Sector Engagement at Fruit Attraction and the World Banana Forum
GIZ representatives of the German Retailer Working Group were actively involved in this year’s Fruit Attraction, taking place during September 30th – October 2nd in Madrid, as well as in the Steering Committee Meeting of the World Banana Forum on October 3rd. They engaged directly with key supply chain partners and sector associations, with central discussions focusing on responsible purchasing practices.
Engaging with important stakeholders at Fruit Attraction
Participating in the 2025 Fruit Attraction offered a strategic platform for the Working Group to strengthen collaboration and exchange across the banana sector. Throughout the event, GIZ representatives engaged with relevant stakeholders of the project, including banana traders and producers, sector representatives, as trade unions. Among the key topics discussed was the European alignment on the payment of voluntary financial contributions. The direct exchange allowed GIZ to gather valuable feedback from supply chain partners, which provided deeper insights into their perspective on calculating, paying, and distributing voluntary contributions.
In addition, GIZ, together with Aldi South and REWE / Eurogroup as representatives of the working group, met with multiple sector representatives to discuss project updates and developments in the sector. The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) joined some of these meetings to present and discuss the planned joint project on assessing the retailers’ purchasing practices.
Contribution to the Multistakeholder Panel of the World Banana Forum
During Fruit Attraction, GIZ contributed to the Multistakeholder Panel Discussion “Fair Distribution of Value: A path towards Shared Responsibility”, organized by the World Banana Forum (WBF) on October 2nd. The discussion addressed the transition from voluntary due diligence to mandatory regulatory frameworks, with a key focus on accountability related to living wages, decent work, gender equity, and environmental sustainability.
Among the speakers were different representatives of producer associations, emphasizing the increasing cost pressures on producers, the challenges of meeting compliance requirements, and the importance of shared responsibility for living wages and sustainability. GIZ highlighted the need for locally recognized solutions to strengthen social dialogue and collaboration with national labour authorities and noted that long-term improvements require market actors to recognize and reward sustainability efforts.
Steering Committee Meeting at World Banana Forum
Alongside WBF’s panel discussion at Fruit Attraction, GIZ participated in the 29th meeting of the WBF Steering Committee on October 3rd. In preparation, an online session of the Commission on Living Wages and Income within the WBF Working Group 02 on the Distribution of Value was held on September 24th, in which ETI introduced the planned joint activity on Responsible Purchasing Practices. The stakeholder feedback will be used to further shape the scope and design of the planned assessments of the retailers’ purchasing practices.
GIZ further proposed the establishment of an independent expert institution to analyse criteria for exceptions within the collection and verification of wage data to support a risk-based approach. The proposal received positive feedback by the stakeholders and will be discussed again in the World Banana Forum.
The events and exchanges underscored the importance of strengthening sector-wide inclusion and cooperation to address shared challenges across banana supply chains. With the gathered feedback and insights from the sector, the Working Group is now integrating them into their ongoing work to ensure that future activities reflect the shared priorities and expectations of all stakeholders.