Why our coffee from Congo is temporarily missing the Fairtrade label 

This change has nothing to do with product quality: it is directly linked to the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, which currently prevents Fairtrade’s independent auditors from carrying out onsite inspections. 

Our fair trade coffee is grown in a region that has been devastated by armed conflict for years. Today, conditions are so unsafe that Fairtrade’s independent auditors (whose job is to verify minimum prices, premiums and working conditions) can no longer travel there to conduct onsite inspections. 

As a result, Fairtrade International has decided not to renew the certification of the affected cooperatives for the time being. This decision is entirely related to the security situation in the East of the DRC and not to any wrongdoing by the cooperatives. It simply and unfortunately reflects the impossibility of carrying out reliable and independent audits in a war zone. 

Why losing the Fairtrade logo matters for farmers in conflict-affected Congo 

Because fair trade matters most where farmers face the hardest and most unequal conditions. 

Losing the Fairtrade label because of insecurity, when you are a cooperative located in the middle of a conflict zone, is bitterly unfair. 

We remain, however, both realistic and transparent. Within the cooperatives themselves, some challenges persist: internal organisation, governance, transparency… We are upfront about these challenges, and we are actively tackling them. 

Fair Trade, even without the logo 

Even without the Fairtrade label on the packaging, our commitments remain unchanged: 

• We continue purchasing the coffee at fair prices, respecting the Fairtrade minimum price as well as Fairtrade and organic premiums. 

• We invest in long-term partnerships, including in times of crisis. 

• We keep strengthening transparency, democratic governance and inclusion. 

Together with our partners, we have launched a multiyear improvement programme to support these efforts. 

Supporting cooperatives toward sustainable Fairtrade certification 

Oxfam has set up an independent capacitybuilding programme to help cooperatives strengthen their structures. It focuses on: 

• Stronger internal organisation and better governance 

• Greater transparency in decision-making and financial management 

• Increased participation of women and young people 

• Support toward Fairtrade recertification or longterm alignment with international fair trade principles 

This is not a one-off measure, but a long-term commitment, tailored to the reality of producers who continue growing coffee under extremely difficult conditions.