The Foundation is all about self-determination; we help communities to structure their ideas and concepts before evolving business activities, support them in developing ideas into robust business plans and help identify skills gaps – potential barriers to success, and business opportunities - potential drivers for success. But it’s the gaps and opportunities that we focus on.

Working with smallholder producer organisations and communities, education institutions and local specialist organisations we develop programmes for learning at all levels. We ensure that our development work respects and reflects the cultural sensitivities of the community in which it is set. Whether based in rural farming areas of the developing world or with deprived urban areas in the UK, our projects are tailor made to ensure that local people both initiate and own the process.

Our Trustees

Martin Meteyard - Chairperson

Martin Meteyard is one of the pioneers of fair trade in the UK. He helped to set up Equal Exchange in the late 1980s and his work has focussed mainly on the co-operative movement for the last 25 years.  Martin was Chairperson of Cafédirect from 1998 to 2005 and oversaw its public share issue. He has chaired a number of conferences of the international fair trade organisation IFAT (now WFTO) and is also a board member of Zaytoun.  

Duncan White - Company Secretary

Duncan was a member of the senior management team of Twin and Twin Trading for 10 years until 2007. He was part of the team that set up Divine Chocolate, then launched and directed AgroFair UK, the fair trade fruit company, before leading the successful launch , the 100% Fairtrade small farmer owned nut company. Duncan also worked overseas with VSO and Christian Aid in Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone. A trained chartered accountant, Duncan today works as an independent consultant.

Kate Sebag

Kate is a founder of the Fairtrade dried fruit and cereal bar brand Tropical Wholefoods. She is the Marketing and Sales Director of Fullwell Mill, the company which now owns the Tropical Wholefoods brand. Kate lived and worked in Uganda in the early 1990s working with farmer suppliers into Tropical Wholefoods. She has also worked in Burkina Faso on dried mango supply chains. Kate was a fundraiser for the UK development charity Tools for Self Reliance in the early 1990s, and before that worked at the International Institute for Environment and Development

 Albert Tucker

Albert is a leading figure in the Fairtrade movement, community regeneration and sustainable development, and a trusted advocate for poor small-scale farmers in global trade and policy. He has had a strong track record with leading charitable development funders in the UK, and sits on the Boards of the City Parochial Foundation, Comic Relief and the BIG Lottery. He also has strong media experience as well as over 20 years experience of Senior Management roles in the public and private sector.