The Fairtrade NAPP Sports Ball Product Network Meeting was successfully held on 9th August 2025 in Sialkot, Pakistan, bringing together seven prominent sports ball producers from Pakistan and India. The meeting aimed to strengthen collaboration, share progress, and plan future initiatives to advance sustainable practices, fair-trade principles, and market visibility for sports ball producers in the region.

Welcome and Introduction

The meeting opened with a welcome note from Mr. Hagung Hendrawan, COO Fairtrade NAPP, highlighting the strategic importance of product network meetings in fostering collaboration and sustainable growth.

Following this, Ms. Sarah Anum presented the progress of sports ball producers in Pakistan and India, focusing on:

• Implementation of product strategies
• Completed and ongoing activities
• Planned initiatives for 2025

She emphasized the need for sustainable practices, increased market access, and enhanced collaboration. Key challenges discussed included gender imbalance within producer systems, low market visibility, and high environmental expectations from buyers. Ongoing training and partnership initiatives were highlighted as central to addressing these challenges.

Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) Updates

Ms. Sahiti Kachroo, Manager – Social Compliance and Risk Management, shared insights from a recent online session on Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) for Pakistani producers. She outlined plans for:

• A physical workshop in Pakistan on HREDD and Risk Assessment, co-funded by the European Union (2025)
• Technical support workshops for producers in Pakistan and policy review sessions for Indian producers (2026)

A significant focus was placed on achieving higher gender representation, targeting 40–50% participation in all workshops, especially during risk assessment sessions.

Marketing and Communications Updates

Ms. Anu Rai, Sr. Manager –Marketing & Communications, presented strategic updates on communication, advocacy, and brand building for sports balls from the Asia-Pacific region. She highlighted the launch of a dedicated NAPP Sports Ball website, designed to provide a comprehensive overview of governance, programs, and impact stories while showcasing Fairtrade premium projects and producer initiatives. As part of the impact storytelling initiatives, the platform features individual workers’ stories to highlight empowerment through Fairtrade, thematic stories covering gender, climate, innovation, and other topics to humanize the product and create an emotional connection with consumers and buyers, as well as Fairtrade premium impact stories demonstrating how premiums are invested to strengthen narratives around ethical consumption and support for the Fairtrade supply chain.

To ensure broad outreach, Fairtrade NAPP produces weekly content updates on projects, programs, and activities related to sports ball alongside, a quarterly newsletter highlighting milestones and impacts of all Fairtrade NAPP projects. Ms. Rai also shared that 14 youth participants from four sports ball producer organizations—Talon Sports Pvt. Limited, Leatherware Pvt Ltd., Vision Technologies, and Comet Sports—had been trained on the Fairtrade Language Guide and Impact Storytelling, equipping them to communicate Fairtrade narratives effectively.

She also emphasized the importance of tracking inquiries and supporting producers in showcasing fair-trade premium projects to a wider community.

Producers Input

Mr. Malik Muhammad Jamil, Advisory Member – Sports Ball Product Network, expressed appreciation for the meeting, highlighting the importance of HREDD training and creating a Documentary Impact Film for Fairtrade sportsball from the region. Producers also emphasized the need to participate in trade fairs to improve market visibility and sales.

Strategic Outlook

Hagung Hendrawan, COO- Fairtrade NAPP concluded by recognizing the positive outcomes of the meeting and reiterating the importance of strategic interventions and systematic planning for the Sports Ball Network in the coming year. Ms. Sarah Anum acknowledged the contributions and active participation of all attendees.

Key Takeaways

1. Enhanced Collaboration: Strengthening partnerships between sports ball producers in Pakistan and India.
2. Focus on Sustainability: Advancing HREDD practices and promoting environmental and social compliance.
3. Gender Inclusion: Targeting 40–50% female participation in workshops and risk assessments.
4. Market Expansion: Emphasis on participation in trade fairs to improve visibility and sales.
5. Showcasing Best Practices: Encouraging producers to share fair-trade premium projects with a wider community.

Testimonials

"Sports Ball Product Network is a great platform to share learnings, planning, and future collaborations for sports ball producers."

- Malik Muhammad Jameel, 56, Vision Technologies Corporation (Pvt) Ltd., Pakistan:

"Through the Sports Ball Product Network, we are able to discuss collective and individual challenges and easily seek solutions through collaborative discussions."

- Haseeb Ghuman, 26, Talon Sports, Pakistan

The meeting concluded with acknowledgments of participation and a commitment to share updates with members who could not attend. This gathering reinforced NAPP’s mission to foster sustainable collaboration, innovation, and advocacy initiatives in the sports ball sector across Asia-Pacific.