Skip to main content
Home

User Menu

  • Log in

Main menu

  • Home
  • About ETI
    • Our members
    • What we do
    • Why we exist
      • ETI's origins
    • Our impact for workers
    • Accountability
    • Funding
    • Our strategy
    • Our team
      • ETI Board members
    • Contact
  • ETI Base Code
    • 1. Employment is freely chosen
    • 2. Freedom of association
    • 3. Working conditions are safe and hygienic
    • 4. Child labour shall not be used
    • 5. Living wages are paid
    • 6. Working hours are not excessive
    • 7. No discrimination is practiced
    • 8. Regular employment is provided
    • 9. No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed
  • Programmes
  • Join ETI
  • Training
    • All courses
    • Human rights essentials
    • E-learning module: Access to remedy principles
    • Bespoke training
  • Resources
    • Case studies
  • Issues
    • Gender equity
      • Violence and harrassment
      • Gender data initiative
      • Gender equality - international standards
      • Gender equality - resources
    • Homeworkers
    • COVID-19
    • Grievance mechanisms & remedy
    • Union rights at work
    • Due diligence
      • ETI’s work on human rights due diligence
        • ETI’s work in Pakistan
        • Pakistan, labour rights resources
      • Resources on human rights due diligence
    • Company purchasing practices
      • Working conditions in the Leicester garment industry
    • A living wage for workers
      • Living wage initiatives
      • Living wage resources
      • Living wage standards
      • Wages and purchasing theories
    • Modern slavery
      • Modern slavery and transparency standards
      • Modern slavery initiatives
      • Modern slavery resources
      • Modern slavery evaluation framework
    • Public procurement & responsible business
    • Migrant workers
    • Business and human rights in India
    • Child labour
    • HIV at work
    • Ethical trade and fairtrade
  • Blog
  • Events

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. blog

ETI terminates Fyffes’ membership (#Statement 8)

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Jane Moyo
  • 25 March 2019

25 March 2019: At its 21st March meeting, ETI’s Board decided to terminate Fyffes’ membership of ETI. Fyffes has been suspended from ETI since May 2017.

Fyffes’ initial suspension followed formal complaints made under ETI’s complaints procedure by the NGO Banana Link and the International Union of Foodworkers (IUF) in March 2016. These concerned the treatment of workers at an associate company of Fyffes in Honduras – the Fyffes Suragroh farm business.

During its suspension, Fyffes was encouraged to develop and implement solutions to the aspects of the complaint that were upheld, namely the right of farm workers to be represented by a union of their choice.

However, the decision to finally terminate membership followed the ending of a flagged 60-day period.

This period included a joint mission to Honduras of a high-level ex-senior executive from a corporate and a trade union representative. This was aimed at agreeing a meaningful way forward that would include engagement with local workers’ representatives.

Regretfully, ETI’s Board decided that despite these efforts and ETI’s long-running engagement with the issue, Fyffes was still failing to resolve the substantive concerns raised.

The Board therefore concluded that they had no option but to terminate Fyffes’ membership.

ETI’s Director, Peter McAllister said: “ETI recognises that in the real world of global supply chains there will be times where there is a specific problem or dispute involving one or more ETI member companies.

“Typically, these are addressed through a mediation process with solutions agreed and implemented between concerned parties.

“Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, this has not happened in this case.”

ETI expectations

Peter McAllister pointed out that when companies join ETI, they commit to implementing its Base Code, an internationally recognised code of good labour practices. They also commit to a process of continuous improvement.

“We recognise that in many locations, workers do not enjoy the full rights described in ETI’s Base Code.

“It’s why we work with business to motivate companies to behave ethically to the benefit of workers in their supply chains and to improve their performance over a period of time.

“While our expectations are high, where possible we seek to promote engagement and reach practical collaborative solutions, rather than find fault.

“But, our processes allow ETI to act if there is insufficient progress, as has happened here.

“Yet clearly, when such mediation fails, no-one is a winner,” said Peter McAllister.

Fyffes has a right of appeal and that may be exercised within a period of 28 days. Meanwhile, ETI hopes that Fyffes can act on the recommendations made by the high-level mission and ensure a commitment to a system of mature industrial relations at its subsidiary in Honduras.

Links to previous updates

  • #Statement 7, 8 November 2018: Update on dispute between Fyffes and Honduran plantation workers.
  • #Statement 6 (this includes one update to the text), 7 December 2017: Fyffes suspension from ETI.
  • #Statement 5, 18 September 2017: Fyffes suspension from ETI – ETI board update.
  • #Statement 4 (this includes one update to the text), 12 June 2017: Update on Fyffes suspension from ETI.
  • #Statement 3, 5 May 2017: Fyffes ETI membership – May 2017 Board meeting decision.
  • #Statement 2 (this includes five updates to the text), 30 November 2016: Update on a dispute between Fyffes and Honduran plantation workers.
  • #Statement 1, 12 February 2016: Our response to the GMB Union’s call for multinational fruit company Fyffes to be expelled from ETI.

 

The photograph at the top of the page is a generic image of a melon field courtesy of Shutterstock. It does not refer to the Fyffes' plantation.

ETI's blog covers issues at the intersection of business and human rights. We feature posts by, for and from our members and allies; we do not accept or offer payment for posts or publish content outside of these criteria. We welcome a range of insights and opinions from our guest bloggers, though don't necessarily agree with everything they say.

Stay up to date

Stay up to date with the latest from ETI via the following channels:
  • Email
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Blog RSS

Related content

  • Exploitation of migrant labour in the UK Seasonal Agriculture Workers’ Scheme
  • Migrant worker exploitation in UK agriculture: ETI statement
  • Labour rights abuses on Kenyan avocado farm: update
  • Strawberry fair? Safeguarding women workers on Moroccan farms
  • Covid-19 awareness & prevention webinar for Africa agri-business sites
  • COVID-19 outbreak resource pack for African agricultural suppliers (English)

Get the latest

Subscribe to our email newsletters and stay up to speed on ethical trade.
Subscribe

ETI elsewhere

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Footer

  • ETI Community
  • Accessibility
  • Contact
  • FAQ
  • Jobs at ETI
  • Press resources
  • Privacy
Other ETIs: Denmark, Norway, Sweden
Ethical Trading Initiative | Registered No. 3578127