Fairtrade Fortnight: The Bristol businesses championing fair working, sustainability and a better world

Fairtrade Fortnight, the annual two-week event has kicked off in the UK, and is all set to raise awareness and share the stories of the people who grow our food and drinks, mine our gold and grow the cotton in our clothing - people who are very often underpaid and exploited.

With Bristol known for being a strong sustainable city lead and being a city that’s committed to working with Fairtrade and championing the cause, we’ve decided to talk to those people at the forefront of the campaign.

From coffee and food companies to jewellery brands, we find out what Fairtrade means to the businesses of Bristol.

Jason Nichols, Founder of New Kings Coffee

How did New Kings Coffee first start and what is the ethos? I launched the business in 2017 after becoming disenchanted with my corporate career. But, it was during my corporate life that the idea for the business was first born. I used to attend conferences and be presented with a beautiful selection box of black, white and herbal teas but alongside an anonymous flask of fairly average coffee. Why wasn’t there a selection box of coffee, I thought to myself? So, I went on a mission to create the coffee selection box - and to create a business that customers would be delighted to buy from and I and others would be proud to work for. Having Fairtrade coffee has been a key component of the business since day one. Treating (and paying) people fairly is at the heart of my values and hence was important to translate into the business’ values.

What does Fairtrade mean and how does it work with New Kings Coffee? Simply put, Fairtrade means we pay a guaranteed minimum price to farmers for their coffee, regardless of whether the market price is cheaper. Furthermore, an additional premium (the Fairtrade Premium) is paid to farmers to support local community projects. And, as our coffee is also Organic Accredited, farmers receive another premium to support them developing environmentally sustainable farming practices. These premiums ensure we pay farmers 30%+ more for their Fairtrade and Organic coffee.

What does it mean to you to be Fairtrade? When I read on the Fairtrade Foundation’s website that "millions of farmers and workers who produce the food we love still don’t earn enough to feed their own families”, I knew my business had to be part of the solution and not contribute to the problem.

What tips would you give other people and companies when it comes to being more ethical and more sustainable? Typically, being more ethical and sustainable comes at a price. As a consumer, this can obviously stretch people’s budgets and, as a business, it’s often hard to compete with non-Fairtrade/Organic products. But the additional cost is worth it, not just due to the taste and health benefits of the product but also because of the benefits provided to the farmers.

Do you think Bristol is a strong Fairtrade city? Whilst Bristol has a strong base of support for Fairtrade, there’s always more that can be done. Increased communication and education for consumers would help stimulate more demand for Fairtrade products. Equally, greater support from businesses buying Fairtrade products would increase the prevalence and awareness of the scheme’s benefits.

Claire Wheeler, Business Director at Diana Porter Contemporary Jewellery

How did Diana Porter Contemporary Jewellery first start, and what is its ethos? We have been designing and making jewellery for over twenty years, and we strive for integrity in the design, manufacturing and retailing. The jewellery is manufactured in the Bristol workshop by a small team of highly skilled jewellers. The shared philosophy of the company is to maintain a high standard of quality control, to pay the staff a decent living wage, to provide a pleasant environment in which to work and to commit to responsible sourcing and ethical practices. We became fairtrade accredited in 2011, as soon as Fairtrade gold was available. It had been Diana’s goal since she visited artisanal mines in Bolivia in 2008, seeing first-hand the conditions for the miners and the environment. We were one of the first jewellers in the UK to be accredited and all our gold pieces of jewellery are made in Fairtrade Gold, something Diana, who sadly passed away last year, was incredibly proud of.

What does Fairtrade mean and how does it work with Diana Porter Contemporary Jewellery? To be fairtrade accredited, the providers must adhere to Fairtrade’s strict standards on working conditions, women’s rights, child labour and environment management. This includes minimising the use of toxic chemicals to help protect the delicate ecosystems in the forests. In return, miners gain access to markets and receive the Fairtrade Premium – the extra sum they receive to develop their businesses and invest into their communities.

What does it mean to you to be Fairtrade? The products we sell are connected to the livelihoods of others. We buy our fairtrade gold from accredited mines in South America. Gold mining is a lifeline for the families in these areas, the community depends on these mines to provide employment, education, health, and clean water.  Fairtrade is a way to make a conscious choice for a better world.

What is most important to you about being a Fairtrade company? Our priority is to offer our customers the peace of mind that traceability provides. Thanks to Fairtrade the basic social fabric is changing for good. Whenever you buy a piece of jewellery made from Fairtrade Gold, you are deciding to be a part of this bigger picture. Choosing Fairtrade products in all areas of life, means that you are contributing to enriching the lives of these people and others across the world.

What tips would you give other people and companies when it comes to being more ethical and more sustainable? Take the time to unpick your supply chain. Look at all your purchases - are you buying the most ethical option? Every little decision has an impact, from packaging to materials. It’s a long process but worth it.

Do you think Bristol is a strong Fairtrade city? Definitely! We had the pleasure of going to the South West Fairtrade Awards, and we were so inspired by what other companies were doing in Bristol. I think the city as a whole is quite socially conscious compared to others. The younger generation are much more aware of sustainability and more conscious in their decision making based on this. I think we’re going to see more companies opting to be Fairtrade as more consumers demand it.

Danni Rochman, Ethical Sourcing Coordinator at Better Food

How did Better Food start, and what is the ethos? Better Food first came to life 30 years ago as an organic veg box scheme, run from our founder Phil Haughton’s own kitchen in Bristol. Over the years, the business has grown both in terms of what we offer and where we are, and now we have four stores, each with their own cafe, across Bristol (Clifton, Wapping Wharf, St Werburghs and Horfield). Our aim is to provide a huge range of organic, local and ethical products to allow people to do their entire weekly shop with us, knowing that they’re supporting a local, independent business and that everything they buy will have been chosen for its ethical credential. Fairtrade is an important part of this and something we’ve always sought to support.

What does Fairtrade mean to you? Stocking Fairtrade products is an important part of Better Food’s story. We aim to source as many of our products from organic or local suppliers as we can, but we also recognise that imported food is a big part of what makes up the average diet. Fairtrade gives us and our customers greater reassurance that the food we source from longer supply chains hasn’t been produced in a way that exploits workers and environments.

What tips would you give other people and companies when it comes to being more ethical and sustainable? Wherever possible, do what you can to find out more about where your food has come from – ask your retailer (or if you’re lucky, the producer themselves) for more information on the provenance, who it was produced by and how. Independent retailers are often better placed to give you more information about the food they stock. Where that’s not possible, certifications such as Fairtrade and organic can help us make better choices in terms of sustainability.

Do you think Bristol is a strong fairtrade city? Bristol has a long history as a Fairtrade City – we were first awarded the status in 2005. Since then, the city has gone on to host the International Fairtrade Conference, and for many years was host to the South West Fair Trade Business Awards, which highlighted what businesses around the city were doing to support Fair Trade supply chains. Better Food won the Gold Fair Trade Business Award when the awards were last hosted in 2019.

James Wogan, Director of Wogan Coffee

How did Wogan Coffee start, and what is the ethos? Wogan Coffee was founded by my grandfather, Brian Wogan, in 1970 here in Bristol. We’ve been an independent and family run company ever since, with a massive variety of sourcing methods and sustainable accreditations, including Fairtrade, Organic, Cafe Femenino, Direct Trade and Rainforest Alliance. Through purchasing coffees such as our Nicaraguan La Bastilla, we’ve actually helped to fund a technical college at origin, as well as several students every year. We’re now fully on the way towards our Carbon Neutral by 2030 pledge, with both our roastery space and Brew Bar powered by our solar panels and a fleet of electric vans roaming around the South West.

What does Fairtrade mean to you? We became a Fairtrade company nearly two decades ago - a time when traceability and sustainability simply wasn’t possible to the level that it is now - to help us ensure that we were buying fantastic coffees while paying the farmers a premium. Fairtrade means, quite simply, making sure that producers are paid a fair price for their brilliant coffees - it’s a fantastic way to ensure you’re trading ethically, in situations where it’s sometimes difficult to obtain the incredibly high level of traceability we’re always after. Being a worldwide organisation, it means that everyone is held to the same standard, which is a very powerful tool in sourcing!

What tips would you give other people and companies when it comes to being more ethical and sustainable? I think the best way to get things going is to start with the small things - find ways to positively impact your local area, as well as whichever aspects of the supply chain you’re able to control, and do what you can! In production, we’ve been working really hard to reduce our carbon footprint, with solar panels, electric vans and loads of small energy saving actions throughout our warehouses - it might sound ridiculous, but just starting with small things like LED lights and more efficient delivery routes is better than nothing, and then it’s only a matter of time before you take on the bigger projects! Also, we’ve introduced several new products to give our customers more and more choice within our Fairtrade range, and we make sure to shout about it in our Roastery Shop and Brew Bar - anything that anyone can do to promote ethical and sustainable sourcing is incredibly important.

Do you think Bristol is a strong fairtrade city? Oh yes - Bristol has to be one of the most ethically and sustainably minded cities in the country, and so it’s pretty safe to say that we’re a strong Fairtrade city! Just speaking personally, I’ve never known anywhere else that has such a strong ethical and sustainable mindset - just one of the things that makes Bristol such a brilliant place.