At the last Open Meeting, the JCR was mandated to encourage the College to adopt Fairtrade Status, achieved by fulfilling a range of criteria designed to promote Fairtrade products in Queens’ and raising awareness of the issues surrounding this worthy cause.

The JCR took proposals to the College Union and then the Governing Body of the College, where the matter was debated and eventually passed by a majority of the College’s fellows and senior members.

Queens’ is now in the final stages of achieving Fairtrade Status (only the third Cambridge College to do so). You can see the QJCR-Queens College Fair Trade Policy (plus some explanatory notes submitted to the Governing Body).
Below is the Policy introduced after the vote at the Open Meeting in Lent Term:

Fairtrade Status

The JCR notes
1) Currently there are a limited number of Fairtrade products sold in the bar and buttery.
2 ) Fairtrade and Trade Justice encourages fair prices for produce, covering the costs for sustainable production and living. They ensure farmers and labourers in the developing world can earn a decent sum.

The JCR believes
1) Students of the college are supportive of the promotion of Trade Justice and Fairtrade,
2) Students of the college desire greater access to Fairtrade products within the college.
3) The student body should have more Fairtrade products available to them.

The JCR resolves
1) To endorse arid support the ‘Fairtrade College Campaign’ and its efforts to fulfill the five criteria to achieve the Fairtrade Foundation’s ‘Fairtrade status’ for the college.
2) That wherever possible the JCR should make sure that it purchases fairly traded’ goods.
3) To support students from the college who wish to be active in promoting Fairtrade by assisting wherever possible should they want to set up a Fairtrade campaign.
4) To promote Fairtrade by putting up poster adverts in college.
5) To ask the college authorities to stock more Fairtrade supplies in the buttery and bar.

Proposed by: Fran Boait (QJCR Environmental Officer)
Seconded by: Claz Neville (QJCR President)
Passed by 65 votes to 1 on 27.2.07