Universities and Colleges Fairtrade Award update

The University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh University Students’ Association are no longer participating in the Universities and Colleges Fairtrade Awards. Instead, we will continue actions that promote fair trade as part of business as usual.

After 20 years of participating in the Universities and Colleges Fairtrade Awards, we have decided to discontinue our participation. Our current accreditation is due to run out in 2026. 

We made this choice because we feel the Award process is no longer driving change for us. 

We’re grateful to the Universities and Colleges Fairtrade Award for giving us a framework to work with, encouraging cross-University collaboration. Now we’re ready to move forward with what we’ve learned, enshrining best practice in our approach to responsible purchasing. 

We want to put our time and resource into broadening our approach to ethical consumption, which includes: 

  • acknowledging a wider range of ethical accreditations such as the Rainforest Alliance and Fair Wear 
  • shortening our supply chains through the introduction of circular principles 
  • considering human rights and other sustainability areas more consistently in relevant purchases across the University.

By moving away from the administrative demands of the Fairtrade Award, we are not reducing our commitment to trading fairly but refocusing it. The freed resources are now being redirected to the highest-impact areas, such as putting our values at the heart of our procurement process, to drive the greatest change we can. For example, we focus on:

  • fair trade and human rights in our supply chain
  • reducing our environmental impact
  • and helping our community make responsible purchases.

University Procurement Strategy 2030

Edinburgh Fairtrade festival 2016 © One World Shop 2016
Edinburgh Fairtrade Festival

Looking back

We are proud of what we’ve achieved over the past 20 years as a staff and student community:

  • Students’ Association: support for student-led events, including a screening of the documentary “Slay” and the “how to become a student activist” workshop. Stocks fair trade products in outlets, including clothing, dried fruit, confectionery, and bananas.
  • University cafes and catering: 100% of our tea, coffee and hot chocolate is Fairtrade certified, as are bananas, sugar sticks and apple juice. The rice we use is fairly traded.
  • University Gift Shop: stocks Fair Wear accredited cotton garments, and carefully considers workers and the environment when sourcing items.
  • Procurement Office: included consideration for fair trade or ethical supply chains to relevant tenders including clothing, food and drink. 
  • Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability: employed a dedicated member of staff with Fair Trade in their job description for over 10 years. Hosted student interns and living lab projects on the topic of fair trade.
  • Student blog posts:

Universities and Colleges Fairtrade Awards

Lauren Opstad, MSc Environment and Development, on placements in Malawi looking at fair trade supply chains, 2015
Students in Malawi

Looking forward

We’re stopping or changing: 

  • The formal structure of the Fairtrade Award working group, including regular meetings to discuss cross-University action on fair trade. 

  • Development of action plans dedicated to achieving Fairtrade Award criteria. 

  • Scoping activities across staff and students as to their perception of fair trade. 

We’re continuing with what we see as the most impactful parts of the Fairtrade Awards: 

  • Providing Fairtrade tea and coffee as standard across all outlets and internally sourced catering for events. 
  • Expanding the range of ethically accredited products we offer. 
  • Requesting that our suppliers sign up to the Sustain Supply Chain Code of Conduct. 
  • Having a dedicated staff member with objectives focused on embedding responsible procurement at the University.

We’re holding ourselves accountable by adhering to our Fair Trade Policy, updated in 2024, and using the Sustain Supply Chain Code of Conduct.

The Students' Association has its own commitment to Fairtrade.

Responsible procurement is the act of sourcing goods and services in a way that takes into account ethical and sustainable considerations, including economic, social and environmental factors, whilst aiming to procure and act in a way that is open, fair and transparent.   

At the University of Edinburgh we consider: the environmental impact of goods, services or works being delivered; opportunities to promote human rights within the supply chain; and the potential to enhance local social value through delivery of community benefits.

University approach to responsible procurement

What you can do

We encourage everyone to think about the impacts of purchasing decisions on workers around the world. 

Learn more: Fairtrade Foundation 

Earn rewards for your sustainability actions (more fair trade actions coming soon) 

We’re interested in your feedback. If you have comments or suggestions, please email us at SRS.Department@ed.ac.uk.

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