A holistic approach to promoting sustainable fair trade

• Author: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (European Commission)
• Pages: 40-41

SOCIAL INNOVATION: INSPIRATIONAL PRACTICES

SUPPORTING PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES

40

© SteveZammit Lupi, 2016

Street theatre organised by Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust in front of the prime minister’s of‌f‌ice to highlight the

abuse of labour conditions on fruit farms

Problem addressed

Unfair trade is a major driver of poverty and an obstacle to

sustainable development. While ethical choices are available

to consumers, a 2018 survey conducted by the European

Commission has shown that only 10% of Maltese people

make ethical choices when shopping for groceries. This is far

below the European average (21%).

Innovative solution

Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust (KKĠ) is a not-for-profit

cooperative that was established in Malta in 1996. It aims

to raise awareness about poverty in the global south and

promote sustainable fair trade. It does so through fair

trade education and cooperation with producers from the

global south.

KKĠ has a bottom-up approach to fair trade education,

actively engaging schools, young people and social groups

to help them to run educational events. Consumers of all

ages are engaged through awareness-raising events and

KKĠ also cooperates with musicians and artists to make

these occasions more attractive and accessible to the

general public.

KKĠ brings producers from developing countries directly to

Malta. In this way, producers can meet with trade unions and

policy-makers and present their work and products to schools

and community groups. KKĠ also provides Maltese retailers

and consumers with information on how they can deal with

producers from the global south directly.

KKĠ is instrumental in supporting the capacity building of

other local NGOs. For example, through its membership of the

Malta Forum for Social Justice and Development and Malta’s

National Platform of Development NGOs (NGDO Platform),

KKĠ shares expertise, empowering non-prof‌it actors that are

working on sustainability.

KKĠ has 200 paying members, as well as volunteers. In line

with KKĠ’s cooperative status, members have the chance

to vote during meetings, stand for committee elections and

attend national or international meetings.

A holistic approach to promoting

sustainable fair trade

Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust

Malta