Fair Farms Training and Certification Program

The Fair Farms Standard

The Fair Farms Standard is an industry-owned standard describing fair and responsible employment practices that, if implemented by a participant, provide assurance (through a third-party audit) that the participant employs and treats workers in a fair and responsible manner. This assurance includes that:

• (a) the participant engages and remunerates their staff in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws, rules and Awards relating to fair work and immigration laws;
• (b) the participant understands and appropriately discharges their responsibilities towards workers engaged through third-parties (labour hire providers);
• (c) the participant ensures a safe work environment and, where applicable, legally compliant and reasonable standards of on-farm accommodation for workers; and
• (d) the participant follows an approach of zero-tolerance towards any form of forced labour, bonded labour or any form of modern slavery.

The Fair Farms Standard has been developed by Growcom in consultation with growers and other members of the fresh produce supply chain, industry representative bodies, technical experts, trade unions, representatives of the major Australian retailers (supermarket chains) and the Fair Work Ombudsman. The Fair Farms Standard is founded on the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base Code and upon the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO). The Standard will be continuously reviewed and updated in accordance with the consultation process set out below.