Hosted by Fairtrade International, with strong representation 50+ representatives from across the 03 Fairtrade Producer Networks and National Fairtrade Organisations (NFOs) , the event served as a critical milestone for reflection, strategy-building, and collaborative innovation across regions. Representing Fairtrade NAPP was Anu Rai, Senior Marketing and Communications Manager who contributed on providing unique regional perspectives and strategies shaped by diverse producer realities.

Objective: A Stronger, Smarter Fairtrade Communications Network

The meeting centered around two primary objectives:

To serve as an opportunity to reflect on emerging trends within the Fairtrade system and the broader communications environment, with the goal of enhancing the clarity, relevance, and impact of Fairtrade messaging.

To gather focused on improving internal collaboration—building alignment around shared priorities, streamlining communication practices across regions, and increasing the collective capacity of Fairtrade communicators through the exchange of tools, insights, and resources

KEY SESSIONS

The Power of Local Journalism in the Climate Era

 Led by Ellen Heinrichs, CEO of the Bonn Institute, the powerful session explored the critical role of local journalism in solution-focused climate narratives. Discussions centered on how Fairtrade can meaningfully support local storytellers to create authentic, community-based content.

Media Risk & Protection

 Led by Fairtrade Global “Act to Protect” Committee, the group reflected on the increasing threats faced by journalists and emphasized the importance of ethical storytelling and safeguarding communicators in high-risk regions.

Senior Marcomms Meeting 

The Senior Marcomms Meeting offered a collaborative space for senior communication leaders to share innovative practices that have helped motivate their teams, remain current with evolving communication trends, and manage complex projects. Discussions revisited Fairtrade’s strategic development framework—centered on intelligence gathering, strategic alignment, and implementation planning—and explored opportunities for global resource-sharing. Participants posed key operational questions, such as how to reduce the cost or time burden of core communication tasks, and endorsed the idea of co-developing a single global campaign for 2027, with stronger support for Producer Network resources.

Equally valuable were the peer exchange sessions among National Fairtrade Organizations. These sessions showcased a range of impactful B2B and B2C campaign activities, with organizations sharing best practices and lessons learned. 

Inspirational Campaign Showcases

National Fairtrade Organizations (NFOs), presented inspiring campaign case studies that showcased innovation, creativity, and engagement. Highlights included a TikTok campaign that successfully connected with younger audiences through short-form video content, as well as Fairbruary collaborations that engaged retailers in in-store and digital promotions. Teams also shared highlights from Fairtrade Month campaigns that utilized impactful storytelling, media partnerships, and integrated digital strategies to drive awareness and engagement.

Upcoming Legislation & Claims: What It Means for Comms by Patricia Magana- Brand Integrity Manager- Fairtrade International

With new global regulations on sustainability claims and corporate due diligence on the horizon, this session equipped communicators with essential knowledge to navigate compliance without compromising impact while maintaining strong and credible messaging across different markets.

Partner Collaboration for Campaigns and Activations

Participants reflected on the characteristics of successful collaborations with commercial and civil society partners, emphasizing the importance of co-created content, brand alignment, cross-border coordination, and measurable shared outcomes. Highlighted campaigns included Faircomms, Fashion Revolution, and Fairbruary, each serving as a model for cross-functional and cross-regional cooperation.

Global Project Updates

Updates were also shared on major global projects currently underway. Project leads presented progress on the Global Youth Engagement Strategy, aimed at building stronger connections with young audiences; enhancements in digital storytelling techniques, focused on producing authentic, localized, and emotionally resonant narratives; and the development of Strategic Impact Communications Frameworks, designed to ensure alignment across all levels of the Fairtrade system.

Breakout Sessions: Deep Dives by Focus Area

A series of breakout sessions allowed participants to engage more deeply with specific challenges. One group explored how to better communicate the impact of Producer Network services, generating ideas such as video documentaries following field staff, data visualizations showcasing local team contributions, and storytelling formats that capture Fairtrade’s radical roots. Another group focused on using evidence-based approaches to craft general Fairtrade claims, particularly by understanding the motivations of commercial partners—such as demonstrating the ROI of Fairtrade sourcing. Other sessions tackled storytelling challenges, including difficulties in accessing information, managing content requests, and ensuring consistency in narrative quality. Teams also tested campaign messages using real data, developing mock social posts and campaign headlines to refine their messaging.

Making the Most of What We Have: Impact Comms Tools

Practical workshops offered further skill-building opportunities. A session on repurposing existing reports and data encouraged participants to turn technical materials into engaging, story-driven content. A planning and prioritization workshop helped teams align on key communication initiatives, set clear project timelines, and define leadership roles. Additionally, a dedicated session with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team emphasized the importance of MEL-communication integration. Participants explored how data and evaluation tools can be used to support evidence-based storytelling and track communication impact more effectively.

Planning & Prioritisation Workshop

Global teams aligned on upcoming communication priorities, project timelines, and shared responsibilities. This session provided clarity on what’s next—and who leads what.

Integrating MEL for Stronger Messaging

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team from Fairtrade International hosted a special session to deepen collaboration with communicators. Teams explored how MEL insights can support evidence-based content creation and impact tracking.

Looking ahead, dedicated sub-groups have been established to continue work on several key areas, including the co-development of global campaigns, the refinement of core messaging frameworks, B2B and media engagement strategies, and deeper MEL integration. With roles and timelines clearly mapped, these sub-groups will ensure the momentum from the meeting translates into sustained action and impact.

Closing Reflection

The 2025 Faircomms Meeting reaffirmed the powerful, values-driven foundation of the Fairtrade communications network: a globally distributed yet locally grounded community of professionals committed to trade justice. By leveraging the innovations, tools, and insights shared during the meeting, Fairtrade communicators are well-positioned to tell even more compelling stories—stories that inspire, mobilize, and advance systemic change.