Cardiff Metropolitan and Cardiff Met Students’ Union has achieved a Fairtrade University award, after being audited for the academic years 2020/21 and 2021/22.
Award success for Cardiff Metropolitan University and Cardiff Met Students’ Union
Cardiff Metropolitan is among one of 25 higher education institutions that have achieved Fairtrade University status.
Cardiff Metropolitan and Cardiff Met Students’ Union has achieved a Fairtrade University award, after being audited for the academic years 2020/21 and 2021/22.
Now in its fifth year, this prestigious award is delivered as a partnership between the Fairtrade Foundation, the National Union of Students, and Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS-UK). The Fairtrade University and College Award requires students to engage in partnerships with their institution and Students’ Union to achieve the award.
We have been awarded Fairtrade University 1 star status. The award recognises a broad range of activities undertaken in the institution which work towards a more just, equitable and sustainable world for all. This includes working to raise awareness with students of the issues of ethical and sustainable consumption and increasing the availability of Fairtrade products in outlets.
The award programme encourages partnership between sustainability, catering and academic staff in the institution, plus the Students’ Union and students to cover procurement, awareness raising and campaigning activities. There are also opportunities to engage through teaching and the flexibility to receive points for trying out new and innovative ways to engage.
Students were recruited as volunteer auditors and given training, equipping them with transferrable skills and experience in conducting an audit.
Higher education institutions have huge environmental and social impact on the world and not only in the way they choose to reduce their own carbon emissions. The students these institutions educate will go on to graduate and become the teachers, scientists, and politicians, who decide our planet’s future.
By encouraging students to explore their understanding of the social and environmental impacts of their decisions, and making ethical and sustainable the norm, institutions can have a hugely positive influence on the graduates who will become the next generation of leaders.
Rachel Roberts, Sustainability Engagement Manager, Cardiff Met, said:
“The University and SU are delighted to have renewed their Fairtrade commitment. Second year Cardiff School of Management work placement students assisted with the delivery of events and promotion of our survey this year.”
Fay Brinsdon, Societies and Opportunities Co-Ordinator, Cardiff Met SU, said:
“We are so pleased we have achieved this award, a lot of hard work went into completing this. Our Environmental Officer and Climate Justice Society worked well with the SU in delivering events towards achieving this. Should you have an interest in Fairtrade, there are opportunities for students to be part of our Fairtrade Steering Group.”
Andrew Phelps, Cardiff Met Catering & Hospitality Service Manager, said :
“We are delighted to be awarded the Fair-trade status. The reaccreditation is great credit to the Catering team at Cardiff Met, for all their hard work in the last year, and shows the commitment towards Fairtrade for the University.”
Joanna Milis, Education Campaigns Manager from the Fairtrade Foundation, said:
‘The last two years have been very challenging for universities as they deal with the disruptions caused by the pandemic. Completing the Fairtrade University and College Award in 2022 has, therefore, been an incredible achievement. We are delighted that the issues of ethical and sustainable consumption remain important to the institutions.
At a time that young people are forming their values and shaping their future careers, it is essential that they are presented with a wide range of narratives and opportunities to think differently about the world. We are one global community. Our decisions have far-reaching consequences, and only together can we tackle the biggest challenges facing our planet and its inhabitants. As students prepare to take their places as decision makers of the future, they are the ones that we need to help shape the way we respond to the multiple crises we face.’