UNIVERSITY TIP #2: REACH OUT TO CAMPUS OUTLETS

Courtney Lang June 12, 2015

Committee BadgeWork Your Way Through Goal #2: Reach Out To Campus Outlets

Goal #2 focuses on increasing Fair Trade availability on campus. To reach this goal you will need to:

  • Ensure a minimum of two Fair Trade products are available in all campus-owned & operated venues as well as in service contracts where possible,

The Obstacles

The Solutions

Food Service Buy In
  • Develop a relationship with the campus dining manager: Relationships are crucial to campaign success. Set up an appointment with or stop the the office of the manager to get the conversation started.
  • Highlight provider support: Food service providers Sodexo and Bon Appétit have webinars to help campus dining managers to increase fair trade availability.
Cost
  • Start with the basics: Fair Trade coffee, tea, and chocolate are now available at prices comparable to the conventional market. Start with our four approved 3rd party certifiers to learn about these products.
  • Pass a procurement policy: A procurement policy ensures that every purchase supports the growth of Fair Trade movement. Use this guide to get started.
Bookstore Support
  • Share success stories: With movement momentum, bookstores like Follett and Barnes & Nobel support fair trade handicrafts and apparel. One popular brand is Alta Gracia.
  • Positive messaging: Use new product highlights, producer stories, and point of sale marketing to both spread awareness and increase sales for the bookstore.

 

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Guidelines to a successful dining manager relationship:

  1. Reach Out. Make the effort to start the relationship. Your manager might not know abut Fair Trade yet.
  2. Logistics. Plan a time to meet in a fun and professional atmosphere.
  3. Treats. Bring an example of a Fair Trade product that could be featured in your dining hall. Who could resist a fair trade chocolate bar?!
  4. Preparation. Come with materials to talk about the principles of Fair Trade and how you plan to integrate them on campus.
  5. Support. Make an effort to connect dining managers to Fair Trade Campaigns. We have experts that are happy to talk with managers to brainstorm new ideas or troubleshoot problems.

 

Stay updated by heading to the forum for tips on each of the 5 Goals!

FairTradeProducts

Check out our other resources:

  1. Campaigners Guide to Fair Trade Procurement
  2. Fair Trade Product List
  3. Surveying the Campus – Tips on Increasing Fair Trade Availability 
  4. Working with Bon Appetit Webinar 
  5. Working with Sodexo Webinar

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Courtney Lang, National Organizer | Fair Trade Campaigns

Courtney Lang brings over 5 years of community organizing to Fair Trade Towns USA, building both the Local Food and Fair Trade networks in Vermont. As Local Food Coordinator with City Market/Onion River Cooperative, Courtney worked with local producers, institutions and consumers to grow the local food system and organize a strategic model for community engagement through farm tours, workshops, and local food challenges. Like many in the Fair Trade industry, Courtney was inspired to take action in Fair Trade when she witnessed child-labor first hand in Costa Rica. As a founding member of Fair Trade Burlington, she has worked with economic development organizations, businesses, and consumers to build awareness of Fair Trade among Vermonters. She also worked with a Fair Trade USA licensee, Vermont Coffee Company, as Friend Ambassador where she united the story of Fair Trade to every purchase of coffee.