Becoming A Fair Trade University

Source—On Friday, October 31, Hartwick College announced its recognition as a Fair Trade College - the 25^th in the country - in a ceremony at Yager Hall. President Margaret L. Drugovich unveiled a framed certificate before members of the College's staff and student body who helped lead the effort. The acknowledgement comes from Fair Trade Campaigns, an organization that recognizes towns, colleges, universities, schools, and congregations in the U.S. that adopt Fair Trade principles and practices.

Good for Hartwick College for recognizing and supporting their faculty and students hard efforts towards social justice. So why hasn’t Fordham tried to be recognized as a Fair Trade College? I’ve already shown how our Jesuit principles perfectly align with the goals and values of the Fair trade movement. So why aren’t we trying to get this recognition.

Well one of the requirements to get this recognition is to have at least two Fair Trade products in each food location. Well dang it, we would have to go to Sodexo and this might take years to do right? It’d be worth too much time for Fordham to try and change Sodexo. But wait, we already have two products. According to the Sodexo website, Aspretto coffee which is served in all locations, is fair trade purchased and trans-fair certified. Now you might be saying well that’s only one product. Well, it so happens that the sugar we use is also Fair Trade sugar.

So our values match the Fair Trade movement. Our actions represent our values and therefore the Fair Trade movement. So why won’t we accept the recognition of being a Fair Trade College? We are and should be better than that Fordham. If you’re asking for your students to “go forth and set the world on fire” why not lead by example yourself?

Use this form to voice your opinion on the subject.

Fair Trade Products at LUSH

We've featured Fair Trade coffee, chocolate, and clothing but did you know that cosmetics can be also be Fair Trade? Lush, a company known for its fresh organic soaps and beauty items, is becoming a player in the Fair Trade movement by using Fair Trade ingredients in its products.

One great product is the Olive Branch Shower Gel. Its featured ingredient, Fair Trade olive oil, is produced by Sindyanna of Galilee, a nonprofit supporting women in Israel. The product name refers to the Arab and Israel women working together in the Gaza Strip as an offering of peace.

Lush's team of Ethical Buyers travels all over the world to learn where ingredients come from, personally meet the growers and suppliers, and ensure that workers receive fair conditions. This video features the women of the Ojoba Women's Cooperative in Ghana who create Lush's Shea Butter.

On Lush's website, Heather Deeth, head of the North American buying team, said, "It's really powerful being able to see the impact of placing an order for 10 tons of Shea butter has and what it does and how appreciate the women are, that they can provide the basics of health care and education for their children. And that's all they want in the world."

Student Experience Profiles. Volume 7.

                                Featuring: 

Lexy McCauley

Class of 2017 

Marketing Major 

1. How did you initially get involved with Amani? 

I got involved with Amani through Kate Combellick's Fair Trade and Microcredit class in the fall of my freshman year. A group of students and I started to sell the Amani products at the Lincoln Center campus two days a week. 

2. What was your favorite part of managing Amani? 

My favorite part of managing Amani was getting the word out. I am very interested in Fair Trade, and even more as a result of the class and my experiences. It was great to go to Lincoln Center and tell people about it, but it was also rewarding to tell my family everything that I know about Fair Trade.

3. What makes Amani stand out from other Fair Trade organizations? 

Amani is different from other Fair Trade organizations because it is a student-run business. Also, the products come directly from the artisans. Kate travels to the countries to bring back the creations, and I had the amazing opportunity to be a part of that process.

4. Do you plan to continue your advocacy for Fair Trade post graduation?

I definitely will incorporate Fair Trade into my life and let other people know about it. It changes the way that you think about things--in a monumental way. I see things differently as a result of my exposure to culture and the idea of fairness and growth for all people and businesses.

5. Do you have any advice for students whose experience with Fair Trade and Amani are just   

beginning? 

For new students, I suggest immersing yourself into the concept of Fair Trade. It has really changed my life and my perspective. This will happen to anyone who participates fully in the process of the Fair Trade experience.

6. If you attended the class trip to India, can you please tell us a little bit about your experience there? Your favorite part? A key takeaway? A realization you may have had? Anything you’d like to share about the trip with other students. 

The trip to India was a life-changing trip. I saw how people in India live and communicate, specifically the artisans. Each business that we visited had its own unique quality that set it apart from the others, but they were all on the brink of being successful in America. The beautiful products show the culture of India. Being able to stay at a business school also created a new perspective because businesses operate differently in India. It is a different way of thinking. Seeing the landmarks, temples, and sights of India enhanced the cultural experience. I don't think there was one specific takeaway from the trip, because every visit and every conversation contributed to the experience. I will never forget my experience in India. I realized that though you cannot help everyone in the world or support every cause, there are some people and things that you are drawn to. I am drawn to the artisans in India and their creativity and success.

Fair Trade and the Last 4 Millenium Development Goals

Last week I went over the first four Millennium Development Goals. Each one was in some way tied to the Fair Trade movement. The last four MDGs are little more abstract in how Fair Trade might impact their completion. That’s not to say that there’s no link at all. Here’s how:

5. Improve Maternal Health

One of the key goals within this MDG is universal access to reproductive health. One of the greatest facets of Fair Trade is its impact on women around the world. I went over this extensively last week especially during my explanation of MDG 3 concerning gender equality. The most beneficial aspect for women is the creation of coops within their communities. These coops allow women to share ideas and support one another. According to fairtraderve.org,

• Female hired laborers on Fair Trade farms have access to paid maternity leave, vacation and sick leave, as well as a guarantee of their job upon their return.
• Fair Trade standards guarantee hired laborers receive regular medical examinations and free protective equipment. Fair Trade standards ensure that women are not exposed to agrochemicals during pregnancy.
• Some coops have elected to use part of their Fair Trade premiums for women’s health programs that focus on nutrition and family planning.

By empowering women through coops, Fair Trade helps fulfill MDG 5.

6. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases

The most obvious impact on the fight on major diseases is that increased incomes allows for workers to afford medicine to combat the diseases. Workers in coops can also come together and build health clinics in their communities. Parents can now afford bed nets for their children, largely reducing incidences of malaria. Also, as women gain more say in household finances, more spending will be on health and nutrition than in a patriarchal system, according to a paper from the International Food Policy Research Institute. Furthermore, beyond just an increase in income, Fair Trade also limits the chemicals workers are exposed to. Agrochemicals are prohibited on all Fair Trade farms, significantly reducing a major negative health impacts on workers. This also decreases pollution of drinking water a major source of diseases in impoverished communities. It is through all these measures that  Fair Trade contributes to the reduction of major diseases in poverty stricken areas.

7. Ensure Environmental Sustainability

One of the major facets of this MDG is “Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation” according to the UN website. The effect on the first point is pretty obvious. An increase in workers’ wages and the introduction of coops in the community allows members to pool money together to build wells and water pumps. They can build new houses with running water so drinking water is no longer polluted by sitting in a bucket allowing for diseases to grow. Also, since women gain a greater say in finances through Fair Trade, they will especially favor the installation of wells and running water. Fetching water has normally been a feminine job in poor areas. They may have to walk miles with heavy jugs of water every single day. With wells and running water now in their community, women save time which they can now devote to working and earning more money for their household. Also, as I mentioned above, Fair Trade regulates the chemicals being used on farms, chemicals that have traditionally polluted rivers and waterways that could be used for drinking purposes. It’s shocking that clean drinking water is a struggle for many communities, but through Fair Trade we can alleviate this problem.

8. Develop a Global Partnership For Development

It is pretty fitting that the eighth and final MDG is creating a global partnership. This is a core aspect of the Fair Trade movement. I have written about this before in my blog on Jesuit principles aligning with Fair Trade and even my blog on the faces of Fair Trade. My peers have touched on this in all of their posts on profiling the students of fair Trade and also the artisans we directly work with. I have no problem repeating it again though. Fair Trade provides a direct link between consumers in developed countries and producers in impoverished areas. By supporting these workers, you have a direct impact on their community today and in the future. Securing financial stability now helps their children and grandchildren achieve financial stability in the future.

Student Experience Profiles. Volume 6.

                                Featuring: 

Edwina Daher

Class of 2017 

Finance Major 

1. How did you initially get involved with Amani? 

I got involved with Amani through the Fair Trade class. Along with working on fair trade panels, I wanted to be involved in the Gabelli business as well.

2. What was your favorite part of managing Amani? 

My favorite part of managing Amani was learning so much about small businesses, whether it was when we had to contact the businesses in Kenya and India, or organizing times for people to work.

3. What makes Amani stand out from other Fair Trade organizations? 

What makes Amani stand out from other Fair Trade organizations is that it is student-run. It has direct contact with Fair Trade businesses all over the world. Amani also has customized products for Fordham, which is very appealing to students as well as staff.

4. Do you plan to continue your advocacy for Fair Trade post graduation?

I definitely plan to continue my advocacy to Fair Trade after graduation, by raising awareness on this important issue and supporting Fair Trade businesses.

5. Do you have any advice for students whose experience with Fair Trade and Amani are just   

beginning? 

It's very important to keep reminding yourself about why you're working for Amani, and the result will be very rewarding.

6. If you attended the class trip to India, can you please tell us a little bit about your experience there? Your favorite part? A key takeaway? A realization you may have had? Anything you’d like to share about the trip with other students. 

I did attend the class trip to India. My favorite part was meeting Indian students who were given the same opportunity as us, to take the Fair Trade class and to visit the Fair Trade businesses. I really encourage everyone who has the opportunity to go on the trip to go for it because it really is a life-changing adventure. You will be experiencing the Indian culture, as well as helping Fair Trade businesses.

Fair Trade and the First 4 Millenium Development Goals

"Eradicating extreme poverty continues to be one of the main challenges of our time, and is a major concern of the international community. Ending this scourge will require the combined efforts of all, governments, civil society organizations and the private sector, in the context of a stronger and more effective global partnership for development. The Millennium Development Goals set timebound targets, by which progress in reducing income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter and exclusion — while promoting gender equality, health, education and environmental sustainability — can be measured. They also embody basic human rights — the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter and security. The Goals are ambitious but feasible and, together with the comprehensive United Nations development agenda, set the course for the world’s efforts to alleviate extreme poverty by 2015. "

United NationsSecretary-General BAN Ki-moon

So where does Fair Trade fit into all of this? It actually helps improve all of the MDGs whether directly or indirectly. Here’s how it impacts the first 4:

1. Eradicating Extreme Poverty and Hunger

Fair Trade helps alleviates poverty around the world by providing higher wages to the producers of goods in poverty stricken areas. Producers are able to get their goods to markets that were normally only available through middlemen. Fair Trade gets rid of these middle men allowing more of the profits to return back to the workers.

2. Achieve Universal Primary Education

Another facet of Fair Trade is the elimination of child labor. Since the workers can no longer bring their children along with them to the jobs, then they have time to go to school Also, as workers bring home more money due to their higher wages, they can afford to build schools as well as pay for books and pens for their children to use at these schools. Many of the workers displayed in documentaries talk about how they need higher wages in order to send their kids to school. Fair Trade is a means for them to achieve this goal.

3. Promote Gender Equality

Fair Trade may benefit women more than any other demographic. Women who might be suppressed in their local markets due to their sex can now find markets through the global Fair Trade movement. They no longer need middlemen who may discriminate against them and charge them more or even may not bring their products to market.  Now not only can these women find markets but they will also receive a fair price and wage for their work. As they bring home more money their husbands will respect them more. Beatings will stop and women will have a greater say on their own lives.

4. Reduce Child Mortality

Reducing child mortality can be directly tied to promoting gender equality. According to ForeignAffairs.com, “Educated women have fewer children; provide better nutrition, health, and education to their families; experience significantly lower child mortality; and generate more income than women with little or no schooling.” Many Fair Trade organizations provide co-ops and meeting groups for women to attend at which they can talk and learn from other women. They feel more empowered and they learn more. Also, as women bring in more money they have more of a say in finances which allows them to direct more money towards their children. Also, as MDG 2 comes to fruition more girls will be attending school leading to an increase in MDG 3 which will in turn reduce child mortality even more. All of this can be started by participating in Fair Trade.

Students of Fair Trade

Student Experience Profiles. Volume 5.

                                Featuring: 

Daniel Stroie 

Class of 2017 

Finance Major 

1. How did you initially get involved with Amani? 

I got involved with Amani through taking the class Fairtrade & Microfinance. We were given the assignment of coming up with a project, and my project was to take Amani to Lincoln Center.

2. What was your favorite part of managing Amani? 

My favorite part was that we had a lot of freedom and we had to figure out the procedures for selling at Lincoln Center since we were the first to do this. 

3. What makes Amani stand out from other Fair Trade organizations? 

Amani stands out because it gives students an opportunity to connect what they are learning about in class with real life experience. It may be a bit stressful to think about how artisans in India directly rely on one's success with the company, but I think that this a great motivator to do well. It takes the student's focus away from simply getting a good grade, and more towards succeeding with the business.

4. Do you plan to continue your advocacy for Fair Trade post graduation?

I do not know exactly what I would like to do post graduation, whether it will be working for a fair trade organization or business, but I will definitely continue to speak to people about fair trade whenever the opportunity comes up!

5. Do you have any advice for students whose experience with Fair Trade and Amani are just   

beginning? 

Take it seriously. Even if you are not super excited about fair trade, this is a great experience. You are managing a business and can take it as far as you want to. It is a great opportunity to work on people skills (when selling Amani products), work on supply chain management (through speaking to the artisans), and honestly anything you can think of that has to do with running an international business.

6. If you attended the class trip to India, can you please tell us a little bit about your experience there? Your favorite part? A key takeaway? A realization you may have had? Anything you’d like to share about the trip with other students. 

I did go on the trip! It was a great time, it was a good trip where we were primarily there to meet with artisans, but there was some sightseeing mixed into the trip. My favorite part was meeting with Lakshya because we were given the opportunity to help them design new products and their website. It was also my favorite part because they were so excited to work with us and they were very open to our suggestions. It is a great trip that brings together all that we learned and worked on in the class. On the trip, I finally understood all the components to the class and why it is so important to help Amani stay afloat.

Q&A with Barefoot & Chocolate's Sasha Lewis

Sasha and Trent Lewis, the team behind Barefoot & Chocolate, are obsessed with two of our favorite things: fair trade and chocolate! They create delicious chocolate spreads made with honest, fair trade ingredients so that customers can feel good about what they're eating. Their philosophy is "Good Karma + Best Ingredients = Spread Goodness." 

Here, Sasha tells us what makes Barefoot & Chocolate so special and how we can further the Fair Trade mission.

What is the inspiration behind Barefoot & Chocolate? 

The inspiration behind Barefoot & Chocolate was to create a chocolate spread that was honest and delicious. It really was that simple. We could not find a chocolate spread that we loved - it either had questionable ingredients or completely missed the mark tasting mostly like sugar and oil. We felt that something this beloved and enjoyed world over, can be made better - with honest ingredients that were sourced responsibly. So we pulled out our blenders and went to work.

Why should college students buy Fair Trade products?

All people should be buy Fair Trade products, not just college students. Each of us, have a fundamental responsibility to ensure that products we purchase are being not made at the expense of those that are lowest in the chain - usually the farmers and workers. Having a profitable business does not have to mean no conscience. We need to create a new economy where profits are more equally distributed. Ensuring farmers are paid fair wages for their crops is such a simple act, but when everyone commits to performing this simple act is when we can truly hope to effect meaningful change. It creates true change to the farmers and their families, giving them the opportunity for a better life, the opportunity to educate their children. The cycle of poverty ends and one of economic empowerment begins. The consumer gets a superior quality product and the producer has access to a better quality life. Win Win for all.

What advice do you have for students who want to start their own Fair Trade business?

Partner with a Fair Trade certifying organization that can help you promote your product as well as legitimize your Fair Trade claim by formal verification. A logo applied to your label from a Fair Trade certifying organization is more widely recognized by the consumer. Learn about the different Fair Trade products, research and understand where the products that you are selling come from. The more knowledge you have the better you will be at spreading the message of Fair Trade.

How You Can Help
Currently, Barefoot & Chocolate spreads come in 3 yummy flavors: Hazelnut Chocolate, Almond Coconut Chocolate, and Dark Chocolate Almond with Sea Salt. These spreads can be bought at the Amani cart, online or in select locations across the US. You can also support their mission by visiting their Kickstarter page here!