EquiTrade 2026 - From Awareness to Decision-Making

HEPH–Condorcet’s Charleroi campus is preparing a new edition of its flagship EquiTrade programme for Fair Trade Week 2026. Building on two editions focused on awareness-raising and understanding fair-trade challenges, the 2026 programme marks a decisive shift: placing students at the centre of economic decision-making. Launched in 2024 within the Department of Economic Sciences in Charleroi, EquiTrade has developed into a structured and innovative learning initiative.

Previous editions involved the co-creation of a Fair Trade Canvas and a Mock COP-style international negotiation exercise. In 2026, the programme will go further by training students to balance fairness, sustainability and competitiveness in realistic decision-making contexts. 

The programme is built around three complementary pillars: 

• The Fair Trade Canvas, a visual learning tool co-developed by students to explore production conditions, certification schemes, critical supply chains, social and environmental impacts, regulation and responsible consumption.
• The EquiTrade Mock COP, an immersive simulation in which students represent governments, businesses and NGOs in international negotiations. The activity develops argumentation, diplomacy and an understanding of global governance.
• The EquiTrade Decision Lab, the main innovation of the 2026 edition. 

Working in groups, students will develop market-entry strategies for emblematic fair-trade products such as coffee, cocoa, bananas or textiles. They will weigh producer remuneration, certification, sustainability, marketing and competitiveness, before presenting and testing their strategies with a public or jury. This practical exercise will also examine price acceptance, consumer perceptions of value and the role of narrative and communication in encouraging responsible purchasing decisions. The programme will run over several weeks. Preparatory workshops and an update of the Fair Trade Canvas are scheduled for 21 and 28 September. 

The official opening ceremony will take place on 5 October at the Charleroi campus, featuring a keynote on fair-trade issues at European and international level. From 7 to 17 October, Fair Trade Week will include an interactive exhibition, participatory workshops and Mock COP presentations. 

Meetings with experts and partners, including SPW Wallonia Sustainable Development, Ethiquable Benelux and Oxfam-Magasins du Monde, will follow on 9 and 16 November. The closing ceremony on 23 November will showcase the EquiTrade Decision Lab and open a dialogue on the future of fair trade. 

EquiTrade is primarily aimed at students in the Bachelor’s programme in International Business and the Department of Economic, Legal and Management Sciences. It will also welcome engineering students and the wider public during selected activities.