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How Fairtrade sets standards

Fairtrade Standards are designed to meet the needs of farmers, workers, traders, and other stakeholders. They are set through a transparent process which involves wide consultations with farmers and workers, businesses, and external experts.

Standards Committee

Final standard decisions are voted upon by the Standards Committee, a multi-stakeholder body within Fairtrade International. Fifty percent of the committee members are producer representatives, so we can ensure that the perspectives of all relevant Fairtrade stakeholders are equally taken into account.

Learn who currently is an appointed member of the Standards Committee or read its terms of reference.

Here you can find dates for the next meetings and minutes from past meetings of the current year.

  • 4-6 December 2024
  • 19 February 2025
  • 26-28 March 2025
  • 2-4 July 2025
  • 24-26 September 2025
  • 4-8 December 2025

ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Standard Setting

Fairtrade Standards are set in compliance with the ISEAL code of Good Practice. Sounds good, but what does it mean?

  • Consultations with major stakeholders within Fairtrade provide the basis of all standard setting.
  • Fairtrade International sets the Standards and supports producers in meeting them, but certification and regular audits are handled by FLOCERT as a separate certification organisation.

Find more information about levels of responsibility in standard setting on the ISEAL website.

Fairtrade International has successfully demonstrated overall compliance with ISEAL’s Code of Good Practice for Setting Social and Environmental Standards version 6.0, and has been formally approved by the ISEAL Membership Committee in May 2016.

As a full member of the ISEAL Alliance, we are committed to delivering positive impact and embracing credible practices.

Standard setting processes

Interested in the details of Fairtrade Standards? Learn more about the internal processes through which we create new standards and revise existing ones:

Request forms

Would you like to certify a product we don’t yet have standards for or do you have another request? The documents below were developed in accordance with ISEAL requirements to help you participate in Fairtrade’s standard setting processes.

Pilot projects

To keep up with latest developments in trade, legislation, or consumer preferences and maximise impact for farmers and workers, we develop and test new ideas for further improving our standards through pilot projects.

Find out more about Fairtrade pilots

Standards and pricing work in progress

We regularly set new Fairtrade standards and prices or review existing ones. Here you can get an overview of what we're working on, participate in consultations, and find announcements of new or revised standards and prices.

See what we're currently working on

Are you looking for additional documents or would like to have more information about the standard setting process? Please contact us.