St George's Supports
Fair Trade
Saint George’s has introduced Fairtrade tea and coffee to all parish social activities.
But what is Fairtrade?
Around 80% of people living in poverty globally live in rural areas and rely on farming to make a living. A lot of the food and goods that we buy are imported from poorer countries, where they have been bought by big companies and then shipped to our supermarkets. These companies aim to maximise profit by minimising their spending on food and produce from farmers. When you pay for an item in the supermarket very little of your money actually goes to the farmer
Fairtrade exists to make sure that the benefits of trade and the money made is shared out more equally, making sure that farmers receive a fair price for everything they sell.
Fairtrade also makes sure that the farmers can work safely and in better conditions.
When working in The Fairtrade system, farmers and workers are paid fairly for the goods they make. Fairtrade workers have a minimum price that makes sure they cannot be paid anything lower than a certain amount for their produce. This stops big companies from underpaying farmers.
Fairtrade prices also make sure that farmers can grow their crops in a sustainable way. This means that farmers can use farming methods that are environmentally friendly and do not hurt the climate or local wildlife and ecosystems.
All the farmers and workers that work under fairtrade are also given a fairtrade premium that is paid on top of the money they are given for their goods. This money is used by the farmers to invest in their business or can be used to improve their local community.
Fairtrade has a great impact of the lives of farmers and workers, as well as the environment
Fairtrade products have the following label opposite
This Mark means the product’s ingredients have been produced by small-scale farmer organisations that meet Fairtrade's social, economic and environmental standards.
The aim is to use trade, not aid, to help small-scale farmers; one of the most marginalised groups in the world.
In summary, buying Fairtrade products not only benefits the producers and their communities but also contributes to a more sustainable and ethical global market. By choosing Fairtrade, you are making a positive impact with your purchasing power.
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WIth thanks to Noreen McGinnity for this article and for all she does for our Live Simply Award
