To become a fairtrade town involves receiving certification from the Fairtrade Foundation, which is the same organisation that certifies any product as fairtrade in this country. There are a number of criteria which must be met in order to become a fairtrade town, city or other populated area.
- The local council must show support for fairtrade including serving fairtrade tea and coffee at their meetings and in their offices and canteens.
- Calculated relative to the population of the area, a certain number of local cafés and shops must offer a range of fairtrade products.
- Fairtrade products must also be used in some local work places and community organisations.
- Media coverage and popular support for the fairtrade status must be achieved.
- A local fairtrade steering group must be set up to ensure continuing commitment to being a fairtrade town.
Once status as a fairtrade town has been granted, this is then reviewed after one year. Thereafter a biannual review is carried out to ensure that the criteria are still being met.
If you are interested in your local area becoming a fairtrade town, you will find more information on the Fairtrade Foundation This includes details of existing fairtrade towns many of which have dedicated websites, which may contain further useful information.
