The University of Helsinki has been awarded the title Fair Trade university. UH is the second university in Finland to gain this honour.
Students at the university took the initiative to apply for it last year. UH was happy to take this opportunity; Promoting the Fair Trade system is a tangible method for supporting sustainability and gearing university acquisitions in a more responsible direction.
Chancellor Thomas Wilhelmsson received the honorary title at the Helsinki City Hall.
- It is our goal to involve the whole university community in Fair Trade: students, staff, cafeterias and university partners are working together. We want to cooperate to promote social justice internationally, Wilhelmsson said.
The City of Helsinki also received an honorary title, Fair Trade City, at the same event.
Fair Trade in everyday academic life
As a Fair Trade university, UH is committed to promoting the use and availability of Fair Trade-certified products in its own acquisitions, while raising the university community’s awareness of Fair Trade and its significance in global production and consumption conditions.
Thousands of cups of coffee and tea are consumed at the university every day – our everyday choices are meaningful. In future, all the coffee and tea served at official university gatherings will be Fair Trade coffee and tea. The university has reached an agreement with the university restaurants, Fazer Amica, and Sodexo to only have Fair Trade coffee and tea delivered to the university. This means that anyone placing an order for service at the university does not need to remember to specify Fair Trade beverages, Fair Trade coffee and tea will be served at the meetings of the students’ union, as well.
All the participating restaurants have as their goal to increase the range of Fair Trade products in their restaurants.
In 2014, socially responsible and environmentally more sustainable consumption, the promotion of equality in the global economy, and the comprehension and solving of third-world problems will be given more visibility in university life.
Text: Jenni Koistinen
Translation: Marina Kurtén