Our Mission

GFI's mission is to promote a more equitable and sustainable world for all people.

As the 20th century came to a close, many of the benefits of international trade and investment were becoming clear: unprecedented economic prosperity, the spread of democracy, improvements in education, and greater equality for women around the world. But the same system that created such wealth and opportunity for some left many shut out, further widening the gulf between rich and poor and often forcing governments to change their approach to protecting labor rights and the environment, without earning support from their citizens for those changes.

The Global Fairness Initiative was created in 2002 to extend the benefits of the global economy to all; to raise living standards for people living in poor countries and marginalized groups; and to foster healthy middle classes in all nations. We accomplish our mission by identifying and supporting innovative and successful initiatives that create and equitably distribute wealth and promote healthy, sustainable living. Because international trade and finance rules and institutions play such important roles in the creation and distribution of wealth, much of our work concentrates on the circumstances surrounding trade and investment negotiations and implementation.

To that end, GFI works to:

Identify and Promote Better Economic Models: We find and nurture successful, scalable, and replicable models of development, investment, and trade.
Forge Critical Relationships between Key Stakeholders: We work with people in the highest levels of government, media, business, and civil society to create networks essential for grassroots leaders to enhance the livelihoods of poor and marginalized people.
Enrich the Lives of the Working Poor: We are guided by the ideas and opportunities that come from our partners in poor and marginalized communities. This approach to defining our work program ensures the involvement of the most important stakeholder -- people living and working in poor communities.
Capitalize on Global Opportunities: We capitalize on key political opportunities to create new and better opportunities for wealth creation.
Bridge Gaps: We specialize in facilitating discussion among key stakeholders – often when direct dialogue is either not possible or has depleted good will. We know how to find practical solutions to the challenges brought about by globalization.

“GFI is taking the globalization debate beyond polemics, fostering productive dialogue and advancing revolutionary approaches to the challenges arising from global trade and development. In an increasingly interdependent world, it is vital that we leave no voice unheard and no inequity unchallenged.”
GFI Board Chair William Jefferson Clinton