How we are governed
The international Fairtrade system is governed by the General Assembly and the Fairtrade International Supervisory Board.
Members of the international Fairtrade system meet once a year at the General Assembly. This assembly combines 50 percent producer representation with 50 percent national Fairtrade organisation representation, and decides on membership issues, approves the annual accounts, and ratifies new Supervisory Board members.
There are also annual assemblies for each national Fairtrade organisation and the producer networks.
The Supervisory Board of the international Fairtrade system (shown below) is elected by the General Assembly and includes:
Rita de Sousa Coutinho (Chair)
Rita de Sousa Coutinho has been a global leader in the retail industry for more than 25 years, with a successful international career spanning consumer goods, omni-channel retail, and food service industries in Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Middle East. She currently serves as an Independent Board Member at Americanas S.A retail group in Brazil, Ferrari Group PLC global luxury logistics company in the UK and, at Catolica Lisbon School of Business&Economics International Advisory Board in Portugal. Since 2017 she has been a Board Director and Advisor to Boards of Directors and Executive Committees, contributing to corporate success in international expansion, go-to-market, business reinvention and restructuring, new businesses and brands, digital transformation, sustainable growth, and talent development. During her executive career, Rita de Sousa Coutinho has held managing director positions with international retailer Jeronimo Martins in Portugal and with Groupe Casino/GPA in Brazil. She was founder and CEO of Ocean Participacoes/Benjamin’s Bakeries in Brazil before moving on to advise Walmart’s Sam’s Club in China on accelerating growth. She has a deep knowledge of food markets and large international retail players, as well as strong skills acquired leading diverse teams and companies’ P&L in complex and competitive markets.
Hend M.H. Kassab, Vice Chair (Producer Network nominated - Fairtrade Africa)
Hend M.H Kassab is the Quality & Corporate Affairs Director at DALTEX Corporation, an Egyptian trade, export, and cultivation/production company. She is currently the Vice Chair of Fairtrade Africa Board of Directors, she is also Chair of the Fairtrade Africa Board Marketing Steering Committee and the Board Human Resources Committee. She is a passionate defender of fair trade practices advocating for the rights of farmers and workers in Africa and for improving social and gender equality. She brings a fresh perspective, collaborative spirit, and a relentless dedication to Fairtrade's mission and is excited about working alongside fellow Board members who share her passion for social justice and ethical business practices.
Rhea Beltrami, Vice Chair (National Fairtrade Organisation nominated - Fairtrade Max Havelaar Switzerland)
Rhea Beltrami is Head of Agriculture of the State of Zurich. Prior to that she was Head of Sustainable Procurement at Coop, one of Switzerland’s leading retailers. She also previously worked as Supply Chain Director and Member of the Executive Team at McDonald’s Switzerland, and was a Member of the Executive Board of the Swiss Farmers’ Union. Rhea Beltrami brings extensive management and leadership experience in trade, retail, agricultural production processing, logistics and public administration. She has very broad expertise in supply chain management with international scope and a vast knowledge of sustainability strategies in the fast moving and changing markets of consumer goods. Due to her time working in the public sector, she is also accustomed to dealing with challenging political topics and advocacy work. Rhea Beltrami sits on Fairtrade International’s NAPP Task Force Committee, and is also a member of the Max Havelaar Switzerland Board.
Christelle Owona (National Fairtrade Organisation nominated, Max Havelaar France)
Christelle Owona is a Project Manager at the Actuel Compagnie Fruitiere Foundation with extensive experience in sustainability, human rights due diligence, gender issues, ethical trade, and supply chain management. She currently serves on the boards of Fairtrade International and Max Havelaar France and is a member of the Advisory Body of the FAO's World Banana Forum, where she previously co-chaired the Steering Committee. She is also part of the Executive Board of Afruibana, a pan-African association of African fruit producers and exporters. She is excited to be a part of the Fairtrade Board and address the key challenges and opportunities that the future holds.
Heike O’Donnell (Independent)
Heike O’Donnell is a KPMG-trained Chief Financial Officer, now serving as a senior advisor to impact-driven organisations. Until June 2025, she served as Vice Chair of the Supervisory Board of B Lab Germany, reflecting her commitment to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals and responsible business practices, values that inspired her to join the Fairtrade International Board. During her executive career, Heike held senior finance leadership roles at Visa Inc., Cable & Wireless, and Schlumberger, as well as in fast-growing technology ventures such as Payworks and Instagrid, where she continues to serve on the Advisory Board.
Jeremiah Mweene (Producer Network nominated - Fairtrade Africa)
Jeremiah Mweene is a professional banker at Absa Bank Zambia where he has proven his abilities in managing people and systems. He is a member of Fairtrade Africa Board of Directors, where his leadership and strategic direction have driven achievement and helped manage change and achieve organisational goals. He is also on the Board of the Kaleya Smallholders Farmers Association Mazabuka Zambia where he serves as Chair of the Premium Committee. As a passionate sugar cane producer, Mweene will bring a wealth of hands-on experience combined with deep understanding of the economy to the Fairtrade International Board.
Peter D’Angremond (National Fairtrade Organisation representative)
Peter D’Angremond is extremely familiar with the Fairtrade, having formerly been the CEO Fairtrade Netherlands for over 15 years. He has also held various roles within the Fairtrade system, including as a member of the Fairtrade International Strategy Team and the Global Operations Team. Prior background includes strong marketing expertise and positions within the Schiphol Group and Disneyland Resort Paris.
Pravakar Meher (Producer Network nominated - Fairtrade Network of Asia and Pacific Producers)
Pravakar Meher has made it his life’s work to help the cotton industry and its farmer. He comes from a family of cotton workers and has brought a new energy and passion to the business. His engineering experience not only helped his family’s operations but has brought significant change to India’s Orissa region. He has encouraged farmers to go for native varieties of cotton and adopt organic practices that lead to a better quality of cotton fibre. This move has helped farmers earn better returns on their produce. He continues to work hard to assist farmers to become part of the sustainable supply chain so that everyone benefits.
Tia Loftsgard (National Fairtrade Organisation nominated)
Executive Director of the Canada Organic Trade Association since 2016. Prior to that she was Chief Operating Officer at Fairtrade America and Business Development and Licensing Director for Fairtrade Canada. Before that she was the founder and sales director for La Siembra Cooperative, among others.
Fairtrade International constitution
The most recent updates to the Fairtrade International Constitution were approved in October 2025.
DE | Satzung des Vereins (German version is the original and legally binding document)
EN | Constitution of the Association (English translation for convenience)