Fair trade/fair food

Fairly produced and grown products establish working and labor standards for employees that are just and humane. The most critical issues to avoid include child labor, indentured servitude and slave labor, and following standards such as Fair Trade will help to ensure that our producers are using fair labor practices. In the future, certifications for domestic products such as Domestic Fair Trade can be pursued to encourage fair practices at home.

Fair Trade Certification, applied to exotics and imports such as coffee and bananas, ensures that producers and laborers receive a living wage, work in safe conditions, and are incentivized to pursue sustainable farming practices. Fair Trade seeks to minimize the amount of food dollars that are absorbed by intermediaries, and Fair Trade products are in some cases a cost-neutral switch from conventional products. 

Currently, dining on the Danforth Campus provides approximately 79 percent Fair Trade Coffee, through Kaldi's. All bananas on the Danforth Campus are also Fair Trade certified. All coffee sold at one of the two dining locations on the Medical Campus is currently fair trade certified. The Law School also offers fair trade options for coffee.

The purchasing matrix suggests that other specificed exotic imports to be Fair Trade certified, as switching to these products is one of the most cost-effective and feasible way of providing more ethical and sustainable food choices on campus immediately.

To increase the amount of Fair Trade products available, dining will:

• Seek to provide 100 percent Fair Trade coffee, including at special events and catering, where not already provided.
• Research Fair Trade options and make available for other products.
• Investigate the fair labor treatment of workers at major domestic suppliers wherever possible.
• Supplement with educational and labeling efforts to spread awareness to customers.