Fairtrade Labour Certification: The Contested Incorporation of Plantations and Workers

Fair trade seeks to promote the wellbeing and empowerment of farmers and workers in the Global South. This article traces the contested growth and configuration of Fairtrade International labour certification, providing a multifaceted and dynamic view of private regulation. I explain why Fairtrade International began certifying large enterprises and how its hired labour strategy has developed over time, illuminating fair trade’s move from peasant to plantation sectors, stakeholder involvement in shaping the growth of Fairtrade labour certification, the internal and external balancing of farmer and worker concerns, and major innovations in Fairtrade’s ‘New Worker’s Rights Strategy.’ My findings challenge the claim that recent market mainstreaming explains the rise of labour certification within fair trade and the more general argument that private regulatory programs founded to foster empowerment evolve over time to prioritize a logic of control. As I document Fairtrade International has recently moved to bolster producer power within its organization and labour rights within its certification program. My analysis reveals the dynamic nature of private regulatory programs and potentially influential role of diverse stakeholders in shaping the priorities of Fairtrade and other labour standard systems.