Fairtrade and international development

For more than 26 years we have championed the Fairtrade movement, driven by our passionate members, by supporting better prices, working conditions and terms of trade.

For years, we’ve also invested above and beyond 0.7% of our pre-tax profit in international development projects and it’s a principle we’re committed to upholding for the years to come.

Our objective to be the UK’s biggest supporter of Fairtrade is underpinned by a three-pillar plan covering: Sourcing, Innovation and Communications.

1. Sourcing: We know that now, more than ever, it’s crucial for us to maintain and continue to grow our support for Fairtrade by maximising the amount of Fairtrade we sell across our channels.

2. Innovation: The cornerstone of our Fairtrade difference is our commitment to producer engagement through depth and authenticity of our relationships with producers, some spanning decades.

3. Communications: Through our strong relationships with producer organisations, we can campaign on the issues that matter most to them and elevate their voices.

In 2021, we published our Climate Justice for People & Planet report, setting out more detail on why we think the UK Government’s commitment to international aid and development is so important and is a key focus of our Climate Justice advocacy campaign.

We raise money through our bottled water sales to support projects bringing clean water, sanitation and hygiene solutions to some of the world’s poorest communities. We do this through partnering with The One Foundation and Water Unite.

More insight into our priorities and progress, from our 2021 Co-operate Report

• Ethical trade and human rights
• Procurement and our farmers and producers
• Sustainable sourcing

Back to Co-operate Report 2021 homepage