He will take on the role from October and join other patrons, including Allegra McEvedy, the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu and Adoja Andoh, who have all lent their support to the organisation since 2010.
Hewer said: “I am delighted to take on the role of joint patron at the Fairtrade Foundation during a period of great change and opportunity, when Fairtrade has never been more important or relevant.
“Like many people, my first experience of Fairtrade was as a consumer. Picking up my bananas and coffee with that iconic mark on. Buying a Fairtrade product gives you only half the story, it’s only when you meet the farmers, and talk to them about their experiences that you fully appreciate the importance of what Fairtrade does.
“I hope that I can help encourage people to continue to carry the ethos of Fairtrade forward in the future and play their part in making fairness in trade the norm rather than the exception.
The Fairtrade Foundation will benefit from his experience of public relations and business to help drive further public engagement with Fairtrade as it continues to champion trade justice for farmers and workers who provide them with some of their favourite products from bananas to coffee to cotton.
In 2014 Hewer travelled with Fairtrade to St Lucia to in the Windward Islands to meet Fairtrade banana farmers toiling away on the slopes to grow and pack the fruit so many of us enjoy every day.
He subsequently spoke at the Fairtrade Foundation’s 20th anniversary conference and has championed many of Fairtrade’s public facing annual campaigns such as Fairtrade Fortnight.
Michael Gidney, CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation said: “We are thrilled that Nick is joining Fairtrade as a patron and we know that his support and passion for trade justice will help open doors for the Fairtrade Foundation and, we hope, fuel commitments to Fairtrade in new areas.”