London Met is one of 12 UK universities to receive the accreditation.
Date: 26 June 2020
London Met is proud to have been awarded Fairtrade University 1-star status by the Fairtrade Foundation, alongside 11 other UK universities.
Representatives from the university and Students’ Union have been working through award criteria which provide a wide range of ways for the institution to engage with Fairtrade and ethical consumption.
Fairtrade University award has encouraged strong partnership between sustainability, catering, academic staff and the Students’ Union in the university.
Zanda Pipira, Sustainabilty Officer at London Met said, “We’re very pleased that the University has achieved Fairtrade University 1-star status. We work hard to ensure sustainability in our services and our supply chain, and are continuously acting to ensure London Met has a positive social impact on its community and the wider world.
“Fairtrade University 1-star status not only benefits the University as it builds on the reputation the university has established as a leader in sustainability but also helps to comply with Modern Slavery Act, raises awareness of sustainability issues and helps us to improve The People and Planet Green League environmental performance.’’
Student auditor Elis Conde who studies MSc Corporate Social Responsibility and Responsibility said: ‘’It was great to understand more about Fairtrade and made me rethink my consumption criteria. From a professional point of view, it was enriching to understand how the University contributed to Fairtrade and then I was able to think about how other companies can also support Fairtrade in their commercial activities.’’
Higher education institutions have huge environmental and social impacts on the world and not only in the way they choose to reduce their own carbon emissions. The students at these institutions educate will go on to graduate and become the teachers, scientists, and politicians, who decide our planet’s future. By encouraging students to explore their understanding of the social and environmental impacts of their decisions, and making ethical and sustainable the norm, institutions can have a hugely positive influence on the graduates who will become the next generation of leaders.
Joanna Milis, Education Campaigns Manager from the Fairtrade Foundation, said: “This is an incredibly difficult time for everyone, not just for the Fairtrade farmers and producers on the ground, but for students here in the UK who have had their studies disrupted. It’s wonderful to see that even in the face of adversity, students remain committed to the Fairtrade movement.
Research conducted by our partners NUS tells us that 90% of students say they want to buy more products that don’t harm the people that produce them and 84% say they trust the Fairtrade Mark the most of all product marks. There is a huge appetite amongst students to understand the impact the products they buy are having on the people and the planet along the supply chain, and to buy ethically sourced products. It is so important to enable students to have access to information about this at a time when farmers and producers need our support more than ever.”
