Waitrose and the Fairtrade Foundation have established a new partnership in which the two sides will share best practice, experiences and a joint ambition to build upon sustainable supply chain models.
The two sides announced the plan at the start of Fairtrade Fortnight, which kicks off today.
For Waitrose, it will mean that as well as adding further Fairtrade lines in store, it will also have the work of its Waitrose Foundation recognised and validated by the Fairtrade Foundation. It is the first time the organisation will have verified a third-party scheme.
The Fairtrade Foundation will provide guidance to the Waitrose Foundation as it expands the trading model into countries and regions where it does not currently operate, but where Fairtrade has experience.
Michael Gidney, chief executive of the Fairtrade Foundation, said the objective of the new partnership was to work together to “increase the social and economic impact of our respective supply networks, recognising the vital role that business now plays within the international development agenda”.
“We are proud to work with Waitrose, which has been a pioneer of fair and ethical trading and has a long track record of stocking Fairtrade products, regularly extending and refreshing its Fairtrade offering.”
Mark Price, managing director of Waitrose, added: “Treating people fairly is at the heart of everything we do and - whether it’s our customers, our partners, the communities we operate in or the suppliers we work with - we endeavour always to behave responsibly.“
