The 10 Principles of Fair Trade specify the ways that Fair Trade Enterprises are set up and behave to ensure they put people and the planet first. WFTO carries out verification and monitoring to ensure these principles are upheld.

The WFTO Principles are not isolated efforts for creating a more sustainable and equitable world, but deeply align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and contribute to their achievement. Fair Trade Enterprises recognise that achieving the SDGs requires system changes in how we conduct business and WFTO members participate in this transformation by committing to the 10 Principles of Fair Trade, thus developing alternative business models that prioritise people and planet. By embracing our Fair Trade principles, businesses become integral practitioners and pioneers in the collective effort to realise the SDGs and create positive, lasting impacts on a global scale.

Very much like the SDGs, the WFTO Principles can’t be applied in isolation; they must be considered holistically to provide a roadmap for transformative change. Addressing fair prices, wages, environmental sustainability, social development, and democratic decision-making collectively creates a framework that tackles systemic issues in global trade.