Software offers solutions across the source-to-contract process. These allow users to embed environmental, social and governance considerations into sourcing projects.
During onboarding, suppliers can on-board themselves using configurable questionnaires, so users can collect more granular data on supplier ESG practices. Ultimately, this makes it easier for businesses to meet these ESG targets and sustainability goals and ensuring compliance as standard.
For example, our APIs streamline the process of ensuring compliance by receiving data direct from its source. Qualifying new suppliers becomes more efficient, with integrations like the Corruption Perceptions Index and Universal Human Rights Index.
Book a call to find out more, or check out our resources on ESG and supplier management.
Updated for 2025