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 of past meetings.
- 18-20 September 2024
- 4-6 December 2024
Standards work in progress
To be as transparent as possible, Fairtrade International publishes the plans and timelines for developing and reviewing standards and prices on a yearly basis.
See this year's plan.
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:
Learn more
- Developing Fairtrade Standards: Full version | Short summary
- Developing Fairtrade Prices: Full version | Short summary
- Complaining about Fairtrade Standards: Full version | Short summary
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.
EN | Standards project request
EN | Quick Entrance request form
EN | Secondary products request
EN | Project assignment feedback form ES | Formulario de feedback PT | Formulário de feedback
EN | Cost of Sustainable Production Guidance document EN | COSP Templates
SP | Costo de Producción Sostenible - Documento orientativo
EN | Standard suspension request form
EN | Standard suspension feedback form
EN | Price suspension request form
EN | Price suspension feedback form
EN | Complaint form against Fairtrade standard setting procedure
Getting certified
For a product to carry the Fairtrade Mark, every producer organisation, trader, manufacturer, processor and company involved in buying or selling must be certified – from growth or extraction to the packaged product available in stores
Who Fairtrade has standards for
Fairtrade Standards are tailored to the realities of farmer cooperatives, workers at large farms or factories, artisanal miners, as well as traders and companies who buy and sell fairtrade products.
Minimum Price and Premium database
When selling their products through Fairtrade, producers can rely on the safety net of the Fairtrade Minimum Price and will receive the additional Fairtrade Premium to invest in projects of their choice.