Assuring integrity in checking compliance
Consumers have high confidence in Fairtrade and the integrity of our system. In addition to maintaining the Fairtrade Standards for producers and traders, we have a rigorous system for checking that our certifiers and licensing bodies meet certain criteria.
If the Fairtrade Standards are what organizations and companies are checked for, the Fairtrade assurance system defines how these entities are checked. You can read more about our certification processes.
Maintaining the independence, consistency and impartiality of the certification and licensing processes on a global scale is part of our commitment to transparency and the integrity of Fairtrade.
Our assurance system includes a set of rules for how certification and licensing must be done, a way to check compliance with the rules, and a committee with representation of all our stakeholders that decides if the certifiers and licensing bodies continue to meet Fairtrade’s expectations.
Our assurance system was designed following the requirements of ISEAL’s Assurance Code and builds on the requirements of ISO17065. Additionally FLOCERT, the main independent certifier for Fairtrade, is accredited against ISO17065 by the German national Accreditation Body DAkkS.
If you have a complaint or comment to submit to our assurance system please contact us by sending an email to assurance(at)fairtrade.net
The following documents outline the process and protocol of our assurance system.
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Public system report
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Fairtrade International Oversight Procedure
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Fairtrade International Exceptions Policy
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Annual exceptions report
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Fairtrade International Requirements for Assurance Providers
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Fairtrade International Requirements for Licensing Bodies
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Fairtrade Pilots SOP
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Fairtrade Recognition SOP
Oversight committee
The Oversight Committee is a multi-stakeholder group that meets regularly to define the assurance system and oversee the performance of certifiers and licensing bodies. Members of the Oversight Committee are appointed by the Standards Committee at Fairtrade International.
Terms of Reference for Fairtrade International Oversight Committee: This document defines the responsibilities and regulates the composition and the work of the multi-stakeholder body.
The Oversight Committee meetings in 2024 will take place on
- March 18-19
- June 24-25
- September 16-17
- December 2- 3
Oversight committee minutes
For the minutes of the latest Oversight Committee meetings, please see below: