Edinburgh has held Fairtrade City status since 2004. We officially support fair trade and help the city work towards fair trade goals.
Fair trade is a movement to give
- better prices
- fair terms of trade
- improved working conditions
for farmers and workers in the developing world.
To learn more visit the Fairtrade Foundation and the Edinburgh Fairtrade City Facebook page.
Fairtrade Fortnight: Monday 9 September to Sunday 22 September 2024
Fairtrade Fortnight this year is celebrating 30 years of Fairtrade in the UK and urging everyone to ‘Be the Change’ by choosing Fairtrade products and speaking up for fairer trade. Cocoa, bananas and coffee could soon be much more difficult to find on our shelves as climate change is making crops like these harder and harder to grow. Combined with deeply unfair trade, communities growing these crops are being pushed to the brink. Fairtrade farmers are among those who have contributed the least to the climate crisis, but are already feeling the worst effects.
Edinburgh has held Fairtrade City status since 2004 and Lord Provost Robert Aldridge firmly supports the Fairtrade movement, stating, “A fair price is critical both to help farmers adapt to the impacts of climate change, and to support their contribution to a more environmentally sustainable global food and trade system. We need to Be the Change and buy Fairtrade.”
Across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and Oceania, small-scale farmers are experiencing the worst effects of climate change.
Trade justice is necessary for climate justice. Fairtrade advocates for farmers to earn a living income, which means they have the power to effectively tackle the crises affecting their communities and can rely on sustainable livelihoods.
Fairtrade communities play a key role in raising awareness of the link between trade and poverty. Engage with Fairtrade Fortnight to protect people and planet, and buy Fairtrade products to make trade fairer for those in lower-income countries. Fairtrade fights the climate crisis: Fairtrade Standards encourage producers to protect the environment by improving soil, planting trees, conserving water and avoiding pesticides, while Fairtrade’s climate academies help farmers share best practices and learn the latest agricultural methods to adapt to conditions.
You can find out how you, your school, community, faith group or business can support Fairtrade Fortnight on their website.
Join us this Fairtrade Fortnight and act for climate justice.
Get involved
There are many ways that you can help support and promote fair trade:
Buy fair trade products
There are over 43 suppliers of Fairtrade Mark, WFTO guaranteed and fairly traded products across Scotland, many with online shops. You can find a list of suppliers offering ethical, sustainable and Fairtrade clothing and accessories, crafts, food and drink, homeware and other produce to help you buy Fair Trade on the Scottish Fair Trade Forum and Fairtrade products on the Fairtrade Foundation website.
Use or become a Fairtrade business
Find out how to be a Fairtrade business on the Fairtrade Foundation website.
In Edinburgh there are several Fairtrade
- cafes
- hotels
- wholesalers.
Be a Fairtrade school
Visit the Fairtrade Schools website to find out how to become a Fairtrade School and get supporting materials and resources.
Twelve Edinburgh schools have gained fair trade status and others are working towards it:
- Blackhall Primary
- Hermitage Park Primary
- Holy Rood High
- Leith Primary
- Royal High Primary
- St Ninian's RC Primary
- St Thomas of Aquin's High
- St Catherine's RC Primary
- St John's RC Primary
- Stenhouse Primary
- Towerbank Primary
- Trinity Primary.
A Fairtrade School is committed to fair trade. It
- uses fair trade products as far as possible
- learns about how global trade works and why fair trade is important; and
- takes action for fair trade in the school and the community.
Join the network
The Edinburgh Fairtrade steering group - made up of the Council, individuals and organisations - meets regularly to find ways to promote fair trade in the city. It welcomes anyone with an interest in fair trade to join the Edinburgh Fairtrade City network.
Contact Russell Salton on russell.salton@outlook.com