Who actually holds decision-making power in global supply chains? Do co-operatives ensure fairer working conditions? And can fair trade genuinely help reduce inequalities between the global North and South? These are just some of the questions explored by students at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, as part of the project ‘Power Dynamics between the Global North and South: The Case of Fair Trade Policies’ (Operational Programme for the Implementation of the European Cohesion Policy Programme for the period 2021–2027, Problem-based learning for students in the workplace: the economy, the non-economic sector and the voluntary sector in the local/regional context 2024–2027). The students presented their findings to the wider public and opened up a space for discussion on the social, economic and political dimensions of fair trade.

At the public presentation, they summarised the key findings of the research they had carried out in pairs as part of the project. They introduced visitors to various aspects of global inequalities and power relations, and highlighted how these are reflected in the day-to-day operations of companies, co-operatives and international supply chains.

The presentation focused on the position of workers and their opportunities to participate in decision-making, the challenges of migrant labour in Italian agriculture, and the role of co-operatives and alternative business models in establishing fairer economic relations. Using specific examples, the students also highlighted the differences between workers’ formally guaranteed rights and their actual implementation in practice.

Of particular interest was a critical examination of fair trade and the co-operative movement. The presentations raised questions about whether such models can genuinely reduce inequalities, how power is distributed within them, and what opportunities employees have for co-decision-making. The students linked their findings to specific examples of organisations they had learnt about through their project work, and highlighted the importance of transparency, worker involvement and social responsibility.

The presentations offered an insight into the complexity of global economic relations, while also encouraging reflection on what fair trade means in practice and how we, as individuals, organisations and society, can contribute to fairer relations. The public presentation also served as an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of more responsible consumption, fairer economic relations and inclusive forms of work organisation.