Aberdeenshire Council has become only the second Scottish local authority to recognise the latest definition of Fair Trade.
A new international charter has been agreed by the world’s two largest Fair Trade organisations.
The worldwide movement is a way of ensuring farmers earn fair prices for products and improving workers’ rights and working conditions.
The World Fair Trade Organisation and Fairtrade International’s new document is better aligned with UN work on inequality, gender rights and climate change.
The region has been appointed a Fair Trade zone until 2020 and towns and villages including Stonehaven, Inverurie, Alford, Huntly, Mid Formartine and Peterhead and Buchan have earned Fair Trade status.
A number of the area’s schools have also signed up to the cause.
Only Renfrewshire Council was ahead of Aberdeenshire in recognising the new International Fair Trade Charter.
Chairman of Aberdeenshire Council’s sustainability committee Colin Pike said: “Pledging support for the new charter further demonstrates the council’s commitment to the global Fair Trade movement.
“As a sustainability committee and a council, we fully endorse the aims and refreshed vision for Fair Trade in the ever-changing world we live in, and in line with our Environment and Climate Change Policy.”
Vice chairwoman Isobel Davidson said: “Aberdeenshire Council has been committed to the Fair Trade movement for a number of years now in various capacities.
“Pledging our support for this new International Charter is a further demonstration of our continued advocacy going forward.”