Unknown to most, Cardiff University plays host to a small but active ‘Fairtrade Taskforce’ – a Fairtrade steering group that was set up at the end of the last academic year, and has been fully operational since January.
This small group of eight is a fusion of representatives from the University, the Union executive, People and Planet society, the Cardiff Council, and Fair Do’s, a Fairtrade shop in Canton.
The taskforce has met three times this semester to facilitate the process of achieving Fairtrade status for Cardiff University and to discuss and act on criteria that need to be met in order for this to happen. There are five criteria that a university must fulfill in order to achieve Fairtrade status, according to The Fairtrade Foundation:
1. A Fairtrade University Steering Group
2. A written Fairtrade Policy.
3. Sellsing of Fairtrade products in all outlets.
4. Use of Fairtrade products at internal meetings and events.
5. Campaigns for increased consumption of Fairtrade products on campus.
The taskforce oversees the fulfillment of these criteria by Cardiff University. Furthermore, the group is already taking steps to increase the consumption, variety and awareness of Fairtrade products on campus. A large part of increasing that awareness is through Fairtrade Fortnight – a collaboration between the University residences and catering division, the Union, People and Planet, the Union executive and gair rhydd and Quench.
Two examples of how the above steps are worked out in practice are as follows.
At every internal meeting, only Fairtrade tea and coffee is served (action point four). Every university and union outlet sells at least two Fairtrade food products, but besides food, the Union shop now stocks a range of Fairtrade cotton t-shirts and hoodies (action point three).
In order to gain Fairtrade status, the taskforce must send a report to the Fairtrade Foundation explaining how each goal has been achieved. At our next meeting we hope to discuss how to set about compiling this report.
Once the University gains Fairtrade status, a yearly report must be compiled and sent to the Fairtrade Foundation to show that the five goals have been developed in order to retain Fairtrade status
Why should you care?
As a Russell Group university, Cardiff is lagging behind in the Fairtrade stakes; over 40 other universities have achieved Fairtrade status including Swansea, Leeds and Bristol. Achieving Fairtrade status shows the support of Cardiff as a Fairtrade city and Wales as a future Fairtrade country. It illustrates to members of the public and prospective students that as a university we are serious about Fairtrade and all that it stands for. The most important issues for us to address are that students are informed about Fairtrade, that they have the choice of buying Fairtrade produce within the Union and University, and that wider ethical issues such as sustainability and trade justice are made prominent.
As a large institution, we have the potential to achieve a great deal; this time next year I hope we can be proud to call ourselves a Fairtrade university and look back over the huge progress that has been made.
