Large Category

Large Category Nominees  

(click on these links for Individual    Small   Medium  nominees)

Robin Stewart - The Co-operative

I have been a Director of the Co-operative Group for the past 20 years. The Co-op has pioneered the role of Fairtrade products in supermarkets and as a Co-op activist, I am constantly promoting the role of Fairtrade produce. As a Director of such a large organisation, I bring business experience to the work of the Forum, combined with the ethical values of the Co-op movement.

During the past 12 months, I have served on the Interim Board of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, holding the post of Treasurer. In that capacity I have played a role in setting up the Forum's small grant scheme, which has given significant support to many of our voluntary Fairtrade groups. I also campaign for Fairtrade through my membership of the East Renfrewshire Fairtrade Forum.

I seek support to continue working to secure Fair Trade Nation status for Scotland.

Jenny Fausset - Edinburgh City Council

I have worked for 12 years in Scottish local government promoting sustainable development issues with internal Council departments and community gruops. Fair trade has been a key element of my work for the last 5 years - namely policy development and implementation, alongside event organisation.

As a member of the Board of Trustees I would work to promote stronger procurement links with Central Government that mainstreams fair trade products in line with the forthcoming Scottish food policy and the greener purchasing agenda. Local authorities across Scotland have significant purchasing power and potentially would make considerable input towards the Fair Trade Scotland agenda as it applies to local government. The Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN) of which every council is a member, is a well established, effective local authority forum currently addressing procurement and climate change issues. Links with SSN would be enforced to ensure that key issues put forward by the Board relating to local government could be jointly raised by both groups thereby strengthening the overall promotion of fair trade in Scotland.

(I am putting forward the proposal that a more democratic process for a local government officer representative on the Board be discussed with the SSN Steering Group in forthcoming months. Depending on the advice and action of the Steering Gruop there may then be a decision to put a different local authority representative forward after 12 months of this Board's election.)

Malcolm Fleming - Oxfam Scotland

In my previous role as Media & Public Relations Manager for Oxfam Scotland I have worked on fair-trade issues for over five years, including giving media support to the SFTF during its set up phase and thereafter. I have worked to strengthen the commitment of the current Scottish Government to the SFTF and I am keen to continue to play a role in that regard and for Oxfam Scotland’s campaigning and media departments to continue to support the SFTF.

Oxfam has a very strong track record in supporting the fair trade movement in Scotland and the UK and has also worked with fair trade producers and farmers in many countries over many years.  Our shop network continues to be a key outlet for fair-trade goods in many Scottish high streets.

Graeme Clark - Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)

For the past 2 years we have been involved in leading the SQAFair  - Informing Choices, Changing Lives – Business Improvement Project within the Scottish Qualifications Authority.  SQAFair is about challenging SQA, its employees, appointees and sector partners to support the principles of Fair Trade in its purchasing, professionally and personally. 

Through active engagement with the senior management team SQA has committed to supporting the principles of Fairtrade by developing proposals for influencing personal choices of staff, procurement within SQA and linking closely with other initiatives within the organisation such as Environmental sustainability and healthy lifestyles.  From 1 January 2009 SQA will supply only Fair Trade Tea, Coffee and other goods to all staff and all of its internal catering provision within meetings.  We have also started to consider how we can encourage and support our external venues, such as Hotels and conference centres to also supply Fairly traded goods and services where possible.  We are committed to looking at our qualifications and the curriculum they support, to embed Fair Trade principles within qualification and curriculum development, which will help to inform the choices of Scotland’s future generations.

As a leading NDPB, SQA fully supports the Scotland - A Fair trade Nation 2010 campaign and continues to engage in activities to impact upon employees purchasing choices through regular events and promotion opportunities.  The next 3 years will be a significant time for Fair trade within Scotland and we believe that SQA, through our membership of the Board of the SFTF, can and will play a significant role.