Ever wonder where your hot cup of coffee comes from? At Saint Mary’s University, you can be sure your coffee is Fair Trade certified and farmers have received fair compensation for their product. In today’s globalized world, our purchases can significantly impact people around the globe and the environment. Saint Mary’s faculty, staff and students are dedicated to making a difference, and as a result of their efforts, all on-campus purchases are now Fair Trade certified.
Fair Trade is an alternative approach to business based on partnerships between producers and consumers. Farmers receive a minimum price, improved terms, and a social premium that helps improve their lives and enables them to plan for their future. SMU professor and Canada Research Chair in International Development Studies, Gavin Fridell, is a noted expert on Fair Trade and recently published The Fair Trade Handbook: Building a Better World, Together.
"Saint Mary's University has long demonstrated academic leadership around issues of the global trade system and the role of Fair Trade in addressing injustices, we are pleased to welcome you as the 45th Fair Trade Campus of Canada. Saint Mary's students, faculty and staff continue to lead the way in taking initiatives that directly benefit farmers and producers in the Global South and build environmental resilience in their communities. Congratulations!" says Loïc de Fabritus Gautier, Senior Manager of Advocacy & Citizen Engagement at Fair Trade Canada.
Saint Mary’s meets a variety of requirements for the national program, including:
Ensuring all applicable food service locations on Saint Mary’s campus offer Fair Trade certified coffee, tea, and chocolate options as required by Fair Trade Canada standards.
Ensuring one Fair Trade chocolate option is available at all applicable snack vending machines on campus.
Establishing and maintaining a Fair Trade Committee for our campus (the Sustainability Sub-Committee on Fair Trade) that meets regularly to monitor and further Fair Trade at Saint Mary’s.
SMU Dining hosted events and giveaways in early March to celebrate Saint Mary's campus certification.
You can learn more at Fair Trade Canada.