Fairtrade Define Fairtrade around the world Some impacts of unfair / fair trade Fairtrade in the UK Fairtrade in Wigan Borough Fairtrade in Wigan Council Fairtrade and the Cultural Exchange Group

The Fairtrade Mark

Fairtrade around the world 1m members and workers in 540 Small Producer Organisations and 206 Hired Labour Organisations around the world Over 7m people directly benefit from £1.6bn annual global spend on Fairtrade certified products Total Fairtrade “Premium” benefit (2007): 32 million Euros 50% re-invested in Fairtrade businesses 26% invested in health, education or environment 24% invested in local community projects Wide geographical distribution of producers: 58 developing countries One olive producer from Palestinian Occupied Territories Coffee is the no. 1 product (400,000 farmers), then tea, cocoa, cotton

Fairtrade around the world

Some impacts of unfair trade Domination of markets by trans-national companies due to unfair trade rules Drive to cut prices overrides environmental, social and health concerns Poor market access for independent producers > fail to cover production costs Many farmers forced off land > into cities (often slums) > urbanisation / overcrowding Some farmers switch to drug-growing to support themselves > crime / violence Communities lose control of their own lives and environment > destabilisation Overuse of chemical pesticides damages human health and wider environment 20% of male banana workers in Costa Rica are sterile Twice average rates of leukemia and birth defects in women banana packers “Sweatshop”, $-a-day working conditions common, including for children Dissent or trade union activity often violently suppressed (killings in Columbia)  Low quality, cheap goods

Some impacts of Fairtrade Fair prices, steady wages > job security and control of own lives and communities Decent working conditions and improved health and safety Participation in life / accident insurance schemes and personal investment loans Participation in democratic structures > social stability Greater respect for and amongst people, including women and children Less harm to environment and active investment in environmental improvements Investment in social improvements (boreholes, schools, health clinics, roads) Stewardship, rather than abandonment, of land Less use of chemicals Fewer drugs grown Less potential destabilisation and conflict  High quality stakeholder-produced goods

Fairtrade in the UK Estimated UK retail sales of Fairtrade certified products were £23m in 1999, £800m in % of population recognise the Fairtrade Mark and 64% link the Mark to a better deal for producers in the developing world The Fairtrade Foundation licences use of the Fairtrade Mark on products in the UK, in accordance with international standards set by the Fairtrade Labelling Organisation (FLO) Key Fairtrade Foundation awareness-raising programmes: Fairtrade Fortnight (annually); Fairtrade Towns; Fairtrade Schools The Greater Manchester Fairtrade Group shares Fairtrade information from the 10 districts - Bolton leads and has a thriving Fairtrade campaign

Fairtrade in Wigan Borough Wigan Co-operative Members’ Fairtrade Group Wigan Fairtrade Directory Wigan Fairtrade website Fairtrade Fortnight events Tastings, talks… Promotion of “Fairtrade Schools” “Fairtrade Town” auditing and reporting role

Fairtrade in Wigan Council Council Resolution Nominated support officer for local group Corporate Procurement Strategy Council meetings, offices and canteens Internal promotion / awareness-raising Departmental Fairtrade audits Reporting back to local Fairtrade group SustainableDevelopment/FairtradeinWigan.htm

Can the Cultural Exchange Group help the Wigan Fairtrade Group to achieve its aims? To promote the concept of Fairtrade within the Borough To raise awareness of the Fairtrade Mark and provide guidance on buying Fairtrade goods locally To achieve and maintain Fairtrade Town status for the Borough

Can the Fairtrade agenda help the Cultural Exchange Group to achieve its aims? The Cultural Exchange Group will :- consider strategic means of engaging the BME community identify means of overcoming existing barriers to engagement highlight indigenous culture as much as minority cultures raise cultural awareness levels of public services have a balance between strategy and delivery developing a calendar of national, regional and local events that we could support and link in to identify gaps in provision identify high-level and meaningful targets to support the Cultural Exchange Group’s ambitions identify and bid for funding to support the above aims be linked to significant local strategic partnerships and report progress against agreed targets on an annual basis support the achievements linked to the CAA and LAA process The Cultural Exchange Group will be accountable to the following :- Cultural Partnership Building Stronger Communities Partnership SHAPE Board Hate Crime Group Refugee and Migrant Workers Forum Homeless and Vulnerable Team BME umbrella group

Consider… Buying (or even seeing) Fairtrade products links you directly to producers from many different cultures Experiencing commonly known (or comparing different) foods, flowers, clothing, cosmetics, toys, etc can help to promote cross- cultural understanding Food in particular can be one of the very best ways “in” to understanding a given country / culture Sharing food and drink is an age-old way of bringing people together Understanding Fairtrade issues can help to raise awareness about wider international issues Fairtrade celebrates self-respect, self-reliance and independence Borough’s own producers / farmers / allotment holders / gardeners? Links to Healthy Eating agenda ?