Fairtrade Foundation

 

The Fairtrade Foundation is the independent non-profit organisation that licenses use of the FAIRTRADE Mark on products in the UK in accordance with internationally agreed Fairtrade standards.

Their vision is of a world in which justice and sustainable development are at the heart of trade structures and practices so that everyone, through their work, can maintain a decent and dignified livelihood and develop their full potential.

 

 

Fairtrade Fortnight

Fairtrade Fortnight will be held from 22 February to 7 March. Fairtrade is planning its most ambitious two weeks yet. They want one million and one people to join them in The Big Swap. They'll be asking the nation to swap their usual stuff for Fairtrade stuff; your usual wine, sugar, or oranges for Fairtrade wine, sugar or oranges. Each swap will be proof that the UK wants developing world producers to get a better deal. Register on the website and get swapping. 

 

Soroptimist report to the Fairtrade Foundation's AGM

There follows an extract of the report that Federation Assistant Programme Director for Economic and Social Development, Sue Challoner, presented.

I am fortunate to represent SIGBI at Fairtrade, and to have the opportunity to speak to producers and small farmers from developing countries at Fairtrade meetings and seminars. My role is to encourage our members to work on Fairtrade projects. I regularly speak to clubs and regions, write articles for our SIGBI magazine, our International magazine, and also our website.

Soroptimist clubs in the United Kingdom and Ireland have worked on many Fairtrade projects this year, mostly in Fairtrade Fortnight, A number of clubs 'went bananas' for Fairtrade, Garstang club sold bananas to the public for two hours in the town centre, for immediate consumption, then counted the number of bananas eaten, stickers were given to the buyers and profits to Fairtrade.

Fairtrade displays of posters and samples were held all over the United Kingdom, Soroptimists in Carlisle had a “trade stand” and helped to sponsor the Carlisle Fairtrade Business Conference, they raised the funds by organizing a Fairtrade Beetle Drive, with Fairtrade refreshments, Sunderland worked in partnership with Shared Interest to set up a Fairtrade display in the city centre library.

Food featured greatly in our projects , coffee mornings, lunches and suppers across the United Kingdom, all using Fairtrade products, members of East Grinstead sourced Fairtrade ingredients and produced a variety of delicious cakes which were raffled, proceeds to help Lingfield Fairtrade group.

A number of clubs have reported that their members are on Fairtrade steering committees for their towns and cities, Motherwell & Wishaw, Tiverton, Sevenoaks and Nantwich to name but a few. Many Soroptimist members have given presentations to schools, and at the University of Surrey, Guildford members provided a free chocolate fountain for the students with Fairtrade and STOP the Traffik literature.

It has been a really successful year for all our members in Great Britain, but also we asked other clubs in our Federation to get involved, members in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.

St Vincent club visited a Fairtrade Banana Farm in the Windward Islands, this was featured on our website and in our Soroptimist News magazine, a club member was also asked to speak at our Annual Conference in Barbados in October 2008 about her visit to the farm and also her experiences as a banana farmer before Fairtrade.

Our partnership with Fairtrade is proving very successful, and our members are committed to working on Fairtrade projects. We are very grateful for all the support we receive from Fairtrade to allow us to carry out our work.

Sue Challoner SIGBI Assistant Programme Director Economic & Social Development
Soroptimist Representative at the Fairtrade Foundation

Fairtrade Beauty Products

At the end of June 2009 the Fairtrade Foundation issued a press release advising that the public will be able to buy products including lip balms, face masks, body butters and shower gels from five companies including Boots, Bubble & Balm, Essential Care, Lush and Neal’s Yard. For the full press release, please use this link.

Visit their Web site... (external link)