Playing Fair: Becoming a Fairtrade Diocese

An invitation to churches to take action

Fairtrade: Guarantees a better deal for Third World producers

What is Fairtrade?

Look at the Fairtrade mark alongside; it says “Guarantees a better deal for Third World Producers”. Fairtrade does exactly what it says on the label!

Many farmers in the poorer countries of South America, Africa, and Asia have to contend with fluctuating prices that may not cover the costs of producing their crop. Fairtrade promises that these farmers will receive a stable price which covers production costs plus an additional amount to invest in the business or the locality.

Fairtrade is defined as

An alternative approach to conventional international trade. Fairtrade is a trading partnership which aims at sustainable development for excluded and disadvantaged producers. It seeks to do this by providing better trading conditions, by awareness training, and by campaigning.

Some people will ask if the Fairtrade system can be trusted — it can. Fairtrade has clear standards; independent organisations oversee the system (in the UK this is the Fairtrade Foundation). Independent monitoring ensures that Fair Trade principles are met and that individual producers benefit, for producers themselves are involved in the process.

Fairtrade works by paying producers a fair price guaranteed to be above the world price and to cover the costs of production. A premium is paid over the main price to allow business or community development. Fairtrade gives producers a continuing contract to enable security and investment. Producers must belong to democratic organisations which decide how the premium is spent; these are usually co-operatives. Labour standards are high, trades unions are recognised, there is no forced or child labour, and no discrimination in employment. Fairtrade producers support environmental sustainability.

Why should churches support Fairtrade?

The principles on which Fairtrade is founded are consistent with Christian thinking. The Fairtrade process involves social responsibility, democracy, empowerment, self-help, and mutual care — all these ways of working stem from Biblical teaching. Fairtrade products are excellent - they taste good! Buying Fairtrade food and drink usually means buying higher quality; small producers working on farms in which they have a real personal interest will take more care over their produce. Fewer pesticides tend to be used in Fairtrade products and so our environment is protected. Above all, the Fairtrade system values people as the beloved children of God and does not subject them to wage-slavery or human treatment. The advantages of Fairtrade go beyond the farm as the system invests in the community helping poorer people to have education, medical services, and a higher quality of life.

Why a Fairtrade diocese?

Many of our churches already use Fairtrade products and some sell Fairtrade items especially beverages, biscuits, and confectionery. Some may say that this is enough; all that is needed is for continuing promotion to encourage more churches to adopt Fairtrade practices. However, if the diocese is seen as a expression of our life together as the Church of England in Sussex, it is important that we should be seen to share certain values. The witness shown by becoming a Fairtrade diocese will be an important expression of our care and concern for poorer people throughout the world.

What should we do now?

On 13 November 2004 the Diocesan Synod decided to progress towards becoming a Fairtrade diocese and now it is necessary to take action to obtain accreditation from the Fairtrade Foundation.

Each church council in the diocese was asked to discuss the matter of Fairtrade and decide if it can sign the Fairtrade pledge form. In order to make the pledge a church should:

Serve only Fairtrade tea and coffee whenever providing refreshments,
Endeavour to use other fairly-traded items (such as biscuits, fruit juices, wines) wherever possible,
Promote the use of fairly-traded items amongst its congregation,
Support the principles of trade justice

In order to ensure that the congregation fully supports the church in signing the pledge form it would be valuable to make a special promotion on Fairtrade; a good time to do this may be in Fairtrade Fortnight which in 2011 will run from February 28th to March 13th.

Support materials and information on fair trading are available from the Fairtrade Foundation at www.fairtrade.org.uk

Goods are available from www.traidcraft.co.uk Many supermarkets stock fairly-traded items.

When your church has made its decision the pledge form should be signed by the incumbent and churchwardens and returned to the Church in Society department at Church House, Hove.

For further information on Fair Trade and the campaign, please contact the Church in Society department at Church House, Hove. Telephone: 01273 425692 or by Email

How do we qualify?

The Fairtrade Foundation will recognise a Fairtrade diocese if 30% of the churches declare their support for the programme and pledge only to use fairly-traded coffee and tea. However, our diocesan synod has followed the example of the Diocese of Chester (the first Fairtrade diocese) and set the target of 40% of churches as well as the major diocesan establishments to adopt Fairtrade policies before applying for the award.

When a local church pledges to adopt Fairtrade practices it will be sent a certificate and the fact of the pledge will be recorded in a register. When 40% of our churches along with the diocesan establishments have indicated their support, an application will be made for the award.

The names of participating churches and establishments will be displayed on the diocesan website.

There is no scheme for continuing monitoring of the compliance of churches with their Fairtrade pledge. The Fairtrade Foundation suggests that a Fairtrade Group be set up to operate the programme.

What now?

Each church and institution in the diocese is now invited to complete the Pledge Form.

Please be aware of the five commitments that are inherent in signing the form. Joining the Playing Fair campaign is not just using fairly-traded tea and coffee in church; there's more: you will be pledging to serve fairly-traded biscuits with the coffee, The same applies to other foodstuffs served, say, at parish lunches. There is a commitment to promote the issue of Fairtrade amongst the congregation; a good way of doing this is to have fairly-traded products on sale in church. There is a commitment to trade justice - for more information see below. And there is a commitment to buy locally wherever possible (see below).

The aim of the campaign is not just to change the way in which we do things in church but to help us to change our lifestyle; to think more globally, and to give greater consideration to the Third World when we are shopping.

Locally too...

Fairness in trade is not only a matter of supporting Third World producers; farming in Britain is in crisis too. Global competition and the concentration on low prices by supermarkets means that some farmers in Britain do not receive a fair price for their produce. A secondary theme of the campaign for a Fairtrade diocese is to encourage everyone to buy locally-produced foodstuffs wherever possible. We have a rich heritage of food and drink in Sussex and it is important to support local farmers and those who are employed in local distribution and retailing.

Trade Justice

There is a difference between Fairtrade and Trade Justice although both have similar humanitarian and caring aims. Fairtrade is a way for us all to make a contribution towards bettering the lives of people in poorer countries.

Trade Justice is a global challenge calling for changes in international rules on trading which, presently, tend to benefit richer countries to the detriment of poorer ones. Current trade agreements tend to give priority to the liberalisation and deregulation of trade to give greater advantage to larger, multi-national businesses. Such approaches can have negative effects on poorer countries and lead to lack of economic sustainability.

The Trade Justice Movement is a partnership of organisations committed to better trading conditions for everyone; partners include Christian Aid, CAFOD, Traidcraft, Tearfund, and the World Development Movement. Campaigning calls for fair international agreements on trade, for democratic negotiation, for action to eradicate poverty, for the promotion of sustainability and environmental protection, and for diversity.

For more information on Trade Justice see: www.tjm.org.uk

Now is the time to call for change in order that the world becomes fairer.

The names of participating churches and establishments are displayed here.