There are two types of standards that producers are required to meet:
- Generic producer standards
- Product specific standards
The generic standards apply to all Fairtrade producers regardless of the product to be certified. Specific requirements related to individual products may also apply and are laid out in the product specific standards.
The generic producer standards relate to the organisational set up of the producer and there are different standards for small producer organisations and for hired labour organisations.
Fairtrade is best known for working with small producer organisations as they are typically the most disadvantaged in world trade. However, in order not to exclude landless labourers, who are some of the poorest people in the developing world, Fairtrade also works with plantations or estates to help improve the conditions of their workers. Fairtrade standards allow the certification of both plantations and co-operatives for certain products (e.g. tea, bananas), but for others (e.g. coffee), Fairtrade is exclusively focused on small scale farmers.
Generic producer standards
- Producer standards for small producer organisations.
You can download these standards from the FLO website here. - Producer standards for hired labour.
You can download these standards from the FLO website here.
Product specific standards
There are currently Fairtrade product standards for the trade of the following commodities:
Food products
- Bananas
- Cocoa
- Coffee
- Dried Fruit
- Fresh Fruit & Fresh Vegetables
- Honey
- Juices
- Nuts/Oil seeds and purees
- Quinoa
- Soya beans and pulses
- Rice
- Herbs and Spices
- Cane Sugar
- Tea
- Wine
Non-food products
- Cotton
- Cut flowers
- Ornamental plants
- Sports balls
- Gold
You can download these standards from the FLO website here.