Placing fairness at the heart of climate ambitions

Nicola Taylor • November 1, 2021

People and Planet must come first

With COP26 now underway in Glasgow, it is time to talk about “respect for the Environment” – one of the ten fair trade principles which JTS adheres to as a WFTO Guaranteed Member and one which has clearly increased in importance as the extent of the climate emergency has become ever clearer.

In September, the fair trade movement published a position paper calling on the international community to ensure that ambitious climate aims go hand in hand with trade justice goals.

The report stressed that there can be no climate justice without fair trade, highlighting that smallholder farmers and workers are part of the solution to the climate crisis. The paper calls for us to rebuild our economic system in a way which is socially-just and planet-friendly.

At JTS we have reviewed our Environmental Policy this year and the latest version is available to download below. This is not simply a paper policy – it is genuinely something that is driving actions and some examples of actions we have taken this year are given below:

we have replaced the lighting in our warehouse with new energy efficient lighting
we have significantly increased our organic range conscious of the benefits this brings to the planet
we have taken an active part in Veganuary, highlighting the benefits of introducing plant-based meals to your diet and increasing the range of vegan friendly recipes on our website
we have supported our parent charity, the Balmore Trust, as they have raised funds for the Briquette Project – led by women farmers in Malawi this is seeking to reduce deforestation and waste by creating fuel briquettes from rice husks
we have launched new resources within our 90kg Rice Challenge packs to enable schools to teach about climate change with a real life example
having researched the options, we are working on a project to move our Kilombero Rice into bags made from recyclable plastic in 2022
we have initiated a strategic review of our waste streams aiming to further increase the percentage that we recycle

Join us as we continue to focus on putting people and planet first, playing our part in building an economic system which is socially-just and planet-friendly.

#TradeJustice4Climate

Download Environmental Policy

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A Fair Trade stall is about so much more than selling tea, coffee and chocolate. Every purchase supports smallholder farmers and producers who are working incredibly hard to build sustainable livelihoods in the face of climate change, rising fuel costs and an unpredictable global market. For many of the communities we work with, having reliable customers is essential. By running a True Origin stall at your church, you become part of that support network, helping to create regular demand for products that often aren't available in supermarkets or high street shops. Whether your church is passionate about global justice, caring for creation or simply making a practical difference, a Fair Trade stall is a simple but powerful way to turn those values into action. Start Small You don't need a huge team or a large budget to get started. Begin by talking with your church leaders about the idea. Many churches are happy to provide a small loan or donation to purchase initial stock, particularly if it can be repaid gradually as sales grow. Remember that most of the income from a stall is best reinvested into buying more stock rather than raising money for church funds. This helps keep the stall sustainable and ensures producers continue to receive orders. If you're new to running a stall, don't worry, you won't be on your own. The True Origin team and experienced Fair Traders are always happy to share advice and practical tips.