Food Justice: Fair Trade and Global Concerns

UUMFE

Fair trade guarantees certain economic and social equity in trade practices, ensuring fair wages for marginalized people. More than 500 Unitarian Universalist congregations are already serving fair trade coffee in their congregations. Learn more about fair trade and what you can do below.

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) is committed to supporting fair trade through a combination of advocacy, education, and partnerships with grassroots organizations to strengthen human rights and dignity for workers in our global economy.

Learn More

  • Consumer Choices Section (PDF), of the Ethical Eating Resource Guide: Background information, resources, and reflection questions discussing both free and fair trade points of view.
  • UUSC Coffee Project Handout (PDF): An overview of the UUSC Coffee Project and UUSC’s work promoting fair trade as a way of advancing economic justice.
  • Just Desserts (PDF): a booklet from the UUSC designed for family and friends to use at Thanksgiving that explores our food and where it comes from.
  • Small Farmers Care about Creation (PDF): A handout created by Equal Exchange that talks about the connection between the farmers partnering with Equal Exchange and the protection of the environment.

Take Action

  • Set up a table at a community Earth Day event and serve fair trade coffee, tea, and cocoa.
  • Talk to other places of worship and businesses in your town or region about the project, and urge them to buy fair trade coffee, tea and cocoa. Contact Equal Exchange for educational pamphlets and other materials to share with local grocers and cafes.
  • Find other Fair Trade products that can be offered in your congregation and larger community through organizations such as Red Tomato and Southern Alternatives Agricultural Cooperative.
  • Host an Oxfam Hunger Banquet to understand the reality of food and resource distribution through personal and anecdotal experience. Use the free online Hunger Banquet Toolkit to plan your event.
  • UUSC’s Fair Trade Action Steps for Congregations (PDF): A list of suggestions about ways to promote fair trade in congregations and the community.

For additional resources and links to learn more, see the ethical eating and food justice main page.