Driving Better Business: Reflections from the 10th Anniversary of the Ethical Trade Forums

On Thursday 12th June we were proud to attend the 10th Anniversary of the Ethical Trade Forums (Foros Comercio Ético) in Murcia, Spain. The event is a major milestone event in the Spanish agri-food calendar.

Titled “10 Years of the Ethical Trade Forums: Corporate Social Responsibility is Everyone’s Business”. This year’s event celebrated a decade of collaboration, progress and purpose within the fresh produce supply chain — bringing together producers, retailers, importers and growers committed to advancing human rights, sustainability and ethical trade.

Jake Blunden, Technologist at MWW, joined Spanish colleagues Carmen Anguita (Sustainability Manager) and Chelo Cuadrado (HR Manager) from our long-standing supply partner Frutas Alhambra, in order to look ahead to the future of responsible trade for the next 10 years and beyond.

A Platform for Progress

Since launching in 2015, the Ethical Trade Forums (ETF) has grown into a platform of over 100 member organisations. What sets ETF apart from other organisations is its focus on practical action. This isn’t just a space for policy discussions, it’s also a space for producers, buyers and stakeholders to share challenges and co-create solutions that improve working conditions and drive long-term, meaningful change.

During the event, a series of panel discussions looked at how far the sector has come since 2015 and what where it must go next. Key topics included:

• The evolution of ethical trade legislation and the real-world impact on labour conditions

• How transparency and collaboration in Corporate Social Responsibility can speed up sector-wide change.

• The role of ethical leadership in today’s fast-moving global marketplace

• Delivering measurable improvements for local workers and communities

Connecting Climate and Human Rights

Attendees were also given the chance to explore hot topics in specialist workshops. One of which was the “Connecting Climate, Resources, and Environmental Human Rights”, which Jake took part in. The workshop explored how environmental and social issues increasingly overlap in today’s world and why businesses must take responsibility for both.

The session reinforced the need for agri-food companies to understand the wider consequences of how and where we source our food from. It also highlighted how environmental practices can’t be divorced from the wellbeing of the people and communities involved in production.

A Shared Responsibility, A Shared Future

For MWW, the ETF is a space that echoes our core values of fairness, transparency, partnership, and a drive for continuous improvement. We’re proud to work with suppliers like Frutas Alhambra who take these values seriously and champion them at every level of their operations.

As we reflect on this important event, we’re reminded that ethical trade is everyone’s business. It’s not just about policies or audits, it’s about people. The people who pick, pack, manage and transport our food, and whose rights, safety and dignity must always come first.

We’ll continue to support forums like ETF and the good work they do, and we’ll continue doing our part to uphold responsible trade practices throughout our supply chain.

Here’s to another ten years of collaboration, courage, and positive change.