Retailers and Living Income: From Transaction to Transformation

In this one-hour session, the Living Income Community of Practice (LICOP) explored how retailers are rethinking their role in advancing living income for smallholder farmers. 

Drawing on insights from existing retailer coalitions, like the German Retailers Working Group on Living Income and Living Wages, coordinated by GZ, this session reflected on how these initiatives have approached influencing change across complex commodity systems. 

We discussed how retailers are navigating the balance between commercial realities, national policy contexts, and social sustainability goals—including the role of women and farmer empowerment. The conversation also looked at where collective action is most needed, and how retailers can move from transactional sourcing models toward becoming key drivers of systemic change for income improvement across their supply chains.