Capilano University first heard about fair trade in October 2015 and our Food & Beverage Services Committee has been working hard ever since to ensure our campus food and beverage services offer Fairtrade certified products.

Food Services at Capilano University is provided by Chartwells, and we value their commitment and support in reaching our Fair Trade designation. Chartwells is positioned as a leader in the foodservice industry to influence the broader market to expand the availability of, and increase the demand for Fairtrade products.

When we talked to the student body about sustainability issues, food and the environment are consistently top of mind. Our students are engaged and passionate about food on campus. They want to support the University in integrating more environmentally and socially sustainable practices into their purchasing efforts and our food services. Fairtrade certification provides those assurances.

Having our University designated as a Fair Trade Campus aligns fully with the vision that we have for our institution, and we hope that this is only a first step in the University’s movement towards making changes to advance and enhance our campus’ ecological and social sustainability.

To celebrate the new designation, the University and Chartwells hosted a celebration on Feb. 7th from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Birch Café. The celebration included a fair trade cake, free samples and specials on fair trade products, an information booth, giveaways, and prizes.

“Fair Trade continues to take hold in Canada, and it’s thanks to Universities such as Capilano. The impact that our everyday purchases have on the world are often complicated, as supply chains stretch around the globe. That is what makes this designation and this commitment so exciting, is that through sourcing and selling Fair Trade products, we can be sure that producers on the other end were paid fairly” – Sean McHugh, Executive Director, the Canadian Fair Trade Network.

“Congratulations to Capilano University on becoming Canada’s 21st Fair Trade Campus! It is exciting to welcome them into the fair trade family where we work together in achieving fair terms of trade for farmers and workers of the Global South. Everyone involved should be very proud of this accomplishment!” – Mélissa Dubé, Outreach Manager, Fairtrade Canada

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