As the global trading landscape undergoes one of its most significant regulatory shifts with the introduction of the European Union’s Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) obligations, producer organisations across the Asia Pacific are navigating a complex set of challenges on their path to full compliance. Many still grapple with limited awareness of due diligence principles, evolving legal requirements, and sustainability standards. Others face resource constraints, from financial limitations to the absence of appropriate technical tools, making it difficult to translate knowledge into action. Inconsistent data collection systems and gaps in documentation further hinder the ability to identify, track, and address risks across supply chains. These challenges are compounded by low levels of coordination among producers, buyers, and support agencies—as well as a natural resistance to change rooted in longstanding practices, fear of transparency, and hesitation to adopt new compliance mechanisms.

Yet, amid these challenges, Fairtrade NAPP is steadily transforming the landscape. Through a series of strategic, hands-on capacity-building interventions, NAPP is supporting producer organisations with the skills, tools, and confidence needed to understand risk more deeply, strengthen internal governance, and align with the emerging global due diligence frameworks shaping the future of ethical trade.

Strengthening Compliance Across Borders: From Sri Lanka to India and Indonesia

Following the successful completion of the HREDD Risk Assessment: Prevention, Mitigation and Remediation Measures training for 11 Fairtrade farmers’ organizations in Sri Lanka and 10 leading coffee cooperatives in Indonesia, Fairtrade NAPP extended its regional strengthening efforts to India—bringing similar structured, hands-on learning model to the country’s largest tea-producing regions. This approach ensures consistency, shared learning, and harmonised progress across Fairtrade supply chains that feed into the EU market.

These training forms a vital component of the larger project “Enabling Joint HREDD Implementation in Supply Chains of Fair Trade Companies and Producer Groups” — a joint initiative of Fairtrade Deutschland e.V. (Fairtrade Germany) and Forum Fairer Handel e.V. (FFH), funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), supported by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale, (GIZ), Gmbh 

18 Participants from 11 Tea Estates Join Forces in Coimbatore

Held in Coimbatore, the India workshop brought together 18 estate representatives from 11 major Fairtrade-certified tea organizations in South India and Assam, including Chundavurrai Estate – SAE Ltd., Kotada & Welbeck Estates, Parry Agro Industries Ltd. – Mango Range Group, The United Nilgiri Tea Estates Co. Ltd., additional units of Parry Agro Industries Ltd., Matheson Bosanquet Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., Putharjhora Tea Garden Pvt. Ltd., Kesar Commercial Pvt. Ltd. (Chardwar Tea Estate), Burnside Tea Estate, Tonganagaon Tea Co. Pvt. Ltd., and Maud Tea & Seed Co. Ltd. – Sewpur Tea Estate.

The participants comprised compliance officers, HR leaders, sustainability managers, and welfare specialists—the key professionals responsible for embedding due diligence, strengthening governance systems, and steering the transition toward responsible and ethically aligned production practices on the ground.

Inside the Session: Learning, Reflection, and Transformation

The programme kicked off with an interactive risk-assessment, where producers mapped their value chains to spot labour, environmental, and operational risks.

Hands-on workshops then translated HREDD principles and Fairtrade Standards into practical strategies, helping participants distinguish prevention, mitigation, and remediation responsibilities. Sessions guided estates in designing early-warning systems, safer labour practices, and environmental safeguards, while scenario-based exercises fostered actionable mitigation plans.

Dedicated modules on remediation strengthened grievance pathways and accountability, and peer-exchange circles created a safe space for estates to exchange experiences on worker welfare, grievance mechanisms, chemical handling, and women’s safety systems, revealing both challenges and local innovations. 

The workshop culminated in tailored risk-management action plans, ensuring HREDD principles were embedded in daily operations. By blending interactive learning, real-world cases, and peer insights, abstract due diligence concepts were made tangible and actionable for producers.

Immediate Impact

The workshop created an immediate shift in participants’ understanding and confidence in meeting EU-aligned HREDD requirements. Producers gained a clear grasp of due diligence concepts, identified key labour, environmental, and operational risks, and strengthened their awareness of legal responsibilities, Fairtrade Standards, and buyer expectations.

Several estates began developing or refining internal action plans to improve grievance mechanisms, safety protocols, and environmental safeguards. Participants also reported increased confidence in implementing prevention, mitigation, and remediation measures and maintaining clearer documentation and reporting systems. These early outcomes lay a strong foundation for improved accountability, better monitoring, and more resilient, ethical supply chains.

Producers Speak: Growing Confidence in Responsible Production

Participants reflected that the training filled critical knowledge gaps and provided clarity on global expectations.

Way Forward? Sustained Support for Long-Term Compliance

Fairtrade NAPP, will continue to:

• Monitor Implementation: Regularly track the progress of prevention, mitigation, and remediation measures through structured reports, follow-up calls, and review meetings with producer organizations.
• Strengthen Capacity: Offer refresher trainings, targeted technical support, and user-friendly digital tools to reinforce ongoing HREDD and risk management practices.
• Enhance Stakeholder Coordination: Facilitate continuous engagement between producers, Fairtrade, GIZ, and commercial buyers to align expectations, harmonise compliance requirements, and mobilise collaborative action.
• Evaluation & Feedback: Conduct periodic assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of implemented actions, identify persistent gaps, and incorporate feedback into future programming.
• Documentation & Knowledge Sharing: Share best practices across regions to create scalable models

This long-term approach ensures that compliance becomes embedded—not imposed.

A Region Moving Forward Together

With the support from  all its partners, Fairtrade NAPP is proud to guide producers through this transition—ensuring that the people behind our global supply chains are empowered, protected, and prepared for the future of sustainable trade.

From Sri Lanka to India and Indonesia, the HREDD capacity-building initiative has sparked a unified regional momentum toward responsible business, ethical production, and transparent supply chains.