Buyers are at the front end of business. The suppliers they source from are crucial to a company’s success. But in today’s competitive business environment and increasingly globalised world, is it possible to source well from a developing country? And is it justified to expect companies to buy responsibly?
This initiative seeks to find answers to these questions. To look at the realities of the buying desk and stimulate debate among buyers about how to purchase ‘responsibly’ from developing countries. The project is a joint initiative by four leading European Fair Trade Organisations.
Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world after water. This report considers the supply chain behind each cup which brings together some of the most powerful companies and some of the most vulnerable farmers.
This report traces vegetables from the field through to a UK plate. Focusing on the actual experiences of Kenyan small-scale farmers and their exporters, it seeks to identify what responsible purchasing might look like from developing countries and makes recommendations to buyers, the UK government, consumers and investors.
This report looks at the realities of the buying desk and asks what ‘responsible purchasing’ might be. Drawing on case studies from four sectors and using real life business examples it examines the pros and cons of purchasing fairly and sets out possible guidelines for the way forward.