More and more corporations are engaging in corporate social responsibility nowadays, and supporting fair trade is one of the ways to carry out such corporate practice.

How can corporations support fair trade in their workplace? Use fair trade products. As simple as that. Tea bags, coffee and snacks are items most corporations provide to staff in the office, and such fair trade products are available on the market. But you may think that fair trade products are more expensive?

Felix Yip, Director of Human Resources and Corporate Administration, Oxfam Hong Kong, comments that fair trade products may not be as expensive as most people think. “Some products are even cheaper than non-fair trade ones. It all depends on the brand.”

Walk the Talk
Supporting fair trade as a mission to help alleviate poverty and sustain community development, Oxfam simply walks the talk and uses fair trade coffee, tea bags and sugar in their office. “Fair trade products are not limited to coffee and tea although they are the most commonly used in the office. Others include clothes and bags,” says Yip.

Yips adds that quality of fair trade products is comparable with other products on the market. Oxfam has organized a “food tasting” gathering for staff to try fair trade products before they fill their pantry with such products. Their staff find the fair trade foods yummy!

Fair Trade Workplace Society
Oxfam, together with a number of corporations, has founded the Fair Trade Workplace Society in May 2008. These corporations include Asia Financial, Asia Insurance, Hysan Development, NWS Holdings, Towngas, The Hong Kong Institute of Education and TBWA\ Hong Kong. They pledged to fill their pantries with fair trade products that help eradicate poverty around the world. Bernard Chan, spokesperson of Asia Insurance and Asia Financial, says, “As a corporate citizen, we can contribute to the development of society and help distribute the returns fairly. Supporting fair trade is one of the practical ways.”

Cooperation of Corporations
On 10 May 2008, the World Fair Trade Day and Fair Trade Fair were organized, with the founding members signing the declaration. At the fair, more than 5,000 people visited booths selling fair trade products including chocolate, coffee, tea, rice, sugar, dried fruits, clothes, jewelry, and household items. Interactive activities and exhibition were also organized to let the public know more about fair trade.

Indeed, another mission of the establishment of the Fair Trade Workplace Society is to call upon other corporations to join together to learn more about fair trade and support this in order to build a more sustainable world.

No man is an island; let’s work together for the well-being of the world we are living in.