Course Outline:

Module 1: Introduction to Fair Trade and Ethical Supply Chains

•  History and evolution of the fair trade movement

• Core principles of fair trade and ethical sourcing

• Global fair trade markets and key certification bodies (e.g., WFTO, Fairtrade International, Rainforest Alliance)

• Key actors: producers, traders, certifiers, consumers

• Benefits of fair trade to businesses and communities

Case Study: The Fairtrade Coffee Supply Chain in Latin America – How ethical sourcing transformed farmer cooperatives

Module 2: Mapping and Assessing Supply Chain Ethics

• Understanding supply chain structures and tiers

• Identifying risks: forced labor, child labor, environmental degradation

• Tools for ethical supply chain assessment

• Traceability and transparency strategies

• Due diligence laws (e.g., EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive)

Case Study: Traceability in the Cocoa Supply Chain in West Africa – A risk-mapping and mitigation exercise

Module 3: Supplier Engagement and Responsible Sourcing Strategies

• Building supplier relationships around ethical goals

• Supplier codes of conduct and audit frameworks

• Collaborative capacity building for smallholder producers

• Integrating ethical sourcing into procurement policies

• Balancing cost, quality, and social responsibility

Case Study: Empowering Textile Suppliers in South Asia – Using buyer-supplier collaboration to improve labor conditions

Module 4: Certification, Standards, and Compliance Management

• Overview of certification schemes: Fairtrade, B Corp, Organic, SA8000, ISO 20400

• Audit processes, compliance tracking, and verification

• Social and environmental compliance management systems

• Challenges in multi-tier compliance enforcement

• Role of third-party monitoring and multi-stakeholder initiatives

Case Study: Fair Trade Certification of a Kenyan Tea Producer – End-to-end certification and audit readiness simulation

Module 5: Measuring Impact and Communicating Ethical Practices

• Setting KPIs for ethical supply chain performance

• Monitoring social, environmental, and economic impacts

• Communicating fair trade and ethical commitments to stakeholders

• Ethical marketing and avoiding greenwashing

• Leveraging technology for impact reporting (blockchain, digital traceability platforms)

Case Study: Impact Reporting for a Global Ethical Fashion Brand – Building credibility through transparent storytelling