Fair Trade at Seton

Hill University
Enlighten. Cultivate. Empower
Bringing Fair Trade to SHU:
Cultivating students one good at a time.
What is Fair Trade?
Mission of Fair Trade
Fair Trade is a social movement that works to give producers in
developing countries better trading conditions. The goal is to provide betters wages and
working environments to improve the lives of the producers and their families. Fair Trade
provides power for the producer.

How it Works
Fair Trade is not charity. Fair Trade works through a process known as Equal Exchange.
This process cuts out the middleman between producer and consumer, providing a fairer
wage to the producer. The producer creates a quality product with standards set by the
Fair Trade Labeling Organization. The product is then sold to the consumer at a certified
Fair Trade minimum price. This minimum price is given to the producer along with a Fair
Trade premium, which the producer can choose to invest in either a social, economic or
environmental development project.

Producer and Consumer

Fair Trade establishes a partnership between the producer and the consumer. The
producer provides a higher quality product, which is also becoming more organic. The
consumer provides the profit for the farmer to live a more satisfying life. Consumers play
a large role in establishing fair trade. Knowledge is the key factor.

Some Statistics
Over 1.5 million farmers and workers are fair trade certified.
There are 1,210 fair trade organizations in 74 countries.
1.5 hectares is the average size of plot cultivated by a fair trade farmers
The combined overall generated Fair Trade sales in the UK has produced $23
million in Fair Trade premiums.
1

1
fairtrade.org.uk Facts and Figures
Fair Trade and Seton Hill
University
Fair trade and Seton Hills mission go hand and hand. Seton Hill encourages
students to engage in ethical practices and activities that better the world. Fair trade is a
movement that is working to better the working conditions and lives of millions of workers
around the world who are dealing with mistreatment, unfair wages, and abuse. Along with
complementing the schools mission and catholic social teaching, fair trade is also a
movement, which has seen great involvement from colleges and groups around the
world. With so many groups gaining attention and popularity with their campaigns for Fair
Trade, Seton Hill could reach out to audiences who consider the movement valuable and
increase awareness about the university. Along with increasing awareness and starting a
movement that stays true to the universitys mission, most fair trade products are made
from good quality ingredients and are more satisfying than the counterparts. There are
many benefits that come with fair trade, but the most rewarding is the benefit of knowing
that with each fair trade purchase the people who work hard to produce the product will
receive a fair wage and fair treatment so that they can provide a happy comfortable life
for their families.
What Seton Hill is already
doing
Seton Hill University already has a garden (located on the
side of Dechantal Hall) that produces fresh vegetables for our communities delight.
Lowe Dining Hall, currently serves some fair trade products, which consist of
coffee, tea and eggs.
Dr. Jennifer Jones Writing for Public Relations class has been learning
about Free Trade all semester long, and working on ways to promote Fair Trade
on campus. We have been using the course curriculum and objectives to create a
Seton Hill Fair Trade Campaign. Fair Trade Campaigns is a movement to establish
Fair Trade in towns, universities, congregations and schools across the country.
According to their website, there are 273 active campaigns, Seton Hill recently
being added to that growing list.
Our class has also been teaming up with the dining services and marketing
managers to bring awareness to our campus and Greensburg community on the
powerful effects Fair Trade has on a global perspective. We recently partnered
with Lowe Dining Hall to spread awareness of Fair Trade during the Thanksgiving
Dinner. This was part of our first efforts of educating students, staff and faculty of
the work we have been doing. Part of our promotion included a petition stating one
would be more conscious of the purchases they make. By signing, it was a
promise that during your future shopping trip you would purchase a Fair Trade
item. The petition received great attention and many signatures.

And plans to do in the future

Our plan is to continue educating and promoting Fair Trade on campus
through events like the Thanksgiving Dinner. Even if we can influence one student
to purchase one Fair Trade item, we have made a difference for the life of one
person and thats all that matters.
We would love for Seton Hill to one day become a Fair Trade campus.
Through providing education and raising awareness that goal could be very
possible.
What other Universities are
Already Doing
Duquesne
Duquesne University has a committee of students working to spread awareness of Fair
Trade on campus. The committee works with the Spiritan Campus Ministry and Catholic
Relief Services. The university is known for Fair Trade week, which happens once a year.
The week is filled with events that educate, promote and spread awareness to the
campus and community. Some of the events include Fair Trade vendors and movie
screenings.2

Villanova
Villanova University has been a leader in supporting and cultivating fair trade initiatives on
campus for more than a decade, making them the 14th Fair Trade University in the
United States according to the Fair Trade Colleges & Universities National Steering
Committee on April 17th, 2013. Dining Services purchases and serves Fair Trade coffee,
teas, chocolate, sugar and bananas. At least two Fair Trade products are available in all
dining locations on campus as well. Lastly, Villanova is committed to raising awareness
among students, faculty, and staff about the benefits fair trade offers to small-scale
producers and workers, and embedding fair trade principles within administrative policy
and the university community.3

SUNY Geneseo
SUNY Geneseo has a club involved with Fair Trade Campaigns. This club promotes the
fair trade movement through Facebook. This group invites any student interested in the
club to attend meetings and become a part of the movement. The club stays active by
posting fair trade recipes and pictures of fair trade products that they have purchased
ranging from clothing to coffee. Along with social media posts the fair trade club at SUNY
Geneseo holds talks and presentations along with various other events on fair trade.4

2
duq.edu Fair Trade at Duquesne
3
villanova.edu Fair Trade University
4
fairtradecampaigns.org Fair Trade SUNY Geneseo