Making Renfrewshire a Fairtrade Zone

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The national Fairtrade agenda

The Scottish Government joined forces with the Welsh Assembly in 2006 to draw up a detailed set of criteria to enable both to become Fairtrade nations.

The measurable criteria for Scotland to become a Fairtrade nation are:

• 100% of local authorities to have active Fairtrade groups working towards Fairtrade status
• 55% of local authority areas to have Fairtrade status, with a 10% annual increase in number each year
• All of Scotland's cities to have Fairtrade status
• A minimum of 55% of Scottish towns to have active Fairtrade groups working towards Fairtrade status
• 60% of higher education institutions to have active Fairtrade groups working towards Fairtrade status
• 75% of people to buy a Fairtrade product every year
• 40% of people who regularly buy Fairtrade products

A Scottish Fairtrade Forum has been set up as an independent body with membership open to any individual or organisation interested in meaningfully promoting Fairtrade in Scotland. The forum's overall goal is to help Scotland achieve the Fairtrade nation criteria set out in 2006, then to help it maintain Fairtrade nation status as a symbol that Scotland values and promotes trade justice and fair labour standards in countries around the world.

Renfrewshire's Fairtrade Zone campaign

Paisley and Bishopton have already successfully achieved Fairtrade status. Our aim now is for Renfrewshire to build upon this to become a Fairtrade Zone, and to do so we need to achieve the following goals:

• get local authority support for Fairtrade
• a range of Fairtrade products made readily available in shops and cafes
• Fairtrade products used by local businesses and community organisations
• attract media coverage and popular support for Fairtrade
• a local steering group is convened to ensure progress and continued commitment to Fairtrade status

Fairtrade Zone steering group



The steering group consists of representatives from: University of West of Scotland; Reid Kerr College; Rainbow Turtle; councillors; council officers; school pupils; and representatives from Paisley and Bishopton Fairtrade steering groups.

Minutes of Fairtrade steering group meeting - 25 January 2008 (pdf - 29Kb)
Minutes of Fairtrade steering group meeting - 20 February 2008 (pdf - 29Kb)
Minutes of Fairtrade steering group meeting - 24 April 2008 (pdf - 31Kb)
Minutes of Fairtrade steering group meeting - 12 June 2008 (pdf - 25Kb)

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The next meeting of the group is on 28 August 2008.