A helpful brief on Fairtrade and it’s surrounding themes ahead of Fairtrade fortnight.
What's the plan of action?
Planning/meeting dates in the diary Who do I need to talk to?
Grant funding: Are there ways for our school to spend grant funding?
Fairtrade! It can also involve a focus on human rights, environment,
trade justice, tax justice,colonization, and decolonization
This is a very important and integral element to exploring a global justice theme in a quality way. For Fairtrade Fortnight, if the majority of activities are exploring and digging deeper into fair trade, and the systems and structures that contribute to its need in the first place, then you are doing excellent GCE work! ✅
Teacher, student, community, and school leadership engagement:
Assemblies, inter-com announcements, poster competition, quiz, breaktime event, peer-peer education/presentation, student led event, Principal Engagement, Board of Management Involvement, School policy, community engagement, social media and online platforms
Buying and advocating for Fairtrade products is A SOLUTION, but there are many ways to tackle unfair trading injustices, that we will learn about today
Examples provided later in the session
Examples provided later in the session
Opportunity for WWGS Self Assesment Tool What did I learn from this experience?
What would I change?
Did I overlook any aspects?
If I had more time,what would I do differently? What unexpected conclusions did I come to?
If we know everything is not 'fair trade', then does that mean everything else is 'unfair trade'?
Questioning dominant narratives: What do we mean by ‘conventional’ trade? Does ‘conventional’ trade take into account people and planetary well being?
Critically exploring Fair Trade:
UNDER THE SURFACE: What systemic barriers are in place that allow
The Denial of entanglement
unfair trading practices to happen in the first place?
Growth for the sake of growth!
We cannot have infinite growth on a finite planet
GDP: was introduced as a war time measure (great depression 1930’s/WW2/Cold war) which is why it’s such an aggressive form of measurement.
It does not talk into account planetary wellbeing: impact of extracting from the earth or people wellbeing: healthcare, education.. working hours and lack of benefits to workers
War time measure has become our ultimate measure!
The Denial of entanglement
UNDER THE SURFACE: What systemic barriers are in place that allow
unfair trading practices to happen in the first place?
Post colonial legacies: Extracting resources and raw materials from global south through unfair trading practices
'conventional trade'
Companies and multinationals have the money to pay workers fairly. It would make barley a dent in mass wealth, but they don’t have to!
Result: Race to the bottom!
-A visualization of Jeff Bezos Wealth: https://mkorostoff.github.io/1-pixel-wealth/
Activity:
Financial justice Ireland" Not Business as Usual resource
P23:
https://www.financialjustice.ie/assets/files/pdf/not_business_as_usual_resource.pdf
Post colonial legacies: Extracting resources and raw materials from global south through unfair trading practices
Assassinated in 1987 by a french backed coup
Environmental Impact
Unequal exchange between Global North and Global South
In 2015 the North extracted: :
Unequal exchange is a significant driver of global inequality, uneven development, and ecological breakdown.
These resources are not compensated in equivalent terms through trade; they are effectively transferred for free!!
This extraction is not insignificant in scale; it comprises a large share (on average about a quarter) of the North’s total consumption.
Post colonial legacies: Extracting resources and raw materials from global south through unfair trading practices
“Hidden transfer of value”
Takes place subtly and almost invisibly, and therefore without provoking moral outrage.
Above material accessible to learners through Jason Hickel podcasts, eg. -Inequality is Killing us all. Are we going to stop it? Under the Skin, with Russell Brand
-How GDP Fetishism Drives Climate Crisis and Inequality, Citations Needed podcast
For every dollar of aid that donors give, they take resources worth 80 dollars through unequal exchange.
From the perspective of aid recipients, for every dollar they receive in aid they lose resources worth 30 dollars through drain
Above material accessible to learners through Jason Hickel podcasts, eg. -Inequality is Killing us all. Are we going to stop it? Under the Skin, with Russell Brand
-How GDP Fetishism Drives Climate Crisis and Inequality, Citations Needed podcast
Unequal exchange between Global North and Global South
Unequal exchange between Global North and Global South
Environmental Impact
Extraction of land means:
The benefits are seen by the Global North, while the damage is borne by the Global South
David Nyaluke: Head of Education, Proudly Made In Africa: Examining the chocolate value chain, and reimagining our relationship with Africa
School talk: david@proudlymadeinafrica.org
Critical thinking exercise:
“I donʼt think that anyone would argue that business now dominates the worldʼs centre stage. It is faster, more creative, adaptable, efficient and wealthier than many governments … So in terms of power and influence you can forget the Church and forget politics, too. There is no more powerful institution in society than business.”
Anita Roddick, founder of the Bodyshop.
Critical thinking about business and human Rights :
It is a concern whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operation and in their interactions with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis.
(European Commission)
Business of business is business! and nothing else?
Self regulation is not enough
Companies cannot be
solely left to take
upon themselves the
responsibility to act in
a certain manner. Like
all bodies, they must
be held to account!
Above could be used as part of walking debate, classroom discussion, essay topic. or research
+
!
-NYCI: The Youth and The Truth Globalisation Resource
Download here
Wide range of activities, and reading for learners on positives and negatives of globalisation, colonisation, and actions going forward.
Globalisation has massively shifted production, with absense of transparency between Multinational Corporations and developing countries
!
50 global conflicts linked to resource extraction (mining, oil gas etc)
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PILLARS OF FAIRTRADE: market-based approach to fighting global poverty which through the use of moderate measures aims to correct those forms of global market failures
that often have catastrophic results on the weakest members of the supply chain.
External certification helps provide transparency in business, particularly when there is no internal accountability
Fairtrade certification has become a globally recognised label
Fairtrade the label
Six ways Fairtrade strengthens Human Rights: https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/media-centre/blog/six-ways-fairtrade-strengthens-human-rights/
Fairtrade Foundation Flaws in Fairtrade Certification: https://fairworldproject.org/looking-back-looking-forward-fair-trade-certification-in-2022/
Fair World Project Article The Guardian - Ethical Labels not fit for purposeʼ: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/jul/16/ethical-labels-not-fit-for-purpose-report-warns-consumers
Faulty Fair Trade: The hidden realities of fair trade chocolatehttps://chocolateclass.wordpress.com/2017/05/11/faulty-fair-trade-the-hidden-realities-of-fair-trade-chocolate/
The sweet spot: is ethical and affordable chocolate possible?�https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/21/chocolate-ethical-affordable-fair-trade
Killian Stokes CEO Proudly Made In Africa, Co- Founder Moyee Coffee
FairChain is a radical principle that aims to balance the scales.
The goal is to create a 50/50 balance between the coffee producers (them)and the coffee drinkers (us
Two words: BIG COFFEE
Over the last three decades, the global coffee chain has become dominated by a handful of Big Coffee companies that are exploiting it for serious profit.
The result is that 85% of the proceeds end up in the Global North, leaving just 15% behind in coffee-growing countries
Moyee Impact Report
wRitE a tiTlE heRE
Moyee Impact Report
Moyee Impact Report
Tony's Chocolonely: Fairtrade and 100% Slavery free
Contrast and compare: learners can investigate a certified Fairtrade brand, V another brand. Also, is all Fairtrade chocolate also slavery free?
Kate Raworth, Economist:
5 KEY POINTS WE SHOULD ASK BUSINESSES:
“We need to change the way that businesses are owned and financed and the regulatory environment in which they operate if there’s any chance of business being part of the solution rather than part of the problem.”
Kate Raworth, Economist (Expert in Donut Economics)
Trocaire Business and Human Rights Advocacy Manual: 21 Action points
1.Research the problem, work with affected people, see what avenues can be worked upon
2.Identify the host and home state of the company and which might be more responsive
3.Refer to due diligence in your complaint to the company
4.Phrase your complaint with reference to International Human Rights standards
5.See if the company has a human rights statement and refer to this in your complaint
6.Who does the company source from or supply to – raise your concerns there also
7.Find out what multistakeholder initiative is in place for this type of company/industry and if there are any existing civil society campaigns in this area
8.See if the national human rights commission will accept complaints about corporate behaviour
9.See if the company has benefited from any state support and raise the issue with that state department
10.See if the taxation arrangements of the company could be a source of leverage.
11.Use social auditing initiatives to examine the companies implementation of public contracts
12.If the state is not being pro-active, raise your concern in a shadow report to one of the UN Treaty Monitoring Committees.
13.Submit a brief report and questions for the next time the state is having to account for itself at the Universal Periodic Reviews at the UN
14.See if there is a UN Special Procedure on a particular theme or country that you could input into
15.Check if the state you are operating in has signed the UN Convention Against Corruption
16.Investigate if there are specific International Labour Organisation initiatives underway that you could press your government to more actively engage with
17.See if the company has signed an international framework agreement with the global union federation and liaise closely with local unions on any collaborations around breaches of such agreements
18.File a complaint at the Irish National OECD Contact Point on the behaviour of that company
19.Complain to the international investment bank that invests in the company you are looking at
20.Talk to faith based shareholders about their potential investments in that company
21.Talk to state pension funds that may be invested in that company
Download manual https://www.trocaire.org/documents/business-and-human-rights-an-advocacy-manual/
Campaigns you can get involved with NOW
EU Due Diligence Act -New rules on corporate accountability
-New rules on corporate accountability
-EU directive aimed at cleaning up global supply chains and minimising the negative global impacts of business on workers, communities, and the environment.
-Join Trócaire's campaign to write to your MEP! https://www.trocaire.org/petitions/join-the-rescue-stop-corporate-abuse/
-Business and human rights resource centre: Articles on Fairtrade, and EU Due Diligence Act https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/?&search=fairtrade
-European coalition for corporate justice: How Berlin and Paris sold-out the EU corporate due diligence law https://corporatejustice.org/news/eccj-in-euobserver-how-berlin-and-paris-sold-out-the-eu-corporate-due-diligence-law/
Trócaire: Explained : why do the new EU rules on corporate accountability need to be fixed? https://www.trocaire.org/news/explained-why-do-the-new-eu-rules-on-corporate-accountability-need-to-be-fixed/
-Multinational coffee companies continue buying from suppliers linked to farms with slave labour https://reporterbrasil.org.br/2022/05/multinational-coffee-companies-ignore-accusations-and-continue-buying-from-suppliers-linked-to-farms-with-slave-labour/
EU Due Diligence Articles
CETA (EU-Canada:Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement)
Campaigns you can get involved with NOW
-Big issue is mechanism that multinational companies can sue a state for damages if a government introduces new laws or policies that the company thinks will reduce its future profits. (This includes any new initiatives regarding reducing emissions)
-Brought to Supreme Court by Green Party TD Patrick Costello, and won!
-CETA can no longer be ratified without changes.
-How to engage with your TD on CETA:
-https://comhlamh.org/blog/comhlamh-concerns-ceta-trade-deal/
-Join Cómhlamh Trade Justice group (over 18's) or Contact Cómhlamh for a school talk on trade, trade injustices, and spearheading campaigns: julia@comhlamh.org
Campaigns you can get involved with NOW
Peoples Vaccine Ireland: Vaccines for all
-Campaign to stop trade barriers to vaccines due to a handful of pharmaceutical corporations having total control over how many vaccines are made, who gets the vaccines and at what price.
-Call for an agreement on a waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and diagnostics (TRIPS waiver).
Go to peoplesvaccines.ie to sign the petition, and find out more ways to get involved. https://www.peoplesvaccine.ie/#faq
-Example activity:
-Look at the SDGʼs, as well as the targets within each Goal.
Put learners into working groups or pairs, distribute the 17 goals accordingly, and ask students to determine whether their SDG is connected to Fair trade, and ask to explain why.
https://www.globalgoals.org/goals/
Teacher reference article: Fairtrade and the SDGs: https://www.fairtrade.net/issue/sdgs
Activity rationale: Encourages students to critically think about Fair trade, and helps show that it connects to human rights issues in a
a multi-faceted way.
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