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Peter McAllister

Peter McAllister

Director, Ethical Trading Initiative

Peter has spent more than 20 years engaged in international development and rights-based initiatives around the world.

He joined ETI in October 2010 after spending seven years at the Geneva-based International Cocoa Initiative (ICI), which brings together global companies involved in cocoa and chocolate, trade unions and NGOs to eliminate the worst forms of child labour and forced labour from the international cocoa industry.

At ICI, Peter earned an impressive reputation among all stakeholders in the sector for his clarity of leadership and the impact that ICI has had on the lives of many cocoa-producing families, producer policy and sourcing practices of major global brands.

Previously, he spent 13 years working in leadership roles for the international development NGO CARE, including spending prolonged spells in strategic roles India and West and Southern Africa.

Articles by

Brands, retailers and the ‘protect’ pillar: a new CSR frontier?

Three years since the UN Guiding Principles were endorsed, ETI Director Peter McAllister asks what business can do to help states exercise their duty to protect.

Labour rights in Cambodia - reflections and questions

ETI Director Peter McAllister reflects on a high level meeting with the Cambodian government and considers the labour rights questions that challenge the country’s garment sector.

Global partnership and ethical trade

ETI Director Peter McAllister on changes in the debate around how best to support development and eradicate poverty. What will a development framework that replaces the current model of western donor-driven aid look like?

Sowing the seeds of change in South Africa’s horticulture sector

ETI's Peter McAllister and Candida Barbato reflect on South African horticulture's journey towards sustainability.

A first step towards good business?

The UK government launched Good Business: Implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights last night. ETI Director Peter McAllister gives his thoughts.

You have nothing to fear but fear itself

The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights present an exciting opportunity to work together, and should not be feared, says ETI Director Peter McAllister.

Who captures the gains of global trade?

ETI Director Peter McAllister recently attended a summit on global trade in South Africa. He shares his insights in part one of a two-part blog series.

Workers are key to improving China's factories

"All companies sourcing from China must work far harder to meet their responsibilities towards the workers making their products, whatever the product."

ETI's new approach

Listen to ETI Director Peter McAllister discussing ETI's new approach to ethical trade.

The toy industry must move beyond auditing

"The key question is not whether these issues exist, but what we are all doing about them."

It's time to tackle the root causes of poor working conditions

"Creating widespread, sustainable change for workers - particularly in the current global economic climate - is a tough challenge, but it must always be our focus. I am convinced that our new approach will help us realise this."

DFID's call for pro-poor investment in Africa is timely

"Effective and credible ethical trade strategies can help generate not just more jobs at any cost, but better jobs, more stable jobs, with better wages, that will enable millions of poor and vulnerable people to lift themselves out of poverty."

Panorama's surgical probe missed a trick

"For the NHS, ethical sourcing should be just as much about protecting the people who make its equipment as it is about the patients who are treated with it."

2010: A year of change

"My first few months at ETI have provided a fantastic opportunity to learn about ETI's many strengths - not least the commitment and engagement of our membership - and to start to introduce some fresh perspectives into our thinking."