Wednesday, 28 January 2015

New Living Wage Benchmark for Kenya

Fairtrade is pleased to co-publish a fourth regional living wage study that sets a new living wage benchmark for the Naivasha region of Kenya. The study estimates living wage in comparison to wages paid in the flower sector in semi-urban Naivasha. The benchmark will also be adapted to set a living wage level for rural Kenya.

The report has been co-funded with UTZ Certified and Sustainable Agriculture Network/Rainforest Alliance (SAN/RA). Fairtrade, UTZ and SAN/RA collaborate on the living wage topic together with other members of the ISEAL Alliance of standard setting organisations, GoodWeave and Forest Stewardship Council, and with Social Accountability International. The research was carried out by Richard and Martha Anker.

Setting benchmarks is just a start. Fairtrade has also embarked on a project, co-funded by the Dutch Institute for Sustainable Trade, to make progress towards living wage in the East African flower sector, together with Dutch development NGO HIVOS and sustainability initiative Fair Flowers Fair Plants.
Fairtrade has a number of other region-specific living wage projects on the go, and is working with local trade unions to support them in the collective bargaining process. 

Read the living wage report for Naivasha region, Kenya here
For a further overview of Fairtrade's work in living wage, please click here and see Oxfam’s issue briefing 'Steps towards a living wage in global supply chains'.

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