Laura is an Environmental Protection and Management MSc student at the University of Edinburgh with a passion for living sustainably. She strives to live a lifestyle that creates as little waste as possible, known as the zero waste lifestyle. In this blog, she discusses the ways students and staff can reduce their plastic waste and the array of shops dedicated to zero waste in Edinburgh.
Category: Fair trade
The University has been fair trade since 2003. How can we go further?
From studies to social enterprise: Social Stories Club
Karis Gill discusses how her time as a student at The University of Edinburgh led her to co-found a social enterprise.
Continue reading From studies to social enterprise: Social Stories Club
28 ways to make 2019 your most sustainable year yet
Megan McGrath, Communications Coordinator, provides ideas for New Year’s Resolutions that make a difference.
Continue reading 28 ways to make 2019 your most sustainable year yet
Engaging with our suppliers on social responsibility and sustainability
On 30th November, the Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability, the Procurement Office, and Resource Efficient Scotland co-hosted an event for University construction and catering suppliers and potential suppliers.
Continue reading Engaging with our suppliers on social responsibility and sustainability
Conflict minerals: sharing good practice in Spain
Research and Policy Manager Liz Cooper reflects on sharing the University’s work on Conflict Minerals in Spain. Continue reading Conflict minerals: sharing good practice in Spain
Human rights abuses in supply chains: what can we do?
Research and Policy Manager Liz Cooper reflects on a thought-provoking Visions for Change event which took place on Tuesday 28th February 2017 during Fairtrade Fortnight.
Continue reading Human rights abuses in supply chains: what can we do?
Sustainable procurement: sharing best practice with the University of Genoa
Grazia Esposito is a Procurement Administrator at the University of Genoa. For a few days in April, she visited the University of Edinburgh under a Erasmus programme to learn about socially responsible and sustainable procurement.
Continue reading Sustainable procurement: sharing best practice with the University of Genoa
Fairtrade Fortnight 2016
Claire Martin, Projects Coordinator for Events and Student Engagement, reflects on how Fairtrade Fortnight 2016 was celebrated by both the University and the city. Continue reading Fairtrade Fortnight 2016
Chaplaincy promotes social responsibility and sustainability during Interfaith Week
Associate Chaplain Ali Newell reflects on recent interfaith efforts to highlight sustainability and equality for all within the context of the refugee crisis, Paris Attacks, and Scotland’s Climate March.
Continue reading Chaplaincy promotes social responsibility and sustainability during Interfaith Week
Student interview: Zoe Anderson
With the festive season in full flow, 3rd year Social Anthropology student Zoe Anderson reflects on her internship at the One World Shop and why we should consider choosing fair trade products at Christmas.
Ethical Trade and Human Rights Forum
Liz Cooper reports on the Ethical Trade and Human Rights Forum which took place in London on the 19th and 20th October 2015.
Student Internship: Oriane Brunet
Have you noticed how the words ‘Fairtrade’, ‘local’ and ‘sustainably sourced’ are more and more common on food and drink labels? As a central part of our everyday life, economy and ecosystems, food can be a major lever for positive social and environmental impact, and the University of Edinburgh has considerable weight in the Scottish food chain.
By Oriane Brunet
MSc student placements: Fair trade research in Malawi
Javier Ureña Palencia, MSc International Business and Emerging Markets and Lauren Opstad, MSc Environment and Development, give an overview of their placements in Malawi looking at fair trade supply chains.
Continue reading MSc student placements: Fair trade research in Malawi
Sharing fair trade experiences and research – Fair Trade International Symposium, Milan, May 2015
In May 2015 I presented a paper at the Fair Trade International Symposium, held at the Politecnico di Milano, entitled ‘How can universities better contribute to the fair trade agenda? Developing collaboration between researchers and practitioners in a university for social impact’. My paper focused on the case of the University of Edinburgh and its approach to fair trade.
A fair trade advocacy marathon in Brussels
The University of Edinburgh has been committed to fair trade for ten years, responding to student concerns. Like the fair trade movement, the university recognises that trade justice – a trading environment that promotes fair trading rather than exploitation of weaker actors, is crucial, rather than just relying on consumers switching to products that display fair trade labels and claims. With this in mind, I attended a Fair Trade Advocacy Marathon organised by the Fair Trade Advocacy (FTAO) in Brussels on 7th and 8th October 2014.
Is Fairtrade failing the poorest farmers?
Liz Cooper, our Research and Policy Manager, reflects upon recent research on fair trade.
Sustainability standards: trends, challenges and future potential
Liz Cooper, our Fair trade and Policy Manager, attended the 2014 Global Sustainability Standards Conference in London this May. Here she reflects on the day and the issues surrounding sustainability standards.
Continue reading Sustainability standards: trends, challenges and future potential
Behind bars: Issues of prison labour and a visit to Shotts
On 17th March 2014 a group of representatives of the University of Edinburgh visited HMP Shotts near Glasgow, to learn more about the type of work activities prisoners undertake in Scottish prisons.
Continue reading Behind bars: Issues of prison labour and a visit to Shotts
Fair trade campaign training report
Student volunteer Pascale Robinson reports on a fair trade campaigner training session she attended in February 2014, organised by the Scottish Fair Trade Forum.
Does fair trade make a difference?’ lecture report
Student volunteer Rachel Kaplan reports on the University’s public lecture on 25th February 2014 entitled ‘does fair trade make a difference?
Continue reading Does fair trade make a difference?’ lecture report
Child labour in the cocoa industry
Student volunteer Chloe Neal examines child labour in the cocoa industry and fair trade alternatives.
Scotland as a Fair Trade Nation
Student reporter Callum Aitken explores what it means for Scotland to be a Fair Trade Nation, and what you can do to be part of it.
Generation Y fair trade clothing?
Student reporter Chloe Neal explores student reactions to poor working conditions in garment factories in developing countries, and proposes fair trade as an alternative.