How Fairtrade Africa addresses workers’ rights

• Strong Standards

  Strong Standards

  Fairtrade Standards are based on the conventions and recommendations of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Our Hired Labour Standard includes rules on health and safety while also establishing employment conditions for topics such as wages, leave time, social security, and contracts.

• Workers with a voice

  Workers with a voice

  Fairtrade Africa requires employers to recognise the right of their employees to participate in a union to negotiate better wages and working conditions with their employers. We also organise training for workers on their rights and how to engage with management.  

• Better prices

  Better prices

  Good infrastructure, working conditions, and paying decent wages starts with getting a fair price for your product. Fairtrade stipulates a minimum price for products which acts as a safety net when market prices fall. The Fairtrade Minimum Price is the minimum that producer organisations are paid when selling their products through Fairtrade.

• Improving wages

  Improving wages

  Fairtrade Standards state that employers must pay at least national minimum wage and move towards a living wage. A living wage is a human right and Fairtrade Africa’s ambition is that every worker can earn a living wage and enjoy decent working conditions.

• Working with labour organisations

  Working with labour organisations

  Fairtrade Africa partners with labour rights and other organisations to make broad changes that improve the lives of all workers, not just those employed by Fairtrade certified farms and plantations. Our initiatives are meant to bring others along and drive change beyond the individual company level.

• Community development

  Community development

  Part of the Fairtrade Premium has to be invested in community projects of workers' own choosing, such as education and healthcare, uplifting the living standards of workers and their families.