News / Fairtrade
Local businesses triumph at South West Fairtrade Awards 2018
Bristol-based retailer Cotton Smiles was among the businesses and organisations who won big at the South West Fairtrade Business Awards on March 9 2018, scooping the coveted Best Fairtrade Business award at the ceremony in St Paul’s. Run by husband-and-wife team Vineeta Gupta and Jim Hayman, Cotton Smiles sells 100 per cent Fairtrade-certified cotton products, resulting in higher wages and better working conditions for their farming partners and workers in India.
The awards, now in their sixth year, took place at the New Bristol Brewery. The awards attract ethically-focussed organisations from all over the South West, from Cornwall to Swindon, who come together once a year to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight.
Guest presenters at the Bristol event included John Hirst, chief executive of Destination Bristol, and the chair of South Gloucestershire Council, Councillr Ian Blair. Urania Liseth Hernández, a Fairtrade producer from Nicaragua, told delegates about how women in her co-operative have been empowered by Fairtrade programmes, with the positive impact felt on female workers around the globe.
Best Faitrade Business winners Vineeta Gupta and Jim Hayman of Cotton Smiles
A total of 50 organisations were recognised at the ceremony, for a wide range of supporting roles in the Fairtrade industry. This includes the sale and purchase of Fairtrade products, communication of Fairtrade values to their staff and customers, and supporting Fairtrade in their organisations’ management and policies.
This year marked the first where applications were open for Best South West Fairtrade Product, sponsored by pioneering ethical bank Triodos. The Natural Beverage Co, based on Victoria Street, were the lucky winners, for their product Ubuntu Cola, the UK’s first Fairtrade cola.
As befits a ceremony of this kind, guests were encouraged to ‘watch their waste’, with many bringing their own reusable coffee cups and also lunch boxes for any surplus food. Fairtrade coffee, wine and cakes were served, and a buffet consisting entirely of Fairtrade and organic ingredients.
Fairtrade and organic food & drink was served at the awards
Other winners included the Palestine Museum & Cultural Centre for Best Fairtrade Retailer, while Full of Beans Cafe at UWE won for Best Fairtrade Café or Restaurant. All winners received a personalised Bristol Blue Glass trophy.
Vineeta Gupta of Cotton Smiles said of her win: “Jim and I are just thrilled to have won Best South West Fairtrade Business, and proud to have brought Fairtrade cotton to Bristol. Our relationship with our colleagues in India where we source our cotton is what drives our business, and Fairtrade certification helps us demonstrate the integrity of that relationship to our customers.
“With this award, we’re proud to be recognised for our commitment to Fairtrade and hope that others will be inspired to build business around ethical supply chains.”
For more information on Bristol Fairtrade and the work they do, contact Danni Rochman at coordinator@bristolfairtade.org.uk
Photography by Caro Hutchings
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