Who are we?
The Brandeis Fair Trade Brigade is a coalition of students dedicated to increasing awareness about Fair Trade as well as the promotion of Fair Trade products on campus with the ultimate goal of serving exclusively fair trade coffee on campus.
What is Fair Trade?
Fair Trade is a growing international movement that works to ensure that farmers in developing countries receive a fair price for their goods. Fair Trade creates a sustainable income for the world's poorest by paying farmers subsistence wages and working with communities to develop long-term economic strategies through building health care clinics, schools and roads. Additionally, Fair Trade certified products support farming practices that help protect the environment
Fair Trade is an innovative, market-based strategy for poverty alleviation and sustainable development. It helps farmers help themselves - without depending on foreign aid. In addition, Fair Trade Co-ops make investments in the kind of infrastructure - roads, schools, health centers - that will eventually allow farmers to develop their economies and move beyond agriculture into other occupations, helping to alleviate the oversupply of coffee on the world market.
During their often-hectic schedules, both students and staff consume large quantities of coffee, tea and chocolate on a daily basis. By raising awareness of the consumers to the inequalities of trade and the implications of their purchasing power, Fair Trade empowers people to challenge the ways trade works. Every member of the University can make socially responsible choices.
Key Principles
- Guaranteed living wage or income paid directly to the producer
- Fair, safe working conditions for all people working on the farms
- Gender Equality
- Freedom of association for farmers and workers and democratic decision making within their co-op
- Environmental standards that promote shade grown farming, organic farming, and foster sustainability
- Pre-harvest lines of credit for the farmers
- Building up infrastructure including roads, schools, and health centers to promote community growth
- Develop long-term relationships with farming cooperatives based on trust and respect