The Fairtrade Foundation has appointed Dr. Nyagoy Nyong’o as the new chair of its board of trustees, succeeding Lord Mark Price, whose term ended recently.
Nyong'o is one of the most expert and respected leaders in global Fairtrade, having served as CEO of Fairtrade Africa for seven years, then global CEO of Fairtrade International until 2022. Earlier in her career she was also an auditor for Flocert and has a PhD in forestry, so she has in-depth knowledge of Fairtrade, global supply chains and the impacts of the climate crisis.
Nyong'o, a Kenyan by nationality, was born and brought up by a mother who was a small-scale farmer. Witnessing the struggles she bore, she quickly became a skilled and passionate advocate for the rights of farming communities.
Working from Kenya, Nyong'o will take up her role on October 1, and plans regular visits to the UK, ensuring that the Fairtrade Foundation’s efforts are clearly focused on what matters to farmers and workers, their needs, and ambitions.
Nyong’o said: “I am delighted to take this opportunity to steer the future of Fairtrade in the UK. Having worked with Fairtrade for a long time, we have a vision for Fairtrade to get closer to producers, and for the decision-making and leadership to be increasingly driven from the global South. This is what gives Fairtrade authenticity with the public, but also what enables Fairtrade to be such an impactful partner with companies, as no other ethical label is so closely rooted in the reality of producers’ experience.”
With Nyong'o's appointment, after 12 years as CEO Michael Gidney has decided that now is the right time to move on. He will be leaving Fairtrade at the end of the year and taking up a new role, which will be announced shortly.
During Gidney's tenure, he skillfully steered the Fairtrade Foundation to ensure that Fairtrade in the UK is now firmly on the agenda. The Fairtrade Mark is the most recognized and trusted ethical label in the UK, with 92% awareness and 88% trust among those who recall seeing the Mark, according to Globescan. Fairtrade is most strongly associated with paying a fair price to producers and enabling farmers to invest into their communities and futures. British people have stood by Fairtrade, despite economic difficulties, generating £28m in Fairtrade Premium in 2023 alone. Thanks to Fairtrade’s committed and valuable partners who share its ambition for a fairer and more sustainable food system, retail sales volumes of cocoa grew by 6% and tea by 5% in 2023 alone. Meanwhile, Fairtrade Foundation income grew 11% year on year in 2023 to £13.4m.
Gidney says: “There is never a perfect time to leave, but with Fairtrade in good shape, after 12 years as CEO, it feels like the right moment, and an exciting time for my successor to shape the next phase of the Fairtrade Foundation’s future.
“In our 30th year we have much to celebrate, and we know what’s needed for transformational change. We have an innovative agenda for scaling up, through pre-competitive collaboration, starting with Shared Impact, which will shift entire markets. We are working ever more closely with our producer partners—and we are as ambitious for lasting change as we were on Day 1.
“If Fairtrade has demonstrated anything, it is the power that individuals have—on farms, in businesses, in communities across the UK and supported by the brilliant team at the Fairtrade Foundation—to make a difference. That is what we are celebrating this Fairtrade Fortnight, with our call to everyone across the country to Be the Change," Gidney finishes.
