Knowldege-Building Series
The Knowledge-Building Series is part of the Innovation Pilot, supporting public buyers with their commitments on human rights and modern slavery using a worker-driven approach. Learn more about the Knowledge-Building Series.
The first webinar, on October 1, explores risks to workers in the banana industry.
Banana workers at risk: Addressing human rights risks to banana workers from a public procurement perspective
Date: Tuesday, 1st October 2024
Time: 11:00-12:30 CEST /10:00-11:30 BST
In this webinar, we are pleased to welcome Banana Link to share their insights, expertise and advice for public buyers. We will unpack the banana supply chain, exploring how the banana industry works and the rights violations banana workers face. We will also explain certifications such as Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and organic, and how they operate.
Why is Electronics Watch interested in bananas?
We are launching an Innovation Pilot to strengthen and expand our impact model, beginning with Knowledge Building webinars on specific high-risk sectors - including bananas. The webinars will raise awareness among public buyers, helping them understand risks to workers and contribute to positive change in these sectors. This is a free taster session, open to all interested public buyers.
Bananas are the most traded and one of the most consumed fruits in the world. Public buyers spend millions in purchasing bananas for schools, hospitals, care facilities, municipalities and other facilities. But the men and women who work on banana plantations, and who pack and transport bananas, are amongst the most exploited workers in the world.
A briefing note will be shared with the participants after the webinar, with advice on how they can use their leverage and engage with their suppliers to drive change in this sector.
About Banana Link
Banana Link has been working in the banana sector for over 20 years, developing deep expertise and supporting workers around the world. It has influenced the way bananas are traded on the global market by helping to establish the Global Banana Forum, working with large and small retailers, suppliers and producers to drive changes in working and living conditions of workers in the banana supply chain. It works closely with trade unions and worker organisations around the world to support their efforts in organising workers and securing collective bargaining agreements.