The Fairtrade model integrates a unique pricing system, stringent standards, and extensive local networks to ensure fairness across the supply chain. Here's how it works: 

• Fairtrade Minimum Price: A safety net for farmers when market prices fluctuate. 
• Fairtrade Premium: An additional payment for producers to invest in community and business projects. 
• Strong Standards: Rigorous guidelines that ensure environmentally sustainable farming practices, worker protections, and gender equity.
• Empowered Communities: Local and regional networks, such as Fairtrade Africa, support producers with resources, training, and advocacy. 

Fairtrade Standards reflect the realities faced by African farmers, addressing climate challenges, gender inequality, and market access to create a resilient and thriving agricultural sector.

Let's get specific

• Fairtrade sets rigorous Standards with criteria for farmers, workers, traders and other partners to comply with. Independent certifier, FLOCERT certifies and audits the whole supply chain against these Standards.  
• Across the world, Fairtrade works directly with farmers and workers on the ground to support on specific issues, support compliance with Fairtrade Standards, and to achieve development impact in their communities. Local Fairtrade Africa teams are on hand to give farmers and workers expert advice on topics such as farm management, sustainability and safe working conditions. We also roll out all kinds of impact programmes on climate change, gender equality, young people in farming, child labour and more.
  
• Fairtrade Africa helps businesses source products that are ethically and sustainably produced by connecting them with Fairtrade farmers and workers.
  
• At Fairtrade Africa, we also drive awareness of unfair trade and the challenges farmers face, through local campaigns and our growing network of Fairtrade schools, universities and other communities. 
  
• Fairtrade Africa advocates for fairer trade policies towards governments and brings the voices of smallholder farmers and workers to key debates – at regional, national, and international level. 
  

Global network, local expertise 

The Fairtrade system is made up of: 

• Three regional producer networks representing more than 1,930 organisations of farmers and workers in Africa and the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. 
• More than 25 Fairtrade organisations that market and promote Fairtrade products in their countries. 
• Fairtrade International, the umbrella non-profit organisation that creates the internationally agreed Fairtrade Standards and coordinates Fairtrade worldwide.
• FLOCERT, the independent certifier for Fairtrade. 

Independent certification you can trust 

The Fairtrade system has a single independent assurance provider, FLOCERT. 

FLOCERT certifies and audits the whole supply chain against the Fairtrade Standards. From farming and production of raw materials, all the way to the products packaged by businesses, FLOCERT ensures that the integrity of Fairtrade is never compromised. Their certification and audit processes are fully independent. This gives shoppers the confidence that the people behind the products they buy get a fair deal for their hard work.  

How to get certified.