Fair Trade Nation Report 2018 Content
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Fair Trade Nation Report 2018 Content About this report 3 - 8 What is a Fair Trade Nation or Region? 9 - 14 What does this mean for Wales? 15 - 20 Conclusion 21 1 Introduction Fair trade is a In 2018, Wales celebrates 10 years since trading partnership, being declared a Fair Trade Nation. The based on dialogue, campaign was started at the beginning transparency and of Wales’s devolution with grassroots and cross-party support from the Welsh respect, that seeks Assembly. We’ve come a long way since greater equity in then and we’re taking another look at international trade what it means to be a Fair Trade Nation. We have carried out a review into Wales as a Fair Trade Nation. Our research clearly shows that people want Wales to continue being a Fair Trade Nation, and by offering better trading conditions to, more places internationally are interested and securing the rights of, marginalised in the work going on here in Wales. This producers and workers – especially short report ties together our experience in the South. Fair trade organisations, and activities of the last 10 years with backed by consumers, are engaged the developments internationally, and actively in supporting producers, considers what this means for the future awareness raising and in campaigning of Fair Trade in Wales. for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade”. In the past few years, the world has come together and signed up to the Most importantly, we need to remember Sustainable Development Goals and in that the work we do in Wales is done Wales we have the Well-being of Future to change the lives of farmers, workers Generations Act, a first-of-its-kind piece and craftspeople around the world who of legislation requiring public bodies to are not paid fairly or treated with respect demonstrate how they are being globally for the work that they do. Our vision is responsible. We are also seeing the to see an equal world, trading fairly. The world’s trading relationships changing. dedication and support that people and organisations across Wales demonstrate According to FINE1: “Fair trade is a by being a part of the Fair Trade Nation trading partnership, based on dialogue, is done with the ultimate aim to make transparency and respect, that seeks poverty history. greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development 1 FINE is an umbrella network of key Fair Trade stakeholder organisations: Fairtrade International, the International Fair Trade Association (now the World Fair Trade Organisation), the Network of European Worldshops and the European Fair Trade Association. 2 About this report This year, as Wales marks 10 years since being declared a Fair Trade Nation, the Research Welsh Government, which is Fair Trade Wales’ main funder, has asked us to For the report we review what a Fair Trade Nation is and carried out research come up with some ideas for the future. through an online survey, focus groups As international interest in Fair Trade and desk research. Both the survey Nations grows, Fair Trade develops and and focus groups used a similar set of as the UK seeks to change the ways it questions around some main topics; trades with other countries, this seems an feelings and opinions around Wales’s appropriate time to reflect on what Wales experience of being a Fair Trade Nation, as a Fair Trade Nation could be in the and what priorities should be worked on future. in the future. We held eight focus groups: five across The brief Wales with local Fair Trade groups, and three with specific groups: Fairtrade The review’s main purpose is to help universities in Wales, global Fair shape the direction of Fair Trade work Trade researchers and practitioners & in Wales, but it has also enabled us to Assembly Members. Altogether 53 people share our experience, research and attended the focus groups. They were recommendations to other Nations and carried out by Aileen Burmeister and Regions. Julian Rosser, from 11 June to 24 July. The scope of this review covers three The survey was open for 6 weeks, main areas: from 13 June to 26 July. It was advertised through newsletters, Where we are / What Wales has word-of-mouth, on our website, through done so far partners and on social media, including What a Fair Trade Nation is the use of Facebook and Twitter ads. What Wales as a Fair Trade Nation Respondents all had the order of could look like answers to multiple choice questions randomised to avoid any unconscious This report shows the results of our bias which could have occured. The research and analysis and suggests survey was started 268 times, with 241 recommendations to feed into this responses filling out the survey to various ongoing discussion about Fair Trade degrees. Nations or Regions, as well as for the future of Wales as a Fair Trade Nation. 3 Where we are / What Wales has done so far Fair Trade Wales We see our role as a catalyst for the Fair Trade movement in Wales to be: Fair Trade Wales 1 Supporting is the national organisation for Fair 2 Growing Trade in Wales. We 3 Promoting have a vision of an equal world, trading Due to our history, we have an integral fairly and our mission part to play in Wales being a Fair is to be a catalyst for Trade Nation. Our role has included the Fair Trade movement in Wales. supporting and monitoring Wales as a The organisation was initially set up in Fair Trade Nation, though it is clear from 2004 as the Wales Fair Trade Forum the criteria that we are not the owners (including CAFOD, Christian Aid, Fair of a Fair Trade Nation, nor indeed the Do’s/Siopa Teg, Oxfam, Tearfund and sole organisation responsible for its Together Creating Communities) to implementation. Alongside supporting oversee the Fair Trade Nation campaign the grassroots movement, providing and, on June 6 2008, Wales made Fair Trade producer opportunities and history and became the first ever Fair speaking up internationally, we have Trade Nation. gone above and beyond Fair Trade Nation criteria through much of our work Shortly after this, in 2010 Fair Trade over the past 12 years. Some examples Wales was established as a non-profit of work we have carried out and company, limited by guarantee. Since supported include: 2015 we have been part of the Hub Cymru Africa (HCA) partnership, which supports the Wales Africa and Fair Fair Trade Ways Wales Trade communities. Fair Trade Wales and Wales Fair Trade Forum have Fair Trade Ways were introduced to received significant core funding from Wales in 2011. They create walking links the Welsh Government’s Wales for Africa between Fairtrade towns, encouraging programme since 2006. people to visit places supporting Fair Trade, and giving campaigners a chance to promote Fair Trade. They are led by volunteers in Carmarthenshire. Fair Trade Wales has supported this including facilitating Dyborn Chibonga, National 4 Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Fair Trade Voices Malawi, to join the International Fair Trade Ways Festival to walk in the footsteps of Education was a long-term focus for Welsh Poet, Idris Davies in 2017. Fair Trade Wales and produced the Fair Trade Voices project. This developed Fair Trade in Football links between schools and Fairtrade producers. Fair Trade Wales provided (and Rugby) guidance, technical equipment and links for video conferencing between the two This campaign was set up by who could find out more about each Pembrokeshire resident Sharron other. This project was then turned into Hardwick, a strong football and online resources for other schools to Fairtrade supporter to promote the use learn about and get involved themselves. of Fairtrade footballs. The campaign has gone from strength to strength with yearly school Fairtrade football tournaments in Pembrokeshire and much press publicity. We have supported the campaign with advice, support and funding from the HCA partnership and providing networking opportunities. The campaign has won several awards, and has most recently started campaigning for the use of Fairtrade rugby balls as well as footballs. Other groups have been inspired by this idea with Fairtrade football tournaments or procurement Fair Trade Province now occurring in Carmarthenshire, Barry, Monmouthshire, Cardiff Met and more. The Church in Wales (CiW) has been a long supporter of Fair Trade and the Fair Trade Nation. They started a Fair Fair Trade Signs Trade Province campaign in 2015. Fair Trade Wales supported the creation and Since 2013, local groups have wanted assessment of criteria for a Fair Trade visible signs of their Fairtrade status. Province. CiW churches pledge to: use We worked with groups, local authorities Fairtrade tea & coffee, display Fairtrade and the Welsh Government to provide literature, attract media coverage and guidance and part-finance road and more. The goal was to have 70% of car park signs. The signs help promote churches in each diocese pledged. In wider awareness and involvement of the 2015 CiW was declared the world’s population in the Fair Trade movement. first Fair Trade Province in the Anglican Signs are now displayed in: Abergele, church. Ammanford, Barry, Monmouthshire & Newcastle Emlyn. 5 Fair Trade Business Farmers Unions partnerships Businesses are an integral part of Fair Trade. In our Fair Trade Business project, we encouraged businesses to switch their ingredients or products to Fairtrade. We provided guidance on policies and created a National Fair Trade Purchasing guide for Wales to help with procurement. As part of this, we supported local coffee roasting company Coaltown to have a Fairtrade line as part of supplying the National Assembly.