Business is changing for good

Fairtrade sales continue to outperform overall commercial trends with double digit growth in 2011, and look set to grow further in 2012 as businesses continue to expand and deepen commitments to Fairtrade’s model of ethical sourcing.

Estimated retail sales of Fairtrade products in 2011 reached £1.32bn, a 12% increase on sales of £1.17bn in 2010.   Cocoa and sugar have all seen significant growth at respectively 34% and 21% increase over 2010. Critically, this means that Fairtrade Premiums, the extra that producers receive for business or social development, increased by over 10% in 2011 compared with 2010.

The theme for 2012’s campaign is Take A Step for Fairtrade, and a new briefing, reveals that it is in the sugar and confectionery industry that businesses are stepping up more than ever to meet sustainability challenges, and deliver a better deal for small scale farmers and workers, and enable them to take their own steps towards a better future.

“Fairtrade is an example of responsible capitalism in action. We believe that responsible businesses are those who don’t just tackle the company bonuses at the top – but take steps to ensure a fairer deal for the workers and farmers at the bottom of the supply chain too,’ says Harriet Lamb, executive director of the Fairtrade Foundation. ‘The commercial reality is that forward-thinking companies are showing leadership in committing to Fairtrade, realising that, as well as it being the right thing to do, they need to invest in smallholders, developing better, longer-term relationships, to ensure the future supply of commodities like cocoa, coffee, sugar, tea, fruit and more.”

Brand manufacturers have also committed to Fairtrade sugar – like pioneering chocolate company Divine Chocolate and the nation’s favourite chocolate treats, Cadbury Dairy Milk and Kit Kat four-finger, with Maltesers also switching later this year. And ice-cream companies are also using Fairtrade sugar – like Ben & Jerry’s which has been rolling out a plan to convert all its ice-cream to Fairtrade this year.