It’s been a big year for us here at Scottish Fair Trade. Together we have built connections across Scotland’s Fair Trade Movement, bringing together campaigners, businesses, public bodies and partners around a shared commitment to justice and sustainability in trade.
Across our work we have also made a shift towards positioning Fair Trade within the context of wider conversations on climate justice and global inequality, building a movement increasingly led by young people envisioning a better future with an economy that works for everyone.
Swap the System Campaign
As part of this initiative to draw young people into the Fair Trade movement and amplify their voices, we launched the Swap the System Campaign together with our Youth Collective. Part of the campaign involved the production of a Zine showcasing the participants’ reflections on trade justice.
“You’re not alone in how you feel about the world… but the Youth Collective is proof that there are things you can do, and joining the Youth Collective is the first step towards the change that you want to see in the world” — Noah, Scottish Fair Trade Youth Collective member.
Find out more about the campaign, order your copy of the Zine and find out how you can contribute to our next edition here.
Message from the Minister
This year saw Scottish Parliament elections and the appointment of new MSPs, including a new Minister for Equalities and International Development, Simita Kumar MSP, who shared her support for Scottish Fair Trade in our report:
“Fair Trade reflects Scotlands role as a responsible Global Citizen and connects to wider work on climate and inequality,”
“I look forward to working with team at Scottish Fair Trade and I also extend my thanks to all the community activists and campaigners all around Scotland who work tirelessly to promote the values which make this country the Fair Trade Nation that it is.”
We look forward to continuing collaborations with Minister Kumar and other Scottish Government colleagues in the coming year.
Remembering Catherine
This year we were deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague Catherine. Catherine was an integral member of the Scottish Fair Trade team, bringing warmth, dedication and insight to her work. Her commitment to Fair Trade and to the wider movement made a lasting contribution to the organisation and to those she worked with.
Catherine’s legacy continues to shape our work; this year we launched The Catherine Newman Youth Bursary, in memory of Catherine. The bursary will support one young person to attend the International Fair Trade Towns Conference in Belgium in October 2026 where they will have an opportunity to make a presentation to delegates.
Catherine played a central role in organising the International Fair Trade Towns Conference when it was hosted in Edinburgh in 2025. She was passionate about internationalism, youth engagement and inspiring others to create positive change. Find out more about the conference and apply for the bursary on our website.
Looking forward
We learnt a lot in the last year, and we will be taking those lessons on board as we continue working towards our mission: embedding the principles of Fair Trade across Scottish society. You can read the full report here, and sign up here to receive our newsletter so you don’t miss out on upcoming projects!
