New Fabian Society report reveals cost to the UK of not having a responsible business law

Sophia Ostler, Senior Policy Lead at the Fairtrade Foundation, said: 

"We welcome this new report from the Fabian Society, which shows that failing to prevent human rights abuses and environmental harm is intrinsically wrong and short-sighted. It is not fair that overseas farmers and workers growing products we rely on in the UK are shouldering the costs of climate change, environmental degradation and unfair trading practices. At a time when food supply chains are under increasing pressure including from extreme weather, the Government should be helping to build resilient and sustainable supply chains, not reinforcing a race to the bottom.

"When it comes to bananas, the report exposes a glaring gap in accountability in public spending. Millions of pounds of taxpayers' money are spent on bananas for schools and hospitals, yet there is often no guarantee that the farmers growing them are being paid fairly or have the resources they need to adapt to climate change. 

"This Labour Government has a clear opportunity to act. A new human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD) law would help to spot and address potential harm before it happens and thereby create more resilient supply chains. This is in the interest of farmers, workers and consumers alike. More than 110,000 people have already backed Fairtrade's call for an HREDD law. Now it's time for the Government to turn that public support into action."