Harriet Lamb - Chief Executive - Fairtrade International

FAIR invites you to meet Harriet Lamb! She accepted, for our great pleasure, to answer our questions in a bright and always funny way. The result is a very fresh and dynamic interview.

Harriet Lamb became Chief Executive of Fairtrade International on September 2012, but before that she had an extremely interesting career in fair trade. Travel to India from Latin America with her, and never lose sight of bananas! 

Let’s start with India, could you tell us more about that experience? What was the most important thing you learn?

I spent time with a project, supported by Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, working with the 'untouchables' who in those days still had to sit on the floor in tea shops and drink from separate cups, who lived in straw huts at the bottom of the village hill, and worked in the fields and homes. Mr Deval, a very wonderful local man, discovered that they had actually owned tiny plots of land. But they were so small that they were unsustainable and so all their land had been mortgaged to the money lenders. So he lent them money, they redeemed the land - and they pooled it to create a sustainable farm. Then they planted table grapes, invested in irrigation and quality. After some years, these Untouchables were earning more than anyone else in the village, they were exporting high quality grapes to the Gulf and were the first to have a tractor. They invested part of their profits in social projects - gradually building proper houses for the co-op members, or in adult education. 

"Fairtrade International"

Mostly I learnt about the mountain of difficulties running a cooperative, the constant problems of farming, exporting fresh fruit and dealing with local power politics. But I also saw how cooperatives are a way forward for smallholders, and how trade can drive transformational change if it is harnessed to social goals. Later I worked with another group seeking to preserve, or revive, traditional village ways of agriculture. So I love FAIR's commitment to quinoa from Andean communities.

Then you worked within the World Development movement, could you tell us more about this organisation?

"Matt Crossick / Fairtrade International"

The World Development Movement campaigns for change in the practices of the West rich nations which keep poor people in poverty. So we campaigned against arms sales to dictators - and I once drove a Challenger tank through the City of London to protest at the AGM of the Midland Bank. They were financing the sale of fighter jets to Indonesia, which was bombing East Timor. We campaigned for more and better aid - and we took the UK Government to court for using aid a sweetner for arms sales to Malaysia; and won. We were also campaigning for fair global trade rules, and for limits to the power of multinationals. One campaign was to allow trades unions and end the overuse of agrochemicals on banana plantations in Latin America. That's when I got hooked on Fairtrade, thinking: How can we create the living alternative which shows that trade can be fair, how can we create a bubble in international trade which shows you can put people first and still succeed commercially.

At the World Development Movement, I also learnt about how to engage ordinary people in popular campaigns. I love the fact that anyone can join in Fairtrade: it's deeply democratic. You don't have to know about global trade policy or have visited developing countries; everyone can be part of creating change - because everyone buys tea or coffee, bananas or rice - or even spirits!

Later you became Executive Director of the UK Fairtrade Foundation from 2001 to 2012. Could you present the Fairtrade Foundation to our readers?

In those days, Fairtrade was still tiny and unknown. So my job was to create awareness among the public that there problems in international trade - and that they can be part of creating change. Today 9 out of 10 people in the UK know about Fairtrade - thanks to great companies like Cafedirect or Divine Chocolate, and to the grassroots social movement which sprang up. As public support grew, so we could interest more and more companies and retailers in offering Fairtrade to their customers. So now Fairtrade is working with thousands of companies globally from dedicated brands like FAIR through to giants such as Ben & Jerrys or Tate and Lyle.

We have market-offices in over 20 countries, from France and UK to New Zealand and South Africa, where we are raising public awareness and working with companies to open doors for producers.

At Fairtrade International we set the standards for Fairtrade, and work to support the producers - now in over 70 countries. We're very proud that Fairtrade International is half-owned by the producers, which is unique among certification schemes.

You became Chief Executive Officer of Fairtrade International in 2012: what is the thing you like the most in your job? And the thing you dislike the most?

"Linus Hallgren / Fairtrade International"

I get to meet such inspiring people creating change in their communities, and fighting against all the odds - from gold miners in Tanzania to coffee farmers in Nicaragua, to cool brands like FAIR. I dislike the fact so many huge companies are today talking the talk of sustainability - but refuse to pay more to the farmers. That makes me so angry!

From the point of view of a woman at the top of a huge organization, what is your position in the debate about gender equality at work?

 I'm proud to be a feminist. We have to make it easier for women to work part-time, and personally I have never worked fulltime since I had my second child. I cannot believe how few women are at the top of companies in Europe in 2014 - or how few women farmers across the world hold the landrights while of course doing all the work on the farm. But I also meet so many dynamic women creating waves, creating change. So watch out boys!

Finally I wanted to talk about your book “Fighting the Banana Wars and Other Fairtrade Battles”, that you published in 2008. Could you sum up that experience in one word?

I believe in the power of story telling and I wanted to share the rollercoaster experience of Fairtrade. I hope it shows that you can create change - and you should never let the cynics and the doubters put you down. I got lots of help writing the book - so, cheating, in 2 words, it was hard but fun. We've just updated all the facts and figures in the latest edition. I would love to write another book - any offers? I can see myself now, sipping a glass of FAIR rum while typing....