Your New-Look Supporter Magazine!
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Trade Matters January 2020 Your new-look supporter magazine! Registered charity no. 1048752 there could be new opportunities As we do that, we all need to ask CONTENTS Welcome Ready for a for businesses to supply the UK ourselves: what kind of trade do with goods previously imported we believe in? 2 Welcome to Trade Hello and a very happy New Year! your own challenge to lessen the challenges faced Matters! by farmers, workers and artisans in developing from the EU. Do we want big businesses which We hope you had a wonderful time celebrating changing world? But there are also big risks squeeze as much profit out of 3 Ready for a changing countries. Find out more on pages 8-9. over the festive season and that 2020 brings you in this new world, and we their supply chains as possible, world? And of course, ahead of Fairtrade Fortnight (24th lots of excitement, inspiration, and happiness. by Mary Milne, will continue to highlight regardless of the cost to workers, 4 Big Brew 2020 Feb - 8th Mar) we have a brand-new Big Brew pack Head of Campaigns these. farmers and the environment? 2019 certainly ended on a high! Your generous for you (p4-5). We hope you’ll join us to host an 6 “We don’t have land and Communications And should some of the poorest donations to our Christmas Appeal – the first event and enjoy a cuppa that truly changes the The UK might soon be to live on” countries in the world be pushed we’ve ever run specifically for people with world. If you hosted a Big Brew - Harvest event last negotiating a trade deal to open up their markets, 8 Introducing… the disabilities – will make it possible for so many Autumn, we hope you had a wonderful time – and with the US for the first hange is coming. Three and whatever the cost? Challenge Exchange more people to start earning a decent living with we’ll have a brand-new Harvest pack for you later time. Remember those dignity. Find out more about this brilliant result a half years on from the Credit: Photo by Chris Lawton 10 Leaving a legacy – this year, so stay tuned! C ‘red carpet courts’ we Or do we believe in businesses on page 14. referendum of June 2016, it looks talked about in the last which put people and planet first Margaret and Bill’s story Thank you for joining us on the journey to a fairer as though the UK will be leaving in developing countries and the We hope as you read through this issue of Trade edition of Trade Matters? The UK – businesses which are smaller 11 Home composting: world. We hope you enjoy reading! the EU at the end of January 2020. businesses they depend on. We Matters you’ll see just how many ways there are could find itself forced to give scale, more local, and share Traidcraft plc There will be a transition period, were successful in persuading the to transform trade for the better this year. From US companies access to those decision-making and profits along but make no mistake, over the UK government to slash tariffs 12 To make trade fair, signing our new campaign to stop companies courts, meaning they could sue the supply chain? Warm next few years we’re likely to see for businesses in the very poorest make it green doing things like taking over people’s land (p6-7) our government for policies which Change is coming for sure. The wishes, big changes in trade. countries. might damage their profits, like 14 Small Steps and to taking part in our raffle (p16), every action you question is, are we ready to meet , Whatever the rights and wrongs We’ve said all along that there reducing carbon emissions. Christmas Appeal update take, big or small, helps to make a real difference Denise it and shape it for good? to people across the world – people who deserve Jonny and of EU membership for the UK, could be opportunities. The UK That’s why we will continue 15 Make a donation we at Traidcraft Exchange have a much better deal from trade. Get in touch with us at Karen could support trade deals which to push for MPs to be able to To keep up-to-date with our 16 The Traidcraft Exchange always believed that people in prioritise regional integration. In latest news and campaigns, This January, as we start putting our New Years’ [email protected] or on 0191 497 6445 scrutinise and vote on trade Raffle poorer countries shouldn’t lose Africa, for example, building trade sign up to our mailing list at resolutions into action, we’re delighted to launch deals – so that they can consider Front cover photo: Rosta picking coffee on her out as we leave. We’ve spoken up between neighbouring countries all the impacts on people and the www.traidcraftexchange.org the Challenge Exchange – so you can take on for the needs and rights of people farm. Credit: Traidcraft Exchange/Michael Goima could be a game changer. And environment. 2 Trade Matters Trade Matters 3 Fairtrade Fortnight 2020 In your Big Mon 24 Feb to Sun 8 Mar Brew pack... During Fairtrade Fortnight, thousands Big Brew of people up and down the country get together to celebrate all the progress that Join us for a cuppa that together, we’ve made to transform world changes the world! trade for the better – and to campaign against unfair working conditions and exploitation that still exist. Thabiti harvesting If you can’t hold a Big Brew over Fairtrade coffee on his farm. Fortnight, don’t worry – you can host your Credit: Traidcraft Exchange/ Big Brew at any time of the year! Michael Goima This year’s theme is…coffee! t’s not long to go till Fairtrade Fortnight… event the best yet – including beautiful Around 80% of the world’s coffee crop is Iso we hope you’ll join us this year to host new posters, a devilishly tricky trivia produced by 25 million smallholder farmers another fun-filled Big Brew with your quiz, a brand-new Traidcraft Exchange worldwide. So this small but mighty bean How to order friends, family and community! Every penny poster, and a whole host of fun mustn’t be underestimated – it has enormous ...if you don’t yet have your FREE you raise will go towards our life-changing fundraising ideas to inspire you! potential to change lives across the world. This Big Brew pack, you can order one work with some of the world’s most Due to popular demand, we’ve Fairtrade Fortnight, we hope you’ll join us to at www.traidcraftexchange.org/ hardworking people, living everywhere from also created a Big Brew video to learn a little more about this life-changing bigbrew or call us on 0191 491 the cotton fields of India to the forests of little bean, even if you’re more partial 0855. You can also add one to play at your event. Find it at www. Don’t forget to sell Senegal. to a cup of tea! your basket when you next traidcraftexchange.org/bigbrew raffle tickets at your place an order at Our FREE fundraising pack contains (to be more eco-friendly, we no longer event! See more everything you need to make your Big Brew produce DVDs). details on page 16. www.traidcraftshop.co.uk 4 Trade Matters Trade Matters 5 without land to grow food and earn an income. What would the new For people like Hilary, land is the law do? foundation of other basic human rights. It Stolen land. is their source of water, food and income. Give UK companies a duty to Take away their land and you take away prevent harm to human rights their hope. As Hilary says, ‘We don’t have and the environment. Broken promises. land to live from. Life is unbearable.’ Companies are used to checking Right now, it’s too easy for UK companies G. Hilary Gbah is just one of many people in What can you do now? financial risk, sometimes known to grab precious land, break promises and Liberia struggling to make a living after their as carrying out ‘due diligence’. divide communities in some of the world’s > Please sign and send the postcard land was taken for a palm oil plantation. It’s time to do due diligence on poorest countries. We want to make sure Enclosed with your magazine is a campaign postcard Credit: Traidcraft Exchange/Derick Snyder human rights as well. other communities don’t suffer the same for you to send to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson. devastation as Hilary and his community. Hold companies to account his month, Traidcraft Exchange is we wanted development,’ he says. He > Order more postcards and leaflets for others “We don’t have launching a new campaign in support of handed over his land, expecting payment That’s why Traidcraft Exchange is calling if abuses do occur. T Use the other card to order more cards and leaflets people around the world whose lives have in compensation, as well as promises of for a new law to help stop this and and share them with others in your church or local Until companies are held liable been devastated by the activities of British investment in the area. other human rights abuses. It would land to live community. for their actions and those of their companies. make respecting human rights and the However, the compensation payment was subsidiaries, there’s no incentive from.