FLA announces 2027 Fair Labor Global Summit at July board meeting 

On July 15, 2026, the Fair Labor Association (FLA) hosted its summer virtual board meeting, welcoming more than 140 representatives from FLA’s Business, Labor and Civil Society, and University Caucuses, and announced the details of the 2027 Fair Labor Global Summit. 

In his introductory remarks, CEO and President Jeff Vockrodt welcomed attendees and reflected on the value of building a diverse coalition to address labor issues across all tiers of the supply chain. 

“FLA provides a place where peers who are building their human rights work around a set of concrete standards can come together, supported by expert staff, to navigate economic volatility, shipping disruptions, shifting and fragmented regulations, trade instability, and a whole host of things that make this work challenging. Working with peers to think about how to advance [labor rights] and how to focus on what matters most is really valuable,” said Vockrodt. 

The 2027 Fair Labor Global Summit 

In a key announcement, FLA leaders shared that next year’s Fair Labor Global Summit, FLA’s annual flagship event, will take place from June 1-3, 2027, in Montreal, Canada at McGill University – a member of the University Caucus. This marks the first time the summit has been held at a university campus, celebrating the important contributions of universities and collegiate licensees in advancing workers’ rights around the globe. 

During the event, members, stakeholders, and staff will convene for three days of educational panel sessions, workshops, and networking, and exchange ideas on how to address today’s most pressing labor issues. More information will be shared in the coming months, including a save-the-date this September.   

FLA welcomes two new board members 

The board of directors bid farewell to Irit Tamir from Oxfam America, who served on the board from 2019-2026 and held a seat on the agriculture committee. Reflecting on her experience, Tamir shared, “I’m so pleased that we have increased union representation, both on the Labor and Civil Society Caucus, and on the board. It’s so critical, and I think it’s what is going to make FLA continue to be strong and to do the right thing for workers.” She continued, “It’s been wonderful to see multi-stakeholder dialogue in action. I believe in it, I think it’s the way that we will solve problems in this world.” 

The board also welcomed two new members: Policy and Advocacy Specialist at Oxfam Canada, Nirvana Mujtaba, representing the Labor and Civil Society Caucus, as well as Global Human Rights Programmes Director at L’Oréal, Manon Deswarte, who holds the non-voting Business Caucus seat.  

“I think FLA’s tripartite structure, bringing together businesses, civil society, and universities in one continuous conversation, is quite exceptional and rare – and so is its ability to turn different vantage points into shared progress and to convene different voices around the table,” said Deswarte. 

L’Oréal Groupe achieves Milestone 1 towards Fair Labor Accreditation and four new member organizations join FLA 

The board recognized that FLA member L’Oréal Groupe has achieved Milestone 1 in the agriculture Fair Labor Accreditation program. This is a significant accomplishment that demonstrates its continuous commitment to working towards ensuing fair labor practices in its coconut supply chain in the Philippines. 

Highlights of L’Oréal Groupe’s Milestone 1 recognition include strong senior management commitment, responsible procurement practices, capacity-building for suppliers, and collaborative remediation. The full report is now available on our website. 

Continuing to celebrate FLA’s members, the board recognized the five new organizations that have joined since the 2026 March Fair Labor Global Summit: 

• Bentley University, a member of the University Caucus;
• dsm-firmenich, a member of the Business Caucus, which is pursuing Fair Labor Accreditation for its agricultural supply chain; 
• Labour Education Foundation, a member of the Labor and Civil Society Caucus;
• Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), a member of the Labor and Civil Society Caucus; and
• Supply Trace, a member of the Labor and Civil Society Caucus.

International regulatory updates 

With today’s regulatory landscape constantly shifting, FLA invited two experts, Special Counsel at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, Josh Kagan and Vice President and Cofounder of Shift Project, Rachel Duffy, to share briefings. They discussed key legislation affecting members and affiliates and shaping global labor rights, including U.S. tariffs; the CSDDD and due diligence legislation from the EU; and international forced labor legislation. 

Approving an agriculture assessor and committee seats 

The board approved several new appointments during the meeting, including a new agriculture assessor based in Vietnam, who will be conducting on-site visits to farms and supplier facilities as part of the Fair Labor Accreditation process. They also voted to confirm: 

• Archana Archana as a member of the communications committee; 
• Nancy Donaldson as the chair of the manufacturing committee; 
• Rakesh Narayana as a member of the agriculture committee; and 
• Sandra Claassen as an agriculture committee co-chair.  

Future FLA board meetings and events 

Finally, FLA leaders shared dates for the following upcoming events: 

• October 22, 2026: Virtual board meeting 
• November 10-11, 2026: The first-ever Fair Labor Regional Forum, taking place in El Salvador 
• March 17, 2027: Virtual board meeting 
• June 1-3, 2027: The Fair Labor Global Summit in Montreal, Canada 
• October 20, 2027: Virtual board meeting