The Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) is the global umbrella body for Fairtrade certification and labelling around the world.  There are 20 different consumer initiatives in 21 countries that participate in the FLO system including the Fairtrade Foundation in the UK, Transfair USA, Max Havelaar in the Netherlands and Fairtrade Labelling Australia & New Zealand. 

See here for info on Fairtrade Labelling Australia & New Zealand.

FLO is responsible for setting international Fairtrade standards that producers in developing countries and international traders are required to meet in order for products to be labelled as FAIRTRADE.  FLO-CERT, a separate certification body established in 2003, is responsible for verifying compliance with these standards.

History of Fairtrade Labelling

The first Fairtrade labelling initiative was established in 1988 in the Netherlands with the Max Havelaar label, based on a fictional character who opposed the exploitation of coffee producers in former Dutch colonies.  The idea of placing a label on a product identifying it as fairly traded enabled such products to be bought and sold outside of traditional fair trade networks, making it more accessible to mainstream consumers.   By 1997, there were 17 national consumer initiatives in Europe, North America and Japan.  In that year, they came together to form the umbrella body, the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) with the goal of harmonizing their various standards and certification procedures to strengthen that fair-trade labelling movement worldwide.

Today there are 20 labelling initiatives in 21 countries under the umbrella of the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO).

FLO Structure

The FLO Board is the highest decision-making structure of FLO. It includes representatives from certified producer organisations, traders and national consumer labelling initiatives.

For more information on FLO structures, visit the FLO website http://www.fairtrade.net/sites/aboutflo/structure.htm