The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and Fairtrade International announced a Joint Partnership Declaration at the ICA Global Conference in New Delhi, India.
The declaration highlights the shared mission of both organisations to uplift small-scale farmers, producers, and co-operative networks through joint efforts in advocacy, knowledge-sharing, and support for resilient, people-centred businesses.
Through the declaration, the two organisations pledge to deepen collaboration in support of the co-operative model and Fairtrade worldwide and strengthen their work on promoting inclusive and sustainable co-operatives and their communities through wealth creation and redistribution, democracy, empowerment.
Areas of co-operation will include promoting sustainable economic growth, enhancing producer engagement, and advancing key issues like climate resilience, youth and gender inclusion, as well as human rights.
As part of this, they will focus on joint advocacy efforts with European institutions and engagement with the global co-operative and Fairtrade communities; collaborative knowledge exchange, capacity building, and support for co-operative legal frameworks to bolster resilience within global supply chains; and coordinated efforts to raise awareness around the UN International Year of Cooperatives in 2025 and the annual International Day of Cooperatives.
“This declaration cements our joint efforts towards creating impactful change for co-operatives worldwide,” said Jeroen Douglas, director general of ICA. “Together, ICA and Fairtrade International will drive forward initiatives that support co-operatives in their sustainable business case through fair pricing. Only a price tag on fair wages, clean water, gender inclusion and the pure air we breathe will transform our economy to the needs of communities.”
Tone Cecilie Faugli, the CEO of Fairtrade Norway, together with Fairtrade Network of Asia & Pacific Producers CEO Erwin Novianto and Fairtrade certified co-operatives participated in the ICA’s Global Conference.
“Co-operatives are important to Fairtrade and Fairtrade is important to co-operatives,” said Faugli. “As Fairtrade we have a role to play connecting consumers and co-operatives and I think we can achieve more together,” she added.
“We’re excited to launch this partnership with ICA as we embark on this shared opportunity to leverage our strengths and work together to build strong co-operatives that achieve better, fairer, and more dignified labour relations. Successful co-operatives are the lifeblood of Fairtrade and essential for sustainable global trade,” said Melissa Duncan, Fairtrade’s executive director.
A non-binding agreement, the declaration will serve as a framework for joint planning and will be revisited in four years to evaluate progress and determine further steps.
