Agri-food companies do not have a great track record regarding
fairness and transparency.
A survey of the world’s 350 most influential food and agriculture
companies by the World Benchmarking Alliance found that:
Half of the companies assessed do not disclose targets or report
on progress to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Over a third do not sufficiently acknowledge their responsibility to
ensure that the human rights of workers in their supply chain are
respected, nor do they show any intention of helping to improve
the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.
A lot more can be done at an international, national, corporate
and individual levels.
International bodies and national governments have the resources to
regulate trade and create incentives for fairer and more sustainable
food supply chains. As Myth 9 shows, state aid and overseas
development aid can be directed towards sustainable practices.
The UN Global Food Systems Summit, a critically important debate
aiming to direct the future of agriculture, has been accused of serving
corporate interests over small-scale farmers (who produce over
70% of the world’s food) and is being boycotted by organisations
representing more than 500 civil society groups with more than 300
million members, small scale farmers and indigenous movements.
[FICTION]
27
Clearly, more CAN be done.
Climate-conscious and socially responsible approaches such as
Fairtrade standards show that as consumers, purchasing power can
be used to our advantage.
We can use our pocket-power and our voices to:
Support companies and products that contribute to a just and
sustainable system
Boycott ones that do not
Write to local politicians and vote for better policies
Protest and use your voice to demand a fair food system that
protects people and the planet.