Across Asia and the Pacific, those who grow the region’s food are confronting a convergence of crises. Climate change is reshaping landscapes and yields, economic uncertainty is tightening already slim margins, and labour protections are eroding as civic space narrows. Exploitation—ranging from unfair recruitment to unsafe working conditions—continues to affect the most vulnerable. Meanwhile, global regulations such as the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and the rise of mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence are redefining what responsible business must look like. Without safeguards, these frameworks risk placing disproportionate pressure on smallholder farmers, women, migrant workers, youth, and Indigenous communities.

In this environment, Fairtrade NAPP’s participation in the 2025 United Nations Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum was both timely and strategic. Fairtrade NAPP worked to ensure that emerging rules across the region reflect the lived realities of agricultural communities. It firmly advocated  that farmers and workers are not mere supply-chain actors, but rights-holders whose voices should guide due diligence and business conduct.

During dialogues with governments, UN agencies, civil society leaders, and industry representatives, Fairtrade NAPP emphasized the need to shift from audit-heavy compliance to remedy-centered systems that address real harm. It raised critical issues—responsible disengagement, cost-sharing between buyers and suppliers, and the need to integrate climate risks such as heat stress and chemical exposure into human rights conversations—highlighting the danger that compliance costs could push small producers out of global markets.

Held from 16 to 19 September 2025, the Forum gathered regional and global leaders to reflect on how Asia-Pacific can uphold human rights during a time of disruption. Speakers repeatedly stressed that due diligence today is too focused on monitoring and not enough on remedy. Fairtrade NAPP echoed this concern by calling for accessible, worker-led grievance systems grounded in trust.

Conversations on National Policy development revealed similar challenges: limited resources, uneven implementation, and minimal rights-holder involvement. Fairtrade NAPP advocated for agricultural realities—including fairer pricing, secure contracts, and stronger occupational safety and health—to be placed at the center of these policy processes. Additional sessions on migrant workers, gender, and Indigenous communities highlighted the ongoing vulnerabilities across value chains, prompting Fairtrade NAPP to push for responsible recruitment and gender-responsive due diligence.

Environmental and labour discussions led by UNEP and ILO reframed ecological degradation as a human rights issue, an approach strongly supported by Fairtrade NAPP, which continues to promote environmental rights clauses in buyer–supplier contracts. Meanwhile, reflections on certification shortcomings underscored the need for community-centered verification and meaningful grievance performance indicators.

Stories from grassroots movements in India and Indonesia reminded the Forum that strong accountability often begins with communities themselves. Inspired by these examples, Fairtrade NAPP reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening producer legal literacy and supporting access to mechanisms such as the OECD National Contact Points.

The 2025 Forum affirmed that rights-respecting supply chains must be built from the ground up. Fairtrade NAPP’s engagement ensured that the voices of farmers, workers, women, youth, migrants, and Indigenous Peoples were not only heard but valued. As Asia-Pacific advances stronger due diligence and accountability standards, Fairtrade NAPP remains committed to building a future where producers are empowered, protected, and recognized as essential partners in shaping fair and sustainable economies.