概要

This paper reviews the role of the Fairtrade system, Starbucks’ CAFÉ Practices Program, and other ‘trade justice’ campaigns (largely clustered around the Oxfam coffee campaign), in transforming supply chain governance to empower marginalised workers and producers in the coffee sector. The research draws on interview and focus group data, largely from coffee producing communities and other actors in the Nicaraguan coffee industry, and a number from industry participants in the UK and USA. The analysis finds that whilst the initiatives have contributed to improving the material well-being of marginalised groups, they have had limited scope in institutionalising principles of empowerment within governance systems. It is concluded that systemic revaluation will be necessary if justice is to be globalised within the coffee supply chain, leading to consistent empowerment outcomes.