Fairtrade Foundation holds universities’ conference
The Fairtrade Foundation holds the fourth annual Fairtrade Universities and Colleges Conference on Tuesday 22 April at the University of Derby. It’s a chance for more than 100 university commercial buyers and procurement managers as well as students, academic support staff and campaigners to meet.
The conference will discuss the Fairtrade University scheme, and speakers and delegates will share their experiences and challenges in reaching the goals to achieve Fairtrade status.
The Fairtrade Universities and Colleges scheme started in 2003 when Oxford Brookes University became the first Fairtrade University. It was quickly joined by the University of Birmingham, and the initiative really took off as People & Planet groups across the country took up the challenge.
There are now 72 Fairtrade universities and colleges around the UK, with many more working towards gaining Fairtrade status. In order to become a Fairtrade university or college, students and university staff must make a commitment to supporting Fairtrade. They ensure Fairtrade products are available in as many cafes, restaurants and shops as possible, and they raise awareness of Fairtrade within the university and the benefits it brings to producers in developing countries.
Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation and keynote speaker at the conference will say: “When a university joins the Fairtrade movement, it is an important recognition of the individual person’s global responsibility. Thousands of young people pass through the doors of universities every year and many already care passionately about Fairtrade and want to feel pride in the values espoused by their educational establishment.
“However, with 2 billion people earning less than $2 a day, much more still needs to be done to extend the benefits of Fairtrade to as many farmers in the developing world as possible. Through using Fairtrade products, university procurement managers and students alike can make a real difference to communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The out of home sector is the fastest growing area for Fairtrade, and university and college campuses can help bring about real change through their engagement with Fairtrade”.
Fairtrade Foundation licensees (companies that sell Fairtrade products) will have display tables at the event and will be offering samples to delegates. Confirmed attendees include Peros, Single Source, Equality Wines, Matthew Algie, Premcrest, ThreadMe, Ascension, Equality Wines, La Riojana, Ubuntu and The Co-operative.
Keynote speakers will include Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation Harriet Lamb and Procurement Director of Edinburgh University Karen Bowman. The line up will also include Fairtrade tea producer Kenneth Kyamulesire from Mabale Tea Growers Factory, Uganda.
The conference is being organized and supported by the Fairtrade Foundation, People & Planet, Traidcraft, NUS Services Limited, the University of Derby and the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges and sponsored by Peros and The Co-operative.
Click here for further information on the universities conference.
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Notes to Editors
To become a Fairtrade University or College, the Student Union (or equivalent) and the university or college authorities both create a Fairtrade policy incorporating these five goals.
1. Fairtrade foods are made available for sale in all campus shops. Fairtrade foods are used in all cafés/restaurants/bars on campus. Where this is not possible, there is a commitment to begin to use Fairtrade foods in these establishments as soon as it becomes possible to do so.
2. Fairtrade foods (for example, coffee and tea) are served at all meetings hosted by the university or college and the Student Union (or equivalent), and are served in all university or college and Student Union management offices.
3. There is a commitment to campaign for increased Fairtrade consumption on campus.
4. A Fairtrade Steering Group is established.
5. Individual colleges at collegiate universities can gain Fairtrade status.
Venue Address:
University of Derby
Kedleston Road
Derby
DE22 1GB
Conference times: 10.30 – 17.30. For more information, please see www.fairtrade.org.uk