BONN, Germany – Fairtrade International has launched its Global Strategy 2026 – 2028, a bold and innovative plan aimed at building farmer resilience and advancing fair and sustainable trade in the coming years. 

The newly released Global Strategy responds directly to immediate market needs and producer realities, such as fair prices, market access, and climate adaptation. At the same time, it works to strengthen collaboration between producers and businesses enabling them to respond effectively to external pressures such geopolitical instability, climate change, evolving consumer values, and an expanding regulatory market. 

“Fairtrade was built for moments like this. With decades of experience supporting farmers and workers through market, climate and supply chain disruptions, we know what is needed,” said Marike Runneboom de Peña, Global CEO of Fairtrade International. “Now is the time to pivot, strengthen resilience, and ensure farmers and workers are better equipped to face today’s challenges and those ahead.”

Fairtrade’s Global Strategy 2026 – 2028 is accelerating action today that drives resilience for tomorrow. Building readiness for disruption so producers, businesses and supply chains are prepared for the evolving trade landscape. 

The strategy is focused on three main goals – foster sustainable livelihoods, advance resilient and fair supply chains, and inspire a collective commitment to fair and sustainable trade - all of which are designed to advance market access, create shared value, and strengthen fairer and more resilient trade.

Foster sustainable livelihoods. Fairtrade will support farmers and workers to improve their livelihoods. This includes ongoing leadership in advance living wages and living incomes through new Fairtrade programmes and offerings. In addition, Fairtrade is carrying out a comprehensive evolution of its Standards to make them more effective and at the same time remain practical to implement and firmly grounded in the organisation’s core principles and values. 

Advance resilient and fair supply chains. Fairtrade will strengthen global supply chains through expanded market access, deeper commercial partner engagement, and enhanced traceability. This means increasing volumes sold on Fairtrade terms by offering innovative sourcing models to commercial partners. Plus, Fairtrade will focus on strengthening traceability and transparency to support compliance, visibility, and trust in its supply chains.     

Inspire a collective commitment to fair and sustainable trade.  Fairtrade will continue to elevate farmers’ and workers’ voices by strengthening its partnerships and unifying its advocacy and communications around its mission and values. This will translate into credible influence that will bring greater market access and impact for farmers and workers.       

To achieve these three goals, Fairtrade will implement a series of digital and data solutions that deliver value to farmers and commercial partners. In addition, an expanded and diversified fundraising programme will allow Fairtrade to invest in training or programmes for farmers and workers.

Fairtrade’s Global CEO Marike Runneboom de Peña explained that success for Fairtrade in 2028 will be a world in which farmers and workers are better equipped to respond to economic, social, and environmental shocks, and their livelihoods have improved significantly. Meanwhile, businesses and producers will have benefitted from supply chains that are more transparent, equitable, and resilient.

“Plus, if this Global Strategy is impactful as we intend it to be, belief, trust, credibility, and participation in the Fairtrade system will have grown thanks to expanding and new partnerships, as well as consumer interest in Fairtrade products,” she said.

Fairtrade’s Global Strategy 2026 - 2028 was developed using an active, participatory approach, which includes input from the Fairtrade system that is made up of 19 national Fairtrade offices, eight Fairtrade marketing offices, three producer networks, and most importantly 1.9 million farmers and workers located throughout the world.

To learn more about Fairtrade’s Global Strategy 2026 – 2028 click here.