This Fairtrade Month, we celebrate what makes our partnership with Fairtrade so special: our commitment to sourcing from cooperatives that prioritize the social and economic inclusion of women coffee farmers.  Our work together is a purposeful choice that seeks to help address deep-rooted challenges within the coffee industry.

Through our close collaboration with Fairtrade representatives on the ground, we work to identify cooperatives that actively support and uplift women farmers. These representatives have deep connections within farming communities and help us ensure that we’re sourcing from organizations that provide tangible opportunities for women—such as access to resources, leadership roles, and equal economic opportunities.

In many regions globally, women coffee farmers struggle to access the same opportunities, resources, and financial independence as their male counterparts. By focusing on cooperatives that uplift and empower women, we are working to break down these barriers and provide women coffee farmers with access to programs, legal structures, and the social and economic capital they need to grow their farming businesses.

Investing in women has a proven ripple effect. Research shows that when women earn income, they reinvest up to 90% of it back into their households and communities. This multiplier effect means that when we empower women coffee farmers, we are also creating positive change for entire communities - helping them to build stronger and brighter futures.

Behind every cup of &BACK Fairtrade coffee is a story of empowerment. Esther Koskei, from the Kabngetuny Farmers’Cooperative Society in Kenya, shares her pride in being able to have a bank account in her name, something that represents not only financial independence but also a shift in traditional gender roles. “I’m a proud woman, because I have an account in my name,” she says.

In Nicaragua, Lesbia Montenegro highlights the freedom and growth that coffee has brought her and countless other women. “Coffee means freedom to me and to a lot of women in Nicaragua; all of our growth is thanks to coffee.” These are two examples of the many women whose lives have been transformed through the opportunities created by Fairtrade’s efforts to prioritise gender inclusion.

By sourcing from Fairtrade cooperatives that actively support women, we are doing more than buying coffee – we are working together to help uplift women, amplify their voices, and help them to build brighter futures for themselves, their communities and their families.