Fairtrade Foundation Member Appointed Trustee Role Description

Job Title: Member Appointed Trustee

Date: June 2018 Reports to: Chair of the Board

Background to the foundation:

The Fairtrade Foundation was established in 1992 by CAFOD, Christian Aid, , , Global Justice Now and the National Federation of Women’s Institutes as a passionate and ambitious development organisation committed to tackling poverty and injustice through trade. We are committed to our organisational values - Action, Integrity, Respect, Challenge and Optimism - across all that we do. We are best known as the independent, not-for-profit body behind the FAIRTRADE Mark, a product label assuring consumers that their purchase helps disadvantaged farmers and workers in developing countries secure a better deal. Over the past twenty five years, the FAIRTRADE Mark has become the best known and most trusted ethical mark amongst UK consumers. It ensures fairer terms of trade between farmers and buyers, helps to protect workers’ rights, and provides the framework to empower producers to build thriving farms and organisations. We undertake our certification and product labelling work as the UK member of , a global network of organisations working to common standards and verification systems. The global Fairtrade movement also includes Producer Networks in , and /Caribbean, as co-owners alongside the market organisations that are known as National Fairtrade Organisations (NFO). The Fairtrade Foundation, as the most successful of these NFOs, plays a leading role in the global Fairtrade movement. The Foundation is also responsible for building public support for Fairtrade and for bringing together producers and consumers in a citizens’ movement for change. We could not function without our vital supporter and campaigner base evident in the extensive number of Fairtrade towns and cities, faith communities, schools and universities that are a testament to the efforts of our grass-roots supporter networks. In the UK, the Foundation employs staff in the following directorates: CEO’s office, Commercial, Impact, Public Engagement, Human Resources and Finance, & IT/Facilities.

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Our vision

Our vision is of a world in which justice and sustainable development are at the heart of trade structures and practices so that everyone, through their work, can maintain a decent and dignified livelihood and develop their full potential.

Our mission

The Foundation’s mission is to work with businesses, community groups and individuals to improve the trading position of producer organisations in the South and to deliver sustainable livelihoods for farmers, workers and their communities by: . Being a passionate and ambitious development organisation committed to tackling poverty and injustice through trade . Engaging businesses in Fairtrade product and ingredient certification, and in programmes to improve long- term impact for farmers, workers and their communities . Bringing together producers and consumers in a citizens’ movement for change . Being recognised as the UK’s leading authority on Fairtrade

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Fairtrade’s strategy for 2016-2020 has four goals:

We are pursuing our ambitious strategy, which runs from 2016-20. Our key goals are: 1. Focus on Impact We will aim to create transformational change in the categories Fairtrade is best known for. To create lasting change, we will focus on where we can deliver the greatest impact for producers. That means concentrating on cocoa, and bananas, and focusing on those products where there are market or development opportunities, such as flowers and tea. Over the next five years, we will focus on driving deeper impact through these products while delivering programmatic work on climate change, gender, productivity and hired labour. By 2020, we will have increased the number of producers who benefit from these programmes on the ground. 2. Make Fairtrade Personal We will deepen the emotional commitment to Fairtrade, and to our mission of fighting poverty through trade. We will bring key themes – living wage and income, climate change and gender justice to the fore. By 2020, we will be a brand that sparks an even greater emotional connection with citizens and consumers, increasing our supporter base while mobilising our current supporters, and moving the public to act for the farmers and workers who produce what we enjoy each day. 3. Improve and Innovate We will deliver impact through strengthening the core model and innovating new services. To generate further impact for producers and business partners, Fairtrade will also innovate beyond our core work under the FAIRTRADE Mark. We are already working with a range of companies on innovations in their supply chains to add

3 value and drive deeper impact – from climate change adaptation to cocoa productivity and bespoke programmes with women farmers. 4. Strengthen our Organisation We will play a lead role in strengthening the international Fairtrade movement. By 2020, we will have played a lead role internationally in becoming a simpler, more flexible, cost-effective movement. Strengthening our networks at origin is of equal importance. Farmers and workers already own half of the system – by 2020, they will have even more say in how Fairtrade operates.

Driving Impact

Growing and sustaining market access is one of the Foundation’s key activities. To see more detail of the impact Fairtrade makes, the below are links to some recent studies and reports. http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/~/media/FairtradeUK/What%20is%20Fairtrade/Docume nts/Policy%20and%20Research%20documents/Impact%20reports/LEI%20banana%20r eport%20FINAL%20April%202016.pdf https://www.fairtrade.net/fileadmin/user_upload/content/2009/resources/2016- 03-Baseline_Cotton_West_Africa_HIGHLIGHTS.pdf http://www.standardsimpacts.org/resources-reports/natural-resource-institute- report-impact-fairtrade-coffee-smallholders-and https://monitoringreport2016.fairtrade.net/en/ http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Media-Centre/News/November-2017/Competition-Law- fears-deter-businesses-working-together-to-promote-sustainability-in-supply-chains

Financials In 2017 we had an income of over £11million. Of this, £10.3 million was earned from licence fees for use of the FAIRTRADE Mark. The rest was mainly grants (£1.5 million) from the Department for International Development, Comic Relief, the Big Lottery Fund, the Guernsey Overseas Aid Commission, RVO, the European Commission and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. A total of 99% of our expenditure in 2017 was spent on delivering our mission and goals in the areas of public education and awareness; market development and licensing; and producer and product support.

4 background to the board

The Fairtrade Foundation is governed by a Board of up to 12 trustees who retain formal power of all governance matters pertaining to the organisation. The Board’s key focus is on the statutory and strategic issues for the Foundation. In addition it reviews progress reports from the operational team to ensure the Foundation’s ongoing performance is in line with its stated goals.

The Board meets, at a minimum, four times a year to fulfil its obligations and duties as outlined above. Board and all sub-committee meetings are largely held at the Foundation’s offices in Central London.

The Board are responsible for the following:

Strategic document.

means of poverty reduction related to the Foundation’s core activity. approval of the strategic plan (currently set for 2016-2020). gh reviewing and approving progress against stated strategic objectives. programmes of the Foundation. performance is in line with its stated goals and targets.

Legal and Risk requirements and regulation, and performing functions as prescribed by law. organisation law, and any other relevant legislation or regulations. -financial) and associated mitigation plans; and approve necessary remedial action.

Financial

plan. ements, as set in agreed delegated authorisation levels.

Organisational management strategies; in particular ensuring employee engagement is maximised and talent is supported and actively developed; are implemented and that strategy is reflected in HR management process and practice

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Delegation and Review -committees, approving their Terms of Reference and delegating authority to operate. from its constituent sub-committees.

monitor and appraise the Executive Directorate performance evaluation of the Board at least once a year. adapt own model as appropriate.

background to the role

This trustee role is appointed by the Fairtrade member organisations:

CAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Traidcraft, Global Justice Now, the National Federation of Women’s Institutes, Tearfund, United Reform Church,, People & Planet, All We Can, Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, Bananalink, Fairtrade’s National Campaigner Committee, , Scottish International Aid Fund and The Soroptimists.

Remuneration

The position is unpaid, although the Foundation reimburses travel costs and other direct expenses incurred.

Conflict of Interest Policy

The Foundation has a formal conflict of interest policy which the Chair and Trustees are bound by. In particular the Foundation’s policy means that applications cannot be considered from an individual who is currently employed by, or has a significant financial interest in, a company which is a licensee of the Foundation or a major retailer.

Person Specification

The fairtrade foundation seeks to appoint a trustee who:

Has strong skills, experience and knowledge in at one of the following areas:

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. Financial management . Information Technology focusing particularly on data and/or digital technology

we are also looking for trustees with experience of the following:

. Legal . Public affairs . Individual Giving . The Fairtrade grassroots campaign

General Expectations of the Role

. Commitment and/or demonstration of alignment to the Foundation’s values . Acting collectively as part of the trustee Board, participating and encouraging healthy debate . Undertaking a duty of care in acting reasonably and prudently in all Board matters . Identifying and promptly declaring any actual or potential conflicts of interest . Acting responsibly in respect to probity – both actual or possible receipt of gifts or hospitality associated to the Foundation’s mission and aims – according to defined policy . Available for 2 days per month minimum

How to apply

Please apply by email only, in English, with:

and cover letter

to Mandy Gardner, Head of Operations at [email protected] citing Member Appointed Trustee in the subject line.

Timetable

Closing Date for applications: 26th July 2018

Interviews with Fairtrade Foundation 16th and 17th August 2018

Communication to candidates: By end of w/c 23rd August

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Appointment communicated: w/c 3rd September 2018

AGM: 10TH September 2018

Induction commences: 11th September 2018

First Board meeting (as an observer): 10th December 2018

First Board meeting as a full trustee: 21ST March 2019

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