UNBC is Canada's 9th Fair Trade Campus
On Tuesday, January 27, 2015, UNBC President Dan Weeks announced that UNBC had been awarded Fair Trade Campus designation, only the ninth such designation in Canada. As Canada’s Green University, UNBC strives to be a leader in sustainability, including our purchasing and business practices.
“The Fair Trade Campus designation is the latest example of UNBC’s ongoing commitment to sustainability,” says UNBC President Daniel Weeks. “Ensuring that products consumed at UNBC are ethically sourced and socially responsible is something the entire university community can take pride in achieving."
Fair trade is an important mechanism to empower marginalized producers to improve their own living conditions. Through programs such as Fair Trade, producers are provided the necessary resources, capacity, and access to key relationships to earn a better life for themselves and their communities.
An achievement through collaboration
UNBC's journey to achieving Fair Trade designated campus is instructive of how positive change takes place at UNBC. Our food service partners, including Chartwells, Ancillary Services, the Thirsty Moose Pub and Degrees Coffee all independently incorporated Fair Trade products into their offerings. At the same time, there was a groundswell of support from our students, faculty and staff to obtain Fair Trade designation. By collaborating, the table was easily set for formalizing what we naturally do.
The road ahead
Becoming a designated Fair Trade campus is not an end goal, but rather the start of something bigger. We will work with Fair Trade Canada and the Canadian Fair Trade network to expand our Fair Trade and sustainable offerings on campus, and continue to look for ways to improve the sustainability of our teaching, research and operations. Furthermore, through our actions and advocacy, we hope to inspire other cities and universities across Canada to adopt Fair Trade and sustainable purchasing.
Looking for Fair Trade?
There are many different locations on campus where you can obtain Fair Trade certified coffee, tea, chocolate and other products, including:
- The Agora Cafeteria and C-Store
- The Thirsty Moose Pub
- Degrees Coffee in the NUSC and T&L
- The UNBC Bookstore
- The Northern Sports Centre
- Campus vending machines
Fair Trade Events on Campus
WUSC Local Chapter promotes Fair Trade Valentine's Day
The UNBC chapter of WUSC (World University Services Canada) set up in the Wintergarden to sell Fair Trade Camino chocolate for Valentine's Day.
UNBC Designated Canada's 9th Fair Trade Campus
On January 27, 2015, UNBC announced it became Canada's ninth Fair Trade Campus. President Dan Weeks broke the great news during his welcome speech to kick off Green Day, UNBC's annual day of celebrating sustainability.
Thank you to our partners
