Fair Trade University Annual Report. University of Adelaide

Transcription

1 Fair Trade University Annual Report University of Adelaide 2016

2 This report has been prepared by Ecoversity, in conjunction with the University of Adelaide Fair Trade Collective (FTC), a registered Club of the Adelaide University Union (AUU). Ecoversity is the University of Adelaide s sustainability engagement program. Our work remit is very broad, from recycling, energy and reuse, to sustainable purchasing, transport and water reduction. We work with local government and NGOs, input into campus planning and undertake carbon reporting to the federal government. E: ecoversity@adelaide.edu.au P: The FTC is a Club of University of Adelaide students who are passionate about Fair Trade and played a significant role in the university s successful bid for Fair Trade Accreditation in The Collective has three main objectives: 1. ensure the University meets its Fair Trade accreditation standards by liaising with the University; 2. raise awareness and appreciation amongst students of fair trade, trade rules, and sustainable and ethical consumption; and 3. liaise with the wider community to promote greater fair trade awareness and appreciation across Adelaide and South Australia. E: fairtradecollective@auu.org.au 1

3 1. Summary Overview of Year. The Fair Trade Collective (FTC) and Ecoversity have been working together to maintain Fair Trade Accreditation at the University of Adelaide. Key activities of the year included: Recruiting new members of the FTC, including at the 2016 O Week Stall and the Fairtrade Information Session held in collaboration with Flinders University Fair Trade Collective; Increasing FTC presence at as many on-campus events as possible; Fashion Revolution Week movie screening of The True Cost; Hosting three staff morning teas to encourage the purchase of Fairtrade products for use in staff kitchens and to educate staff on the Fair Trade movement and the work of the FTC; Involvement in the Adelaide University Union s Clubsland event; Attendance by five members at the Fairly Educated Conference 2016 in Geelong; and Investigating Fairtrade merchandise options for the university, including to build relationships with retailers, managers and merchandise stockists. 2. Steering Committee details. Over the past year, there has been a significant change in membership of the Fair Trade Steering Committee due to staff and students graduating or leaving the University. A goal for 2015/16 was to recruit up to 10 new members of the FTC who represent relevant and complementary areas of the University such as VGen Uni Group, Oxfam Uni Group, the Student Representative Council, staff from Strategic Procurement and other interested parties. It was the intent that all members would provide their opinions, recommendations and perspectives based on the area that they represent. Despite not recruiting to the Committee as widely as hoped, the FTC maintained strong existing relationships with contacts from Adelaide University Union Clubs such as Oaktree, Oxfam, Beneath the Seams, the Flinders University Fair Trade Collective, and Fairtrade Vision at Deakin University, Geelong. The 2016 Steering Committee consisted of the following members: Georgia Brazenall, President Fair Trade Collective Phillipa Schliebs, Environmental Projects Officer, Ecoversity Heidi Quiniones, Media Officer Fair Trade Collective Angela Oemcke, Media Officer Fair Trade Collective Hannah Sharp, Treasurer Fair Trade Collective Sanjam Kohli. Secretary Fair Trade Collective Esther Richards, General Member Fair Trade Collective Emilie Dignan, General Member Fair Trade Collective Bonnie Armour, General Member Fair Trade Collective Thomas Suebwicha, General Member Fair Trade Collective Rui Shihombing, General Member Fair Trade Collective Isabelle Rogers, General Member Fair Trade Collective Dandin Lin, General Member Fair Trade Collective Kate Thomas, General Member Fair Trade Collective (Also State Manager of VGen SA) 2

4 3. Campus Retail Outlets selling Fair Trade Products. Grassroots Café There are three Grassroots Café outlets at the North Terrace campus. Grassroots has always been supportive of the fair trade movement and has only ever served Fairtrade Certified Coffee (Monjava Nicaraguan Certified Organic Fair Trade Coffee). During on-campus events such as University Open Day and Ride to Uni Day, Grassroots has provided Fairtrade coffee from a mobile coffee van. Marcus Breach, Manager P: E: marcus@grassrootsfood.com.au The General Adelaide Managed by the Adelaide University Union (AUU), The General is the only convenience store on campus, offering students a variety of items including snacks, hot food, stationary, toiletries and clothing. Fairtrade Certified products include Cadbury Dairy Milk 55g and Cadbury Dairy Milk 200g. Nicola Hallard, Store Manager P: (08) E: thegeneral@adelaide.edu.au Student Bookshop Student Co-Op Shop The Student Co-Op is a new store on the North Terrace campus that opened in November 2016 selling textbooks, fiction and non-fiction books, tech gear, stationery, consumables and a variety of gifts. Fairtrade Certified products include: Divine Chocolate bars (flavours include White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Orange, Caramel, Dark Caramel) Divine Chocolate blocks (flavours include White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, White with Strawberry, Milk Chocolate with toffee and Sea salt, Orange and Ginger, Dark with Mango and Coconut, Dark with Mint Seed and Bean Chocolate blocks (flavours include Aromatic Fennel Fine Dark Chocolate, Caffè Mocha Rich Milk Chocolate, Coconut and Raspberry Extra Dark Chocolate, Chilli & Lime Extra Dark Chocolate, Cornish Sea Salt Extra Dark Chocolate, Mandarin & Ginger Extra Dark Chocolate, Creamy White Chocolate Raspberry and Vanilla, Tangerine Rich Milk Chocolate, Mint Extra Dark Chocolate) Store Manager P: W: Complete Office Supplies (COS) online COS is the University s preferred supplier of stationery, office products and kitchen supplies. Staff are encouraged to preference Planet Friendly items, which include Fairtrade Certified products. There are currently more than 80 Fairtrade Certified products available through COS, including bulk items, which staff can purchase online. Steven Aspinall, University of Adelaide Account Manager P: (08) W: 3

5 4. Staff-rooms, Offices etc using Fair Trade / Fairtrade Products. There are more than 60 schools, branches and operating units at the University of Adelaide, spread across three campuses (North Terrace, Waite and Roseworthy) and numerous inner-city buildings. Within these operating units are more than 100 kitchens and kitchenettes. By analysing 2016 procurement data, we can see that only 3%* of all tea, coffee and drinking chocolate purchased through the University s preferred office supplier is Fairtrade Certified. However, if you add Rainforest Alliance, UTZ Certified and other ethically certified products, this figure increases to 18%, a growth in ethical products of 2% since While recognising that other ethical certifications are not as allencompassing, complete or ideal as Fairtrade, for staff to be increasing their purchase of such products is still a step in the right direction. Due to a de-centralised purchasing process, we have only a limited understanding of the number of areas that purchase fair trade products and a limited influence over their product choices. From recent surveys, we know that a key reason for staff not purchasing Fairtrade Certified products even those who are interested in doing so - is the limited number of bulk Fairtrade products available and the cost of Fairtrade certified products in comparison to non-certified. *This data does not consider purchases by staff direct from supermarket 5a. Fair Trade Education and Promotion New promotional resources that have been developed or updated in 2016 include: Ethical Shopping Guide for University of Adelaide Students This fun and informative guide includes information about cheap labour and unsafe working conditions in clothing factories, a map of the best Op Shops in Adelaide, explanation of the brand ratings in Baptist Aid s Australian Fashion Report 2016, and an interview with a fashion student about recycled clothing. Fairtrade Sorting Game Created by the FTC to use at University events as an interesting way to engage the general public in thinking about Fairtrade, the game requires participants to sort which products are Fairtrade Certified. The game was updated in 2016 to include San Churros and Divine Chocolate brands and a digital version was created for stalls to use on i-pads. Ecoversity website Additional information has been added about ethical purchasing and getting involved with the Fair Trade Collective. COS Sustainable Purchasing Guide A guide was created by Ecoversity to make it easier for administrative staff to purchase ethical, environmentally friendly and Fairtrade products. Event Posters Promotional posters provided by FTANZ were occasionally used at FTC events and Market Stalls. The FTC also created posters for their events including the Fashion Revolution Week movie screening of The True Cost (See Appendices). Facebook Promotion Facebook events and posts were used to promote special events including The True Cost Screening, O Week stalls, Fair Trade Fortnight, Fashion Revolution Week, and Fairly Educated Conference (See Appendices). Existing promotional resources that have been used throughout the year include: FTC Brochures One of the most well-used materials is the Club s brochure, which provides information about fair trade, the University s accreditation and where to purchase Fairtrade Certified products in the Adelaide CBD. Fair Trade FAQ and Fair Trade on Campus FAQs Developed by Ecoversity to include in sample packs that have been distributed to schools and areas on campus. Ethical Code of Conduct for AUU Clubs Developed by the FTC, the Code is distributed annually to clubs who are registered by the Adelaide University Union (AUU). 4

6 The Code includes information about fair trade, guidelines about how Clubs can be ethical consumers, and a commitment for each Club President to sign. Ecoversity Newsletter (EcoLOUD) The monthly newsletter has promoted fair trade activity, resources and successes via articles and links to upcoming events. 5b. Fair Trade Events Throughout the year, the FTC actively and regularly advocated for fair trade at on-campus eventa. Key activities and events included: 23 February Market stall at University O Week with Fairtrade Certified chocolate and tea samples provided. Awesome conversations with passionate world-changers. 48 subscribers and 2 executive committee members were recruited. 5 March Interactive Fair Trade 101 Session with Flinders University Fair Trade Collective. An opportunity for interested members to learn more about Fair Trade, see how they could help progress the movement and eat pizza! 18 April Screening of The True Cost documentary in the Mayo Café on North Terrace campus. The event featured a conversation with UoA student Leah Wilson who had spent time investigating Indonesian garment factories. Attendees took photos and uploaded them to the FTC Instagram account and hash-tagged #whomademyclothes to raise awareness about being conscious of where your clothes are made. 18 May Clubs Land Market Stall where members played the Fairtrade Sorting game with students, served Fairtrade tea and chocolate spread. 19 & 20 May As part of Fair Trade Fortnight, the FTC hosted morning teas with staff from the School of Agriculture, Food & Wine at Waite campus and staff from the Barr Smith Library at the North Terrace campus. Staff were engaged and asked many questions about the club and the Fair Trade movement. Staff rooms were stocked with Fairtrade tea and chocolate courtesy of the Club using funding from Ecoversity. Staff were particularly interested in the Baptist Aid Australian Fashion Report 2016 and the ethical score that each clothing brand July Five members of the FTC joined students and like-minded individuals from all over Australia at the Fairly Educated Conference at Deakin University in Geelong. Members attended lectures, workshops and social activities, learning advocacy skills and business tactics, and hearing stories from many people who have used enterprise to address social issues such as poverty. The President, Georgia Brazenall, represented the FTC by running an interactive workshop on goal setting and overcoming challenges while advocating for Fair Trade. 14 August The FTC and Ecoversity teamed up with Grassroots Café to provide free Fairtrade coffee, tea and chocolates to more than 900 potential students and their families at University Open Day. 300 people played the Fair Trade Sorting Game, earning themselves a reusable Keep Cup. 5

7 6. Table of 2016 Goals (related to Minimum Requirements & Other / Suggested Initiatives) and outcomes Goals (Intention) Actions/Activities Achievements/Challenges Outcomes MR3 - Fair Trade products are made readily available at as many on-campus retail outlets as possible. Encourage all retail outlets, cafes and catering providers to stock at least 2 Fairtrade products by December Communicated with Managers via and in person about the benefits of Fairtrade and the University s accreditation. Provided suggestions for potential Fairtrade options. Fairtrade chocolate and coffee has not sold well in retail outlets on campus as students perceive it as a luxury brand and it is expensive in comparison to other products. Many products that had previously been available in The General were taken off the shelf as they did not sell. Franchised catering outlets (e.g. Aroma café) provide standardised coffee and tea across all cafes and are unwilling to change brands. The poor sale of certain items has made it an increasingly difficult to convince Management of retail outlets to stock more Fairtrade. NEW ACTION: Refocus on the catering outlets (Grassroots and The Staff Club) that already stock Fairtrade coffee and encourage them to provide a Fairtrade tea option. Change in Management and retail providers on campus has made it difficult to know who to liaise with. MR4 - Fair Trade tea/coffee are default options at Council and Student Union meetings and in staff kitchenettes Determine how many staff kitchenettes provide Fairtrade options in order to benchmark improvements. Increase the number of staffrooms providing Fair Trade products by offering to host Fairtrade morning teas during Fair Trade Fortnight. Distributed a survey to all schools/areas inquiring about attitudes towards Fairtrade and provision of Fairtrade options for staff. Hosted staff morning teas for two schools with free sample Fairtrade products. Auditing kitchens is time-consuming and challenging given the size of the university and the spread of schools across three campuses and inner-city buildings. Low uptake of schools wanting a morning tea. One of the schools who co-hosted the morning tea already stocked Fairtrade. A low response rate (25%) was not enough to establish clear benchmark. The two events held were successful and generated a lot of interesting conversation. Photos taken during the morning teas will be used for promotion of future Fair Trade Fortnight events. 1

8 MR5a - Fair Trade is promoted within the university, including use of Fair Trade Association promotional resources. Increase the purchase of Fairtrade products by university staff through the University s preferred office suppliers. Increase the purchase of Fairtrade coffee at Grassroots café. A COS ethical purchasing guide was provided to administrative staff that included how to buy Fairtrade products through COS online. The FTC and Ecoversity provided more than 800 free Fairtrade coffees from Grassroots at University Open Day to current and future staff and students. Reports may not provide an accurate picture as many areas buy kitchen supplies from supermarkets rather than online, therefore data is incomplete. Although Fair Trade Certified products are preferred, from the University s perspective, products with other ethical certifications, such as Rainforest Alliance or UTZ are still considered a good option. The event was a huge success with huge line-ups from 9am-4pm, which provided plenty of opportunity to talk about Fairtrade. MR5b - Fair Trade is promoted within the university by hosting at least one Fair Trade focused event each year. Hold a Fairtrade fashion event to bring attention to the production of less well-known Fair Trade products like cotton. Increase collaboration with likeminded university Clubs, such as Vgen and Oxfam. Increase awareness of Fair Trade clothing and ethical fashion. Held a screening of The True Cost with discussion of ethical clothing consumption. Other Clubs helped by taking photos, helping to cook food, and advertising the event. Produced and distributed an Ethical Shopping Guide tailored to University of Adelaide students. Lack of commitment by other Clubs with some backing out at the last minute. Printing costs and environmental impact are high, therefore produced a digital version with an ability to share the link online. Only 3%* of all tea, coffee and drinking chocolate purchased through COS is Fairtrade Certified. The total percentage of all ethically certified products is 18%, a 2% increase from NEW ACTION: Redistribute survey at the start of the year and attach Guide on how to purchase Fairtrade products through COS. Difficult to quantify whether interest on the day has translated into future sales for Grassroots. The event was a huge success with more than 25 guests and good discussion. NEW ACTION: Hold more joint meetings throughout the year with like-minded Clubs to get them involved in future events. Many students provided positive feedback on the guide with lots interested in the ethical rating of businesses. Smaller businesses selling Fairtrade clothing were advertised which hopefully impacted sales. 7. \ 2

9 7. Table of suggested Main Goals and Actions/Activities (related to Minimum Requirements & Other / Suggested Initiatives) for next year Goals Increase the sale of Fair Trade coffee from Grassroots Cafe by raising awareness of Fair Trade Increase the sale of Fair Trade products in The General Store and Student Co-Op by using point-of-sale messaging to raise awareness of Fair Trade Convince the University to stock at least one item of merchandise from a Fairtrade supplier e.g. tee shirt, hoodie, ball or bag Increase staff representation on the Fair Trade Steering Committee Increase social media presence of the Fair Trade Collective, their efforts and activity Increase the number of bulk Fairtrade items available through COS. Actions/Activities Use the digital screens in the Student Hub, social media and online newsletters to advertise Fairtrade options. Submit a new poster for digital signage every month. Develop a business sized card with switch to Fair Trade message and/or utilise existing promotional material from FTANZ. Place card or message on the shelf next to the product or in a visible place within the store. the Managers quarterly and visit the stores quarterly to check up on sale of products. Encourage the Store and Co-Op to add more Fairtrade products to their shelves. Have one member of the FTC to undertake a student internship with Ecoversity to develop a business case for Fairtrade University of Adelaide merchandise. The business case should be costed and explain the significance of having Fairtrade Accreditation and the commitment to which the University is obliged. Continue developing a relationship between the Steering Committee and Etiko. Brainstorm potential committee members then approach them to serve on the committee Establish a list of discrete tasks that staff would assist with throughout the year, e.g. be a Fair Trade champion within your faculty, request the stocking of Fairtrade products, review communications by the FTC, provide guidance to the FTC around university governance and decision-making etc. Promote FTC effort and achievements on the revamped Ecoversity facebook page and a new Instagram account. Meet with the Social Media team to ensure cross-posting of relevant content to the University of Adelaide facebook page Use more relevant and engaging hashtags for specific campaigns Investigate the viability for COS to add bulk Fairtrade items to COS online. 3

10 8. Conclusion. Events have again proven to be the most successful and fun way of engaging with staff, students and members of the community about Fairtrade. Challenges relating to an ever-changing staff and student body are ongoing, and funding remains essential for samples to distribute at events. The focus for 2017 is to influence procurement, not just raise awareness about Fairtrade products. There are many opportunities relating to Fairtrade merchandise for us to pursue and we hope to create more accountability amongst retailers and catering outlets about the University s accreditation to ensure Fairtrade products are being sold and provided on campus. We will continue our strong record of holding events and stalls throughout the year and hope to recruit enthusiastic and passionate members, including staff, in order to create a strong, sustainable Club with active involvement by all. In terms of ongoing assistance from the Fair Trade Association, we would be grateful for any new hard copy Fair Trade posters, the Fair Trade Shopping Guide and updated stats on who Fairtrade has helped. We ask that FTAANZ assist us in promoting University of Adelaide events and the Fair Trade Collective s Facebook page by sharing and liking posts on social media. 1

11 9. Appendices. University O Week, February Clubs Land Market Stall, May Fashion Revolution events, May 2

12 Fashion Revolution events, May Fair Trade Collective brochure 3

13 Market Stall during Fair Trade Fortnight, May Fair Trade Morning Tea with Barr Smith Library, May Fairly Educated Conference, July University Open Day, August 4

14 This Fair Trade University Annual Report was completed by: Signature Date 10 January 2017 Name: Georgia Brazenall Position: President of the Fair Trade Collective (2016) Signature Date 10 January 2017 Name: Phillipa Schliebs Position: Environmental Project Officer (Ecoversity) Thank you for completing the Fair Trade Community annual report. Please submit using one of the following methods: BY Australia: New Zealand: BY POST: 61 Bailey Street Trigg WA 6029 Australia Thank you for ongoing commitment in being a Fair Trade Community. 5