The Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI) is an international alliance of companies, NGOs, and trade union organisations committed to working together to identify and promote ethical trade based on good labour standards, business ethics and corporate responsibility, promotion of worker rights and human rights in general. In employment, ethical business includes working towards the ending of child labour, forced labour, and sweatshops, looking at health and safety, labour conditions and labour rights. PLAAS, in collaboration with the Centre for Rural Legal Studies (CRLS),  embarked on a study to situate the ETI in the broader framework of fair trade initiatives and to highlight lessons learnt from its pilot programme in the South African wine industry. Andries du Toit headed the project and served as co-ordinator of the ETI inspection team. Occasional paper no. 17