Fair Trade Towns International

What Fair Trade Towns International does

Fair Trade Towns International is a non-profit coordination body, founded in 2000 and headquartered in Malmö, Sweden, that operates the global Fair Trade Towns movement. The organization establishes standardized criteria and a certification process through which municipalities, schools, universities, and businesses can achieve official Fair Trade Town or Fair Trade Institution status by adopting fair trade procurement policies, supporting fair trade enterprises, and running community education initiatives. Its product surface is a network rather than a software platform: a News & Events hub, a sector-segmented resource library (Goals & Action Guides, Procurement, Business, University, School, and General FTT resources), and an annual conference program together coordinate the 4,942 campaign initiatives reported worldwide across at least twelve country/region programs.

The business and go-to-market model is community-led and event-driven rather than commercial. Distribution runs through a tiered structure: an International FTTs Steering Committee sets global standards, National Coordinators localize and implement the framework within their respective countries, and local campaign initiatives drive grassroots adoption. The organization employs 1-10 people centrally and generates no disclosed commercial revenue, consistent with a non-profit funded through grants, donations, and partner contributions; no pricing models, funding rounds, or financial figures are publicly available. Customer segments are horizontal, with towns and municipalities as the primary use case, supplemented by schools, universities, and businesses that participate in local fair trade initiatives.

Name

Fair Trade Towns International

Legal name

Fair Trade Towns International

Website

https://fairtradetowns.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fair Trade Towns International is a Sweden-based non-profit that coordinates a global movement certifying towns, schools, universities, and businesses as Fair Trade through a decentralized network of national coordinators and standardized criteria, tracking 4,942 campaign initiatives across at least twelve countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fair Trade Advocacy and Campaign Coordination

akta.pro primary industry

Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support) (BPAGALAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Inclusive Trade (Gender, Youth, Marginalized Groups) (BPADAMAM), Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

Keywords

• Fair trade certification
• Ethical trade advocacy
• Municipal fair trade
• Sustainable procurement guidance
• Community campaign networks

Headquarters

HQ city

Malmö

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fair Trade Towns International is a non-profit organization that coordinates a global network of Fair Trade Campaigns — Fair Trade Towns, Schools, Universities, and Businesses/Workplaces — by setting standardized five-goal criteria, issuing recognition status to qualifying local initiatives, and providing action guides, procurement resources, and event programming. It supports local communities worldwide in embedding fair trade principles into municipal policy, institutional procurement, and civic engagement.

Product overview

Fair Trade Towns International operates as a network organization offering a unified platform of resource hubs, programs, and coordination services rather than a traditional software product. The portfolio includes News & Events, Goals & Action Guides, and dedicated sectoral programs for Procurement, Businesses, Universities, and Schools, all supported by the International FTTs Steering Committee for governance. The organization tracks 4,942 campaign initiatives globally, functioning as a coordination and advocacy network rather than a technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fair Trade Town Recognition Status A designation awarded by Fair Trade Towns International to municipalities that meet five standardized goals covering local council support, formation of a local Fair Trade steering group, availability of fair trade products, community engagement, and ongoing communications. Used by cities worldwide to formalize and signal their fair trade commitments.
• Fair Trade Universities Program A recognition program for universities and colleges that commit to fair trade procurement, student engagement, and curriculum integration. Provides a structured pathway and resources for higher education institutions to achieve and maintain Fair Trade University status.
• Fair Trade Schools Program A recognition program for K-12 schools that integrate fair trade into dining services, classroom learning, and community outreach. Provides structured guidance and resources for primary and secondary schools to achieve Fair Trade School designation.
• Fair Trade Workplaces/Businesses Program A recognition program for businesses and workplaces that commit to fair trade procurement, staff engagement, and external communications around fair trade. Includes dedicated business resources and procurement guidance.
• Goals & Action Guides A set of structured guides published by Fair Trade Towns International that outline the five goals of the Fair Trade Towns campaign and step-by-step actions for towns, schools, universities, and workplaces pursuing recognition status. Distributed via the organization's website resource library.
• Fair Trade News & Events Platform A web-based news and events feed operated by Fair Trade Towns International that publishes campaign updates, event listings, and announcements relevant to the global Fair Trade Campaign community of more than 4,942 initiatives.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Fair Trade USA: Leading third-party fair trade certifier in North America covering agricultural products, apparel, and home goods. Comparable as a parallel fair trade certification and advocacy body targeting producers, brands, and consumers, with overlap in ethical supply chain positioning.
• Fair Trade Federation: North American trade association of fair trade wholesalers, retailers, and producers. Comparable as a fair trade membership and standards organization, though its focus is on retail enterprise members rather than municipal campaigns.
• World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO): Global network of fair trade enterprises with a Guaranteed Fair Trade label and producer/retailer membership model. Highly comparable as a fair trade standards and network organization, though WFTO focuses on enterprise membership while FTTs focuses on municipal and institutional adoption.

Broad incumbents

• Rainforest Alliance: International non-profit certifying sustainable agriculture, forestry, and tourism with the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal. Comparable as a sustainability certification body operating across supply chains, with overlap in ethical sourcing messaging though a broader environmental scope.
• Fairtrade International: The umbrella organization for Fairtrade-certified products and the global Fairtrade Mark, operating producer certification, labelling, and advocacy. Highly comparable because both organizations anchor the fair trade ecosystem and engage producers, retailers, and policymakers, though Fairtrade International focuses on product certification rather than municipal movement building.
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): International non-profit promoting responsible forest management through the FSC certification system. Comparable as a third-party sustainability certification body engaging producers, businesses, and governments across global supply chains.

Emerging players

• B Lab (B Corporation): Non-profit certifying B Corps for social and environmental performance with a global network of certified companies. Comparable as an ethical business certification and advocacy body, but B Corp focuses on individual companies while FTTs focuses on community-level adoption.

Regional players

• Fair Trade Original: Netherlands-based fair trade enterprise sourcing and selling certified products across Europe. Comparable as a fair trade advocacy and sourcing organization in a key European market where FTTs has visible national coordinator activity.
• Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI): UK-based alliance of companies, trade unions, and NGOs promoting ethical supply chains and labor rights. Comparable as a multi-stakeholder ethical sourcing organization, but operates primarily as a corporate membership alliance rather than a community movement.

Peers

• Fairtrade Foundation: UK-based independent non-profit that licenses the FAIRTRADE Mark and runs public campaigns. Comparable as a fair trade advocacy and awareness organization in a single national market, but operates as a national affiliate of Fairtrade International rather than a global municipal movement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FairTradeTowns
• Facebookfacebook.com/fairtradetowns

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fair Trade Towns International