Index
Fair Trade at RMIT
48% of the total workplace tea, coffee and sugar purchased at RMIT in 2010 was Fairtrade certified
Learn about Fairtrade and organic ingredients at the RUSU Real Food Cafe
Fair Trade Conference Student Competition
What is Fair Trade?
Fair trade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fair trade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.
The Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand (FTAANZ) is part of a world-wide network of not-for-profit organisations pursuing a fair price for producers through the certification and labelling of products, such as coffee, tea and chocolate. A product is Fairtrade Certified if it carries the Fairtrade Label, providing an easy way for consumers to recognise and choose products that meet agreed environmental, labour and developmental standards.
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In 2009, RMIT University was jointly named with Macquarie University as the first Fair Trade University in Australia by the FTAANZ. |
View the Fair Trade University Guildlines for more information.
What is RMIT doing?
- RMIT became a Fair Trade Workplace in 2008 – the first Australian university to gain such accreditation.
- University Fair Trade Steering Committee
- University Marketing has integrated a number of Fairtrade certified products into the merchandising catalogue.
- The Finance Department has rationalised the product selection for workplace tea, coffee and sugar to ensure a large proportion of the products are certified (48% of the total purchased in 2010).
- A number of events and information sessions have been held at the University since it was established as a Fair Trade University in 2009.
Fair Trade Fortnight 2011
To ensure that Fairtrade certified products are available at the University, Property Services is holding an information session for RMIT University lease holders that have catering establishments to encourage them to sell Fairtrade certified beverages and promote fair trade to their customers. For more information contact Craig Allen.
Fair trade will be showcased at the Brunswick Campus Sustainability Festival on 18th May.
RUSU Real Foods Cafe - Learn about FAIRTRADE & ORGANIC ingredients with a special guest speaker & chefs at this FREE event! Thursday May 19, 5.30pm arrival for 6-8pm
For more information contact think.green@rmit.edu.au
Fair Trade Conference Student Competition
As a Fair Trade University, RMIT would like to send two students who are passionate about Fair Trade to the 'Fairly Educated' Conference at the University of Sydney in July.
To enter the competition simply answer the following question:
How would you use the knowledge gained at the Fairly Educated conference to help promote Fair Trade at the University or enhance your studies?
Email your entries to think.green@rmit.edu.au (closing date 27/05/11)
For more information check out the Fairly Educated Conference 2011.