Based on the belief that people should be at the heart of trade, it is clear our economic models need to be reconstructed to achieve decent livelihoods for those workers and farmers. However, when it comes to achieving transformation in our trade systems, it is often easier to find failings than to recognize solutions.
In recent years both IDH and Fairtrade have been advocating on the need for a living income and a living wage. Both organizations have taken actions to close living wage and income gaps, supporting research, quantifying base wages and living income reference prices, developing measurement tools, developing roadmaps and setting agendas. Experience has shown both organizations that there is no simple answer, nor a single silver bullet solution to achieve living wages and a living income in a sustainable way in global supply chains. What’s more, we firmly believe that cooperation is key to driving change at scale.