The Fairtrade Foundation has moved to welcome the UK’s new prime minister Andy Burnham, and called on him to deliver a clear Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (EREDD) law in line with European planned legislation, reports Neill Barston.

Notably the social justice movement has been part of Britain’s recently formed UK Cocoa Coalition, which was announced in March with the aim of delivering a parallel to the soon to be adopted EUDR deforestation frameworks due to come into force at the end of this year.

These, for the first time, compel businesses to show their environmental credentials is demonstrating that supply chains – including key chocolate and cocoa markets, are free from forest loss.

While the legislation was widely welcomed when it was formally agreed in 2023, successive delays and watering down of the laws – which will now most directly impact the largest companies in the sector employing over 500 people, its final form has drawn criticism for reducing its scope of industries, though cocoa, palm oil and soy-based products will be included within its remit.

For its part, Fairtrade Foundation, which is set to be among participants at this year’s World Confectionery Conference as it moves to London on 10 September, has called for a UK-based equivalent of the EUDR laws – which British companies would not directly be part of due to the fact that the UK is no longer bound by the trading bloc’s legislation.

Notably, companies trading into Europe from Britain, as with anywhere else in the world, would effectively face barriers if their supply chains are not transparent and comply with the standards laid out in EUDR.

As Fairtrade Foundation, it has called on the new Labour Leader, Andy Burnham (who succeeds Sir Keir Starmer after a majority of the party’s MPs called for him to stand down in the wake of historically poor local election results), to use his first 100 days in office to lay out a clear action plan for human rights legislation.

Significantly, as Confectionery Production previously reported – the previous Conservative government had agreed an environment Bill in 2021 that contained many of the core climate aspects and rights that are included iwth the EUDR laws, but this has continued to be delayed, with the incoming Labour administration also failing to adopt its frameworks since coming to power two years ago.

Consequently, Marie Rumsby, Advocacy Director at the Fairtrade Foundation, commented on the situation: “The people working hard every day to grow our food deserve fair pay, safe working conditions and protection from the growing risks in global supply chains.

“The Prime Minister has previously voiced his view on fair pay for workers. In his first 100 days, the Prime Minister should set out a clear path to a new Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence law. Done right, this would stop the UK from becoming a dumping ground for unethical products, protect people and planet, strengthen UK trade and resilience, and give responsible businesses the clarity they need to act.”

She added that the country should not fall behind other regions that are pressing ahead with such legislation, with the UK needing to maintain its reputation for delivering on both human rights and environmental performance.

Human rights law plea
As the organisation noted, stronger rules are needed to tackle human rights and environmental risks that are too often deeply connected in global supply chains, from unfair pay and forced labour to deforestation and climate damage.

In Fairtrade’s view, a mandatory due diligence law would help prevent harm before it happens, support smallholder farmers and workers in the Global South and fill critical gaps in current legislation. It would also bring the UK into line with emerging international standards.

Furthermore, as the foundation observed, there’s growing public demand for transparency and fairness in supply chains. In addition, the movement’s research shows that 76% of people in the UK believe businesses should be required to show evidence that they protect human rights and reduce environmental harm.

Moreover, it has also launched a campaign petition has reached 100,000 signatures – which is the threshold for official cross-party debate within UK parliamentary debate.