About
What’s the Fairtrade difference?
Choosing to buy Fairtrade products helps to combat poverty, improves environmental sustainability, and makes a real difference to the lives of farmers and workers along the supply chain.
As a community of more than 60,000 consumers, the choices we make as a university can make a world of difference. Each item you choose to purchase on campus can have a positive, powerful impact on agricultural communities around the world.
By choosing a Fairtrade product, you can ensure that the person at the start of the supply chain is paid adequately, works in decent conditions, has better terms of trade, and has the chance to generate more income and live with greater freedom. Choosing Fairtrade also promotes local environmental sustainability and encourages investment in small businesses.
We’re a certified university
The University of Melbourne has had Fairtrade accreditation since May 2013, following the leadership of a group of passionate students.
The University has committed to:
- Stock fair trade tea and coffee in at least 50% of kitchenettes across campus,
- Serve fair trade tea and coffee in Council and Senior Executive meetings,
- Encourage other cafes and outlets to offer fair trade options,
- Over time, look at fair trade alternatives for products such as clothing and sports equipment, and
- Let you know which cafes on campus offer Fairtrade tea and coffee.
Moving towards 100% Fairtrade kitchenettes
In 2018, we committed to moving towards 100% Fairtrade kitchenette consumables across campuses as outlined in our Sustainability Plan. This includes tea, coffee, drinking chocolate, sugar and soap.
How do I know it’s Fairtrade?
The Fairtrade certification guarantees a product has been independently assessed to meet international social, economic and environmental Fairtrade standards. This means that workers have been treated fairly, are being paid enough, and have job security long into the future.
Look out for the blue and green Fairtrade logo on product packaging.
The University also accepts Rainforest Alliance and UTZ certified products, which ensure similar standards have been meet in the supply chain.
