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Great roundup on simple swaps you can make this Fairtrade Fortnight

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Great roundup on simple swaps you can make this Fairtrade Fortnight

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Use your consumer buying power to contribute to a better tomorrow

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Fairtrade Fortnight 2023 - which will take place from 27 February to 12 March this year - will highlight the Fairtrade movement, its role in supporting cooperatives and making sure small-scale producers and workers are paid a fair wage.

With the climate crisis already affecting farmers, food suppliers and workers, the theme of how global warming, deforestation and biodiversity loss is effecting food production and shortages is still very much at the fore.

Although they contribute the least to the crisis, small-scale producers are disproportionately vulnerable to the harmful impacts of the climate emergency, such as extreme weather, natural disasters, reduced food security and decreasing crop yields.

As a result, the foundation, as always, is encouraging you to swap non-fairly traded products for fairly traded alternatives. By changing your shopping habits in this way, you can help to ensure that those in climate-vulnerable countries gain the resources they need and benefit from Fairtrade prices and trading practices.

Despite the common consensus that these items cost more, we're here to prove that ethical shopping can be done affordably. We've found a selection of easy, simple swaps you can make so we can all see a better tomorrow.
Read more:
Do you enjoy sweet treats, but rarely consider the lives of those that produce your favourite chocolate bars? Fairtrade Fortnight offers the perfect opportunity. The cocoa industry is fraught with modern slavery, with research from 2015 finding that more than 2.26 million children were working in cocoa farms in Ghana and Ivory Coast. The good news is, certain brands are changing the way we think about buying chocolate and bringing these issues to the forefront.

Tony's chocolonely milk chocolate, 180g: £2.50, Waitrose.com

Tony's range of vegan chocolate is some of the best out there, not least because of its taste, but also its ethical ethos. The brand's aim is to make the chocolate industry 100 per cent slave free. It works directly with farmers and invests in cooperatives, as well as paying extra premiums on top of Fairtrade prices - more than 9 per cent of the product's price goes back to the cocoa farmers.

To represent the inequality within the chocolate industry, Tony's bars are divided into unevenly sized chunks. The flavours on offer equally excel, ranging from our favourite milk chocolate caramel sea salt (£2.50, Ocado.com) to dark milk chocolate pretzel toffee (£2.50, Ocado.com). The brand is clearly going the extra mile, and it landed itself the top spot in our guide to the best ethical chocolate brands, with our writer noting that the "milk chocolate bar is creamy and a substantial size that warrants sharing".

Divine Fairtrade milk chocolate, 90g: £2.40, Ocado.com

Another favourite from our guide to the best ethical chocolate brands is Divine, with our writer noting the "creaminess of these, especially the smooth milk ones" before praising the biodegradable packaging.

The brand has been championing farmers for more than 20 years. What sets it apart from the rest is the fact it's co-owned by a British company and Kuapa Kokoo - a Ghanian cooperative made up of 85,000 farmers. The workers have a strong voice, and the brand has created a supply chain that shares value more equitably. It is Fairtrade certified but is going above and beyond this thanks to a range of initiatives, including its aim to empower its women workers.

Whether you're after orange milk chocolate (£1.99, Ethicalsuperstore.com) or dark chocolate with hazelnut (£1.99, Ethicalsuperstore.com), there's something for everyone.

If you rely on your morning cup of joe to get you going, you're not alone - according to the Fairtrade Foundation, an estimated 1.6 billion cups of coffee are brewed every day. Despite its popularity, coffee farmers are often not paid a fair price for their crops and research shows that the areas suitable for growing coffee could halve in a few decades.

Choosing Fairtrade-certified coffee guarantees that farmers aren't just paid a fair amount, but help is provided to cooperatives to invest in climate adaption to make sure they can continue to harvest coffee beans. As such, it pays to be conscious.

Taking the top spot in our guide to the best ethical coffees, you can trust that this is a worthy swap. Cafedirect does things differently from most brands. It was the UK's first Fairtrade coffee company and donates more than 50 per cent of its profits to the farming communities its products come from. So far, this has amounted to more than £6m.

Aside from its credentials, how does it taste? Our writer's favourite was the Mayan gold. "It has serious caramel notes on the nose, and your first sip offers a dark, rich flavour with a pleasing bitterness without too much punch. This coffee is extremely drinkable - dangerously so, in fact - and pairs sublimely with a caramel digestive," they praised.

With our writer noting this is best for a supermarket staple in our guide to ethical coffees, it's perfect if you're looking for "your new best friend". At an affordable price, it has a "mellow flavour with a slightly spicy finish" that you "won't tire of".

As for the coffee's origins, it comes from the Kayumas cooperative in Indonesia, where "volcanic soil provides a solid foundation for growing some fine beans". It was the first Fairtrade cooperative in Java and was founded with "significant investment from Waitrose and the Fairtrade Foundation, so you can feel good as you sip this quality supermarket coffee".

Tea plantations are facing threats as a result of the climate emergency, deforestation, water shortages, and demands for fair wages and better working conditions. That's not all though because in 2016 it was revealed that children were being exploited in tea plantations in Uganda and forced to work under poor conditions.

The Fairtrade Foundation works with both small-scale farmers and workers on plantations to make sure Fairtrade standards are met and working conditions are improved. To help you make more ethical choices, swap your normal cuppa for one of these.

Taking the top spot in our guide to the best plastic-free teas. Our writer noted that the brand is "as transparent and sustainable as they come", it's "a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership which supports small estate growers". And these teabags have become our writer's everyday brew.

But where the brand excels is the fact it's entirely plastic-free. The teabags are "made from cornstarch, the inner lining is made from NatureFlex and inside the box is a really useful card telling you what all the packing is made from and how it should be recycled" - the "tea bags and inner lining which decompose in 45 days via your council food recycling bin", while the outer box "goes into the paper recycling".

Another one that featured in our guide to the best plastic-free teas, our reviewer wrote that while this might look like an ordinary tea bag, it is "far, far from it". Each tea bag is unbleached (hence its more earthy colour), organic, fairtrade and non-GM. It was the world's first pillow-shaped bag to meet these criteria and was launched in 2018. And if you're still not convinced, you should know that it was the world's very first Fairtrade tea. At such an affordable price, this is surely the perfect everyday brew.

When sipping a glass of vino, do you consider where it's come from and the process that went into producing it? Chances are you don't. But growers are faced with unpredictable futures, notably as a result of the climate crisis, as well as poor labour standards and living conditions. Thankfully the wine world is beginning to pay attention so, the next time you're topping up your glass, raise a toast to the brands doing things right.

If you love a glass of merlot, we enjoyed this bottle of rouge so much that it landed in our roundup of the best Fairtrade wines. Produced by Vinos Lautaro which is a Fairtrade boutique winemaker in Chile's Lontué Valley, this bottle of red blends the merlot and Carménère grape for what our tester describes as a "smooth, full-bodied" wine. Perfect for pairing with a strong cheese at your next dinnertime soiree, they added, it's a "sumptuous, silken wine that's velvety on the palate and chock-full of spicy red fruit."

Partial to a pinotage? Well, you're in luck because this M&S tipple took the top spot in our guide to the best pinotage wines. Coming from the Swartland region, it's full-bodied and intensely flavoured, as noted by our reviewer. "Deep, wild berry and plum flavours are to the fore along with a touch of oak, a supple strength and that attractive bonus of spice and a hint of smoke," they added. And if that's not enough to persuade you to swap, all the grapes are Fairtrade certified and sourced from Fairtrade producers.

Despite the cut-flower industry providing jobs for both producers and distributors, the business has a bad reputation. In Columbia, for example, the workforce is predominantly made up of women who work up to 100 hours per week on low wages and in poor conditions. It's therefore important to consider where your flowers come from.

Arena Flowers is one of our favourite florists here at IndyBest, with the brand having featured in our roundup of the best online flower delivery brands. This one is really for the conscious shopper since the company is not only Fairtrade certified but also plants one tree in a country with high poverty levels for every bouquet sold. Its range of letterbox blooms come "carefully packed" so there's no need to worry about them wilting or getting crushed en route. This really is an excellent company to know if you like having a bloom on your desk, and you can even subscribe to receive them monthly, starting at £20 per delivery.

Voucher codes

For the latest discounts on Fairtrade food and drink, try the link below:
Looking for an sustainable way to find your next fashion fix? Read our guide to the best sustainable clothing brands for men and women

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Simple swaps to make for Fairtrade Fortnight and beyond

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Fairtrade Fortnight 2023 - which will take place from 27 February to 12 March this year - will highlight the Fairtrade movement, its role in supporting cooperatives and making sure small-scale producers and workers are paid a fair wage.

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Enter our Fairtrade Giveaway by answering our student Fairtrade survey!

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Enter our Fairtrade Giveaway by answering our student Fairtrade survey!

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Easily create surveys and polls to collect customer feedback, measure employee satisfaction, and organize team events.

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Meet cocoa farmer Lucy! 👇🍫

With support from Fairtrade, farmers like Lucy are establishing future-friendly farming methods to protect the food we love and build resilience to climate change.

🎥 You can watch the full film here: https://t.co/6xJeCWtWzc

#FairtradeFortnight 🌍

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Farming for the Future: Hear from 3 West African Cocoa Farmers

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Meet cocoa farmers, Regina, Lucy and Sadick, and discover how Fairtrade is working with farmers to establish future-friendly farming methods.Lucy's message f...

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Meet cocoa farmer Lucy! 👇🍫

With support from Fairtrade, farmers like Lucy are establishing future-friendly farming methods to protect the food we love and build resilience to climate change.

🎥 You can watch the full film here: https://t.co/6xJeCWtWzc

#FairtradeFortnight 🌍 https://t.co/6rReUQDPqH

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Meet cocoa farmer Lucy! 👇🍫

With support from Fairtrade, farmers like Lucy are establishing future-friendly farming methods to protect the food we love and build resilience to climate change.

🎥 You can watch the full film here: https://t.co/6xJeCWtWzc#FairtradeFortnight 🌍 pic.twitter.com/6rReUQDPqH
— Fairtrade Foundation (@FairtradeUK) March 1, 2023

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Farming for the Future: Hear from 3 West African Cocoa Farmers

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Meet cocoa farmers, Regina, Lucy and Sadick, and discover how Fairtrade is working with farmers to establish future-friendly farming methods.Lucy's message f...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props_source.data.text
Meet cocoa farmer Lucy! 👇🍫

With support from Fairtrade, farmers like Lucy are establishing future-friendly farming methods to protect the food we love and build resilience to climate change.

🎥 You can watch the full film here: https://t.co/6xJeCWtWzc

#FairtradeFortnight 🌍 https://t.co/6rReUQDPqH

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Meet cocoa farmer Lucy! 👇🍫

With support from Fairtrade, farmers like Lucy are establishing future-friendly farming methods to protect the food we love and build resilience to climate change.

🎥 You can watch the full film here: https://t.co/6xJeCWtWzc

#FairtradeFortnight 🌍 https://t.co/6rReUQDPqH

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Meet cocoa farmer Lucy! 👇🍫

With support from Fairtrade, farmers like Lucy are establishing future-friendly farming methods to protect the food we love and build resilience to climate change.

🎥 You can watch the full film here: https://t.co/6xJeCWtWzc

#FairtradeFortnight 🌍

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Farming for the Future: Hear from 3 West African Cocoa Farmers

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Meet cocoa farmers, Regina, Lucy and Sadick, and discover how Fairtrade is working with farmers to establish future-friendly farming methods.Lucy's message f...

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Get baking and try out a Fairtrade recipe!

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Get baking and try out a Fairtrade recipe!

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This one is from FF22 but just as yummy now - enjoy!
https://gfal.leeds.ac.uk/whats-new/fairtrade-fortnight-2022/

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Spotlight on Fairtrade

We have been shining the spotlight on Fairtrade products, ingredients and suppliers as part of Fairtrade Fortnight, which took place from Monday 28 February - Sunday 6 March 2022.

At Great Food at Leeds we are passionate about Fairtrade and have been responsibly sourcing and selling Fairtrade food and drink products in our outlets since 2003!

What is Fairtrade?

Fairtrade aims to tackle the injustices of conventional trade and ensure that their farmers have decent working conditions and prices for the crops they grow.

We understand that choosing Fairtrade and ethically sourced products is one way we stand with those vulnerable communities at the front line of the climate crisis.

What is Fairtrade Fortnight?

Thousands of individuals, companies and groups across the UK come together for Fairtrade Fortnight each year, to share the stories of people who grow our food and drinks, mine our gold and who grow the cotton in our clothes. These people are often exploited and underpaid.

Great Food at Leeds and Fairtrade Fortnight 2022

We have been busy showing our support for the farmers behind our Fairtrade food and drink! Here is how we got involved:

Raffle to win a Fairtrade chocolate hamper, with all proceeds going to the Fairtrade Foundation

Brought Fairtrade products together for our customers at till points in our outlets

Offered a free Fairtrade banana to customers purchasing a main meal in the Refectory*

Served up delicious chocolate chip banana bread, made with Fairtrade bananas, chocolate and sugar

How can you get involved?

As a customer, you can be part of the Fairtrade movement. You have the power to drive long-term change, through your shopping choices and spreading the Fairtrade message - this applies all year round, not just during Fairtrade Fortnight!

You can get involved in local campaigns, Fairtrade Yorkshire has information on this. Support Fairtrade shops and cafés in the local area, see Fairtrade Leeds for details, or cook some recipes using Fairtrade products. If you missed our delicious chocolate chip banana bread in the Refectory, why not have a go at making it yourself?

Follow our recipe below and share your bake with us on social media!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Ingredients (makes 8 slices)

125g butter

150g Fairtrade caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg, beaten

3 Fairtrade bananas, mashed

100g Fairtrade chocolate chips, white or milk are best

190g self-raising flour

Method

Prepare a 2lb loaf tin, grease and line with grease proof paper.

Beat the sugar, butter and vanilla extract together until a creamy texture

Add the mashed bananas and mix well

Add the egg and mix well

Stir in the flour and once combined add the chocolate chips

Pour into the prepared tin, sprinkle with a tablespoon of demerara sugar to give a crunch topping if desired

Bake at 150c fan assisted oven (170c regular or gas mark 3) for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean

Leave to cool, slice and enjoy! Serve with custard to make a delicious pudding

#FairtradeFortnight #ChooseTheWorldYouWant

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Fairtrade Fortnight 2022 - Great Food at Leeds

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We have been shining the spotlight on Fairtrade products, ingredients and suppliers as part of Fairtrade Fortnight, which took place from Monday 28 February - Sunday 6 March 2022. At Great Food at Leeds we are passionate about Fairtrade and have been responsibly sourcing and selling Fairtrade food and drink products in our outlets since 2003!

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Enjoying a mid-afternoon Fairtrade snack! Head to the Refectory for Fairtrade chocolate brownies along with a range of other Fairtrade items including cookies, chocolate bars and juice! 

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Enjoying a mid-afternoon Fairtrade snack! Head to the Refectory for Fairtrade chocolate brownies along with a range of other Fairtrade items including cookies, chocolate bars and juice! 

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This #FairtradeFortnight, we're calling for better prices, safe working conditions, local sustainability, and just terms of trade for farmers and workers.

Find out more in this video and get 20% off #Fairtrade products in-store and online at Oxfam! https://t.co/yj1nO52ZlG

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This #FairtradeFortnight, we're calling for better prices, safe working conditions, local sustainability, and just terms of trade for farmers and workers.

Find out more in this video and get 20% off #Fairtrade products in-store and online at Oxfam! https://t.co/yj1nO52ZlG https://t.co/HiqYwxe0zW

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This #FairtradeFortnight, we're calling for better prices, safe working conditions, local sustainability, and just terms of trade for farmers and workers.

Find out more in this video and get 20% off #Fairtrade products in-store and online at Oxfam! https://t.co/yj1nO52ZlG pic.twitter.com/HiqYwxe0zW
— Oxfam (@oxfamgb) February 28, 2023

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This #FairtradeFortnight, we're calling for better prices, safe working conditions, local sustainability, and just terms of trade for farmers and workers.

Find out more in this video and get 20% off #Fairtrade products in-store and online at Oxfam! https://t.co/yj1nO52ZlG https://t.co/HiqYwxe0zW

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
This #FairtradeFortnight, we're calling for better prices, safe working conditions, local sustainability, and just terms of trade for farmers and workers.

Find out more in this video and get 20% off #Fairtrade products in-store and online at Oxfam! https://t.co/yj1nO52ZlG https://t.co/HiqYwxe0zW

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This #FairtradeFortnight, we're calling for better prices, safe working conditions, local sustainability, and just terms of trade for farmers and workers.

Find out more in this video and get 20% off #Fairtrade products in-store and online at Oxfam! https://t.co/yj1nO52ZlG

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Supermarkets have expanded their budget own brand ranges to include Fairtrade products. https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/feb/25/uk-supermarkets-budget-fair-trade-ranges-ethical-label?s=03

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Fairtrade tea, coffee and chocolate was once the mainstay of church hall fetes and upmarket delis but is now popping up in supermarket value ranges as the demand for affordable and sustainable groceries goes mainstream.

Marks & Spencer, the Co-op and Waitrose are among the high street names whose budget ranges include the ethical label, making it possible for shoppers to make a "small switch" when shopping during Fairtrade Fortnight, which starts on Monday.

Kerrina Thorogood, the Fairtrade Foundation's commercial partnerships director, said "sustainability doesn't have to be unaffordable for consumers". The organisation is encouraged that so many of its retail partners are offering Fairtrade products at a "range of accessible price points" this year.

Waitrose and M&S have coffee in their budget ranges. Photograph: Agencja Fotograficzna Caro/Alamy

"Ethical consumerism in the UK has gone from a niche, fragile market to a robust, mainstream one, suggesting it is embedded in shopper habits and here to stay," she said. "Despite the challenging economic context, UK consumers still largely expect businesses to do the right thing in terms of sourcing ethics."

After wobbling in previous years, retailers are supporting Fairtrade with renewed vigour as, even amid the cost of living crisis, shoppers look for sustainable products. Gaps on shelves, as with the current salad shortage, have also reinforced the need to support growers.

Indeed, the message of this year's Fairtrade Fortnight campaign is that the supply of favourite foods such as bananas, coffee and chocolate is at risk as producers are pushed to the brink by climate and economic crisis. The UK imports 40% of its food, and about 15% is from low-income countries.

The ethical label guarantees that the producers get a set minimum price, as well as a financial bonus. There are now more than 6,000 Fairtrade products including coffee, tea, wine, sugar and chocolate but also clothing and beauty products.

The Co-op has expanded its Fairtrade range by a fifth over the past year and in its Honest Value range you can pick up a pack of 80 teabags for £1.05 or instant coffee for £1.50. Waitrose and M&S also have tea and coffee in their budget ranges, and Sainsbury's is selling a bunch of five Fairtrade bananas for 71p at the time of writing.

Asda and Amazon have added a tag on their websites for Fairtrade products so shoppers can search specifically for them.

Emily Pearce, the Co-op's senior sustainable sourcing and international development manager, said Fairtrade was part of what the retailer stood for and it sought to offer "value with values in many of our everyday lines". In the Co-op, all its own-label wine, bagged sugar and bananas are Fairtrade.

Clothing products are among 6,000 Fairtrade items available in the UK. Photograph: /Alamy

Thorogood said that for future food security, business must invest in Fairtrade supply chains or there's no guarantee farmers overseas will stay in farming.

"The rising cost of living isn't just affecting us here," she said. "This unprecedented global crisis is also hitting farmers and workers in poorer countries, too, who are already struggling with fewer resources, rising costs, low prices and damage associated with climate change."

In recent years, consumers have spent more on ethical products, with demand for plant-based foods as well as Fairtrade and organic ranges. Rising food prices in the UK had fuelled concerns that shoppers would turn their back on sustainability in order to save money. However, three-quarters of UK shoppers buy the ethical brand, according to a Fairtrade Foundation poll in the run-up to its annual campaign drive.

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UK supermarkets expand budget Fairtrade ranges as demand grows

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Fairtrade tea, coffee and chocolate was once the mainstay of church hall fetes and upmarket delis but is now popping up in supermarket value ranges as the demand for affordable and sustainable groceries goes mainstream.

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The Endangered Aisle, opens today (28th February) in Shoreditch, London, to highlight the urgent need to protect the future of food and the small switches shoppers can make to play their part.

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The Endangered Aisle, opens today (28th February) in Shoreditch, London, to highlight the urgent need to protect the future of food and the small switches shoppers can make to play their part.

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Empty supermarket shelves and stock shortages are becoming increasingly common, but today the Fairtrade Foundation warns that everyday essentials including bananas, coffee and cocoa could be at risk of becoming ‘endangered’ due to climate change.

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Experts warn bananas, coffee and cocoa at risk of becoming 'endangered' in new report - Fairtrade Foundation

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The Fairtrade Foundation launches immersive retail space, The Endangered Aisle to shine a light on everyday essentials under threat as Fairtrade Fortnight gets underway. Empty supermarket shelves and stock shortages are becoming increasingly common, but today the Fairtrade Foundation warns that everyday essentials including bananas, coffee and cocoa could be at risk of becoming 'endangered' due to climate change.

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Fairtrade targets the injustices of conventional trade which has typically discriminated against the producers in developing countries, promoting better prices, better working conditions, and more sustainable practices, to make trade fair.

For more information see this blog written by our student sustainability architect, Emma!

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Hiya! I'm Emma, one of the Student Sustainability Architects, specifically working on sustainability with Great Food at Leeds; the University's catering service.

The countdown to Fairtrade Fortnight 2023 is on, being held from February 27 to March 12 2023, and this year's message is simple: making the small switch to Fairtrade supports producers in protecting the future of some of our most-loved food and the planet.

But what is Fairtrade? What are Fairtrade's connections with sustainability? And how is the University involved with Fairtrade?

What is Fairtrade?

Fairtrade targets the injustices of conventional trade which has typically discriminated against the producers in developing countries, promoting better prices, better working conditions, and more sustainable practices, to make trade fair.

The social, economic, and environmental standards enforced by Fairtrade protects workers' rights and working conditions, ensures a minimum price is paid to cover the average costs of producing crops sustainably, and provides an additional sum of money to communities referred to as the Fairtrade Premium that farmers and workers can invest in community, environmental or business projects of their choice.

The FAIRTRADE Mark is a registered certification label for products that have been certified in accordance with the stringent Fairtrade social, economic, and environmental standards. The FAIRTRADE Mark is widely regarded as the most recognised ethical label, with 93% of UK shoppers claiming to recognise the label, with 83% trusting it to decide whether a product is ethical.

Fairtrade or fair trade?

Not quite sure what the difference is between fair trade and Fairtrade? Fair trade (two words) refers to the broader movement working towards more trade justice and sustainable production and consumption worldwide, whereas Fairtrade (one word) refers to the certification and labelling system governed by Fairtrade International.

How does Fairtrade connect with sustainability?

Fairtrade and sustainability are both about people, meeting their needs today without compromising the needs of people in the future. Fairtrade empowers workers and farmers to improve their quality of life through ensuring the Fairtrade minimum price is paid with the additional benefit of the Fairtrade Premium, facilitating farmers and workers to face a number of economic, environmental and social challenges in their communities, therefore directly linking to the goals of sustainability.

The aims of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals align with many of the aims of Fairtrade; ending poverty, achieving food security, promoting decent work and economic growth, reducing inequality, and promoting responsible consumption to name a few.

Of the 169 targets underlying the goals, there is barely a single one that is not somehow related to food and farming, meaning that smallholder farmers and workers have a central role to play. Fairtrade international provide a comprehensive overview of how the aims of Fairtrade and the SDGs align if you're interested in exploring this further.

How does Fairtrade link to climate change?

Did you know coffee, bananas, and chocolate could soon be much more difficult to find on our shelves?

Climate change is making crops like these harder and harder to grow, with more extreme weather events, increasing global temperatures, and disruption to weather patterns causing increases in crop diseases and pests, all having potentially detrimental impacts.

The reality for millions of farmers worldwide is that, no matter how hard they work, they are unable to earn enough for essentials like food, clean water and medical treatment because of modern trade structures built on the legacy of colonialism and centuries of exploitation. With so many people unable to afford the essentials, communities in the countries that produce crops like coffee, cocoa and bananas are finding it extremely hard to adapt to climate change, and communities are being pushed to the brink.

Despite contributing the least to the climate crisis, these communities are disproportionately affected, already living with the worst consequences. Although farmers have the know-how and experience, they have fewer financial resources to adapt to changes in climate. And this is where we have a part to play, with the opportunity to help through supporting Fairtrade.

How is the University of Leeds involved with Fairtrade?

We are a Fairtrade University and have been since 2005! The Fairtrade University and College Award acknowledges institutions that have embedded ethical and sustainable practices through their curriculum, procurement, research and campaigns.

Our two-star status recognises the broad range of activities undertaken within the University, including raising awareness and increasing availability of Fairtrade products in the university, further supporting work towards a more just, equal and sustainable world for all. Our cross-University Fairtrade Steering Group is already working towards the next submission for the 2023-24 award.

Fair Trade International Symposium

Leeds' strong links to Fairtrade, being a Fairtrade university, Fairtrade city, within Yorkshire that was the first Fairtrade region, has all contributed to Leeds being the host for the next Fair Trade International Symposium, being held at the University between June 19 - 21 2023.

The Fair Trade International Symposium is the leading global gathering for scholars, practitioners and policymakers working on fair trade. Volunteers will be essential to help run the event and they will also have the opportunity to hear the main speakers and get involved in workshops when not helping out.

This is an amazing opportunity for those interested in fair trade or those wanting to find out more, if you'd be interested in volunteering, please email Anne Tallontire at a.m.tallontire@leeds.ac.uk.

Get involved!

Your opinions will help to inform future Fairtrade opportunities at the University and may contribute to research that will be shared at the Fair Trade International Symposium being held in Leeds in June.

To voice your opinions, or have your fairtrade questions answered, use our online Fairtrade Discussion Board!

For more information about Fairtrade, explore the resources below:

Keep up to date on the latest news

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

We use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to guide our activity. Our work on Student Citizenship links to all of the SDGs.

Find out more about our impact on the SDGs.

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Countdown to Fairtrade Fortnight; What is Fairtrade? - Sustainability

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Hiya! I'm Emma, one of the Student Sustainability Architects, specifically working on sustainability with Great Food at Leeds; the University's catering service. The countdown to Fairtrade Fortnight 2023 is on, being held from February 27 to March 12 2023, and this year's message is simple: making the small switch to Fairtrade supports producers in protecting the future of some of our most-loved food and the planet.

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Climate Crisis: Farming on the Front Line

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Climate Crisis: Farming on the Front Line

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Climate Crisis: Farming on the Front Line

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Climate Crisis: How farmers adapt to climate change

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Climate Crisis: How farmers adapt to climate change

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Climate Crisis: How farmers adapt to climate change

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Meet Micah a Fairtrade Coffee Farmer From Kenya

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Meet Micah a Fairtrade Coffee Farmer From Kenya

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Meet Micah a Fairtrade Coffee Farmer From Kenya

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Farming for the Future: Hear from 3 West African Cocoa Farmers

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Farming for the Future: Hear from 3 West African Cocoa Farmers

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Farming for the Future: Hear from 3 West African Cocoa Farmers

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How Fairtrade is tackling the Climate Crisis

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How Fairtrade is tackling the Climate Crisis

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How Fairtrade is tackling the climate crisis

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The Filter - Fairtrade Coffee Film Series

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The Filter - Fairtrade Coffee Film Series

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The Filter: Ep. 1 | Making Perfect Filter Coffee

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The easiest way to support Fairtrade is to buy Fairtrade certified products! The majority of major supermarkets will sell some Fairtrade items, just look out for the Fairtrade Logo! On campus, you can find an array of Fairtrade products, both at Great Food at Leeds outlets, and within LUU with the Co-op, the LUU Green Action Co-operative, and cafes offering a variety of Fairtrade food products, and Gear offering Fairtrade clothing too!

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Buying Fairtrade - Fairtrade Foundation - Where to find Fairtrade products

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There are over 6,000 Fairtrade products from coffee and tea to flowers and gold, so when you shop, look for the FAIRTRADE Mark.

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Join us at an academic conference with a difference!

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Join us at an academic conference with a difference!

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At Leeds we are hosting the next Fair Trade International Symposium. This brings together fair trade practitioners, policy makers and campaigners with people researching and teaching on fair trade. We’re  looking for volunteers to help run the conference, who will have the opportunity to hear the main speakers and get involved in workshops when not helping out. If interested, please contact Anne at a.m.tallontire@leeds.ac.uk.

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The next Fair Trade International Symposium will be hosted from 19th to-21st June 2023 at the University of Leeds in the UK. Leeds is a vibrant city in the north of England that has great transport links to the rest of the UK.

Both the University of Leeds and the city of Leeds have strong links to Fair Trade- we are both a Fair Trade city and university, and Yorkshire was the first Fair Trade county. Academics at the Sustainability Research Institute and the University's Sustainability Service and have worked together with the Fair Trade International Symposium Steering Group and local campaigners to develop the programme for FTIS.

At the Leeds FTIS event there will be workshops and panels taking place in person, complemented by some online and hybrid sessions to enable the participation of people both locally and internationally. We will ensure that both the in person and online discussions are facilitated so that everyone gets a chance to participate. We are especially keen to create spaces for local campaigners and practitioners to interact.

There will be some fully online panels and sessions, with opportunities for participants to discuss papers and posters and importantly a space to interact with each other via the conference platform.

Workshops will be face to face, with contributions from academics, campaigners and students.

Plenary presentations will be hybrid, accessible both to an online and in person audience, and will be recorded.

We have agreed with the editors of the Journal of Fair Trade to produce a special issue of the journal based on papers from the Symposium. There will be a special session about this during the event.

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The next Fair Trade International Symposium will be hosted from 19th to-21st June 2023 at the University of Leeds in the UK. Leeds is a vibrant city in the north of England that has great transport links to the rest of the UK.

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9th March Old Bar Pub Quiz - Fairtrade Special

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9th March Old Bar Pub Quiz - Fairtrade Special

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https://engage.luu.org.uk/event/99F4K/old-bar-pub-quiz-fairtrade-fortnight-special-round-2

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Contact Us · Site designed by Leeds University Union, custom developed and managed by

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The Sustainability Society provides the opportunity to meet likeminded individuals all with the aim of promoting sustainability across campus and starting important conversations amongst students, including about fair trade.

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Sustainability Society for the Faculty of Environment

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The new sustainability society is the newest society within the faculty of earth and environment but we are open to all who would like to get involved and socialise with new people.

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2nd March Old Bar Pub Quiz - Fairtrade Special

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2nd March Old Bar Pub Quiz - Fairtrade Special

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https://engage.luu.org.uk/event/HJYBB/old-bar-pub-quiz-fairtrade-fortnight-special

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To be in with the chance of winning £50 in LUU vouchers, get a team together (up to 8 people), and test some of your Fairtrade knowledge - this week's questions will be specifically consider the impact of climate change on our favourite Fairtrade products.