Fair Trade Pledge

What is the Fair Trade Pledge?

Fair Trade has always been an important part of challenging global inequality and poverty. The climate crisis, the impact of Covid and the cost of living all exacerbate these inequalities, making Fair Trade more essential than ever before.

The Fair Trade pledge is a way for MSPs to show their support for all actions which improve the livelihood of farmers and workers who produce many of the products which we consume everyday. This also involves supporting a fair economy and committing to tackle the climate emergency.

Out of 129 elected MSPs elected, 73 have signed the Fair Trade pledge, with 16 MSPs recommitting their support or pledging support for the first time at a recent Scottish Parliament event to mark Scotland’s 10 years as a Fair Trade Nation. We would like to see more of our MSPs engage with the Fair Trade principles, and build a greater awareness of the importance of Fair Trade within the Scottish Parliament, especially during this 10thanniversary year.

Fair Trade Pledge

How do I get involved?

Campaigners

If you are a campaigner, you can find your local MSPs by entering your postcode here.

You can also find out whether or not your MSPs have signed the pledge by reviewing the list at the bottom of this page. If your MSPs have already signed the pledge, consider thanking them for this show of support. If your MSPs are yet to sign the pledge, please encourage them to pledge their support.

Below is a draft email which you could send to your MSPs:

Dear (insert name)

I am a Fair Trade supporter and a constituent in your region. I am writing to you to ask you to consider signing the Fair Trade pledge and, in your time as a MSP, commit to supporting all actions which will improve the livelihood of farmers and workers who produce many of the products which we consume everyday. Details of the pledge are below:

During my time in post as an MSP, I will:

Take actions to promote Scotland’s Fair Trade Nation status
Listen to the voices of producers in global supply chains, support actions to build back a fairer economy and tackle the climate emergency
Support measures to increase the public procurement of Fair Trade products

MSPs who would like to show support, please email Scottish Fair Trade at pledge@sftf.org.uk stating:

a) your name,
b) your constituency/region,
c) your political party if you have one.

Scottish Fair Trade can then add you to the list of signatories and send you graphics for showing your support on your social media. Or you can take a photo of yourself signing the pledge (all MSPs received a pledge poster to sign following the event held in the Scottish Parliament on 24 May 2023) and email it to us at pledge@sftf.org.uk for us to post to social media, or post on social media and tag @FairTradeNation.

Scottish fair trade

Pledge Signatories

Browse the list to find your candidate.