Fairtrade Foundation wins Queen’s Award for Enterprise and calls on more brands and retailers to join a growing social movement
The Fairtrade Foundation is delighted to be awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Sustainable Development category.
The award is a tribute to the hard work and entrepreneurialism of tens of thousands of producers in developing countries and the UK public who see Fairtrade goods as a fantastic way of addressing global trade injustice and poverty. Increasingly companies and retailers agree and are giving shoppers what they want in greater numbers.
The Fairtrade Foundation was cited in the Queen’s Award notification as ‘making a tangible difference to the livelihood and quality of life of local communities within some of the world’s poorest regions and is an outstanding demonstration of the benefit which sustainable consumerism has on communities across the globe’.
Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation, said: ‘The Fairtrade movement has at its heart a determination to tackle the unjust trade rules and powerful commodity markets that have helped plunge billions of small scale farmers, workers and their communities into poverty. By opening markets and setting fairer trade rules, Fairtrade is enabling communities to build sustainable communities. Fairtrade has the power to tip the balance in favour of hard pressed farmers in the southern hemisphere which is why we call on retailers and brands not currently in the Fairtrade system to join this growing movement.
‘This award is recognition from the very top that there is a fairer way of doing business. Winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise will spur us on to take sales to an even greater level, opening further opportunities for producer organisations to build a better future.’
Fairtrade has grown into a powerful consumer force. Estimated sales in 1998 were just £16m. Today they stand at £800m. There are over 470 Fairtrade towns in the UK and Garstang, in Lancashire, the town that kickstarted this movement, celebrates its 10th anniversary this weekend.
Alex Yeboah-Afari, a board member of the Fairtrade Foundation and the African Fairtrade Network, said: ‘This award is a compliment to the progress of Fairtrade. For the producers, it is an acknowledgement that Fairtrade can open the doors to sustainable development.’
Sainsbury’s chief executive, Justin King, said: ‘Very few organisations can claim to have made as big a difference to some of the world’s poorest communities as the Fairtrade Foundation. We are the world’s largest Fairtrade retailer and a supporter of the brand since it was launched 15 years ago. We would like to congratulate the Fairtrade Foundation for achieving this richly deserved and prestigious award and look forward to working even more closely with them in the future.’
Peter Marks, Group Chief Executive, The Co-operative Group, commented: ‘The Co-operative has championed the FAIRTRADE Mark since its inception and has worked closely with the Fairtrade Foundation to help the UK become one of the largest Fairtrade markets in the world. We’d like to offer our congratulations to the Fairtrade Foundation on receiving this prestigious award, which is truly well deserved, and we hope that this will help build further public awareness of Fairtrade and the many benefits it brings to growers in developing countries.’
Darcy Willson-Rymer, managing director, Starbucks Coffee Company UK: ‘The Queen’s Award is a great achievement for the Fairtrade Foundation, which is the most recognised and highly-respected ethical standard in the UK. Whilst ethical sourcing has always been one of Starbucks core values, we’re very proud of our move to 100% Fairtrade certified espresso and the positive impact it’s having on the lives of coffee farmers in developing countries.’
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Eileen Maybin
Head of Media Relations
020 7440 7686/07770 957 451
eileen.maybin@fairtrade.org.uk
Martine Julseth
Media and PR Manager
020 7440 7695/07825 827 791
martine.julseth@fairtrade.org.uk
Faith Mall
Media and PR Manager
020 7440 8597/07766 504 947
faith.mall@fairtrade.org.uk
Neil Martin
Assistant Press Officer
020 7440 7620
neil.martin@fairtrade.org.uk
Notes to Editors
1. The FAIRTRADE Mark is a certification mark and a registered trademark of Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) of which the Fairtrade Foundation is the UK member. The Fairtrade Foundation is an independent certification body which licenses the use of the FAIRTRADE Mark on products which meet international Fairtrade standards. This independent consumer label is now recognised by 72% of UK consumers and appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged producers are getting a better deal. Today, more than 7.5 million people – farmers, workers and their families – across 58 developing countries benefit from the international Fairtrade system.
2. Over 4,500 products have been licensed to carry the FAIRTRADE Mark including coffee, tea, herbal teas, chocolate, cocoa, sugar, bananas, grapes, pineapples, mangoes, avocados, apples, pears, plums, grapefruit, lemons, oranges, satsumas, clementines, mandarins, lychees, coconuts, dried fruit, juices, smoothies, biscuits, cakes & snacks, honey, jams & preserves, chutney & sauces, rice, quinoa, herbs & spices, seeds, nuts & nut oil, wines, beers, rum, confectionary, muesli, cereal bars, yoghurt, ice-cream, flowers, sports balls, sugar body scrub and cotton products including clothing, homeware, cloth toys, cotton wool and olive oil.
3. 9 in 10 households purchase Fairtrade goods, including an extra 1.3 million more households in 2009, helping Fairtrade sales reach an estimated £800m in 2009, a 12% increase on the previous year.