Compass is proud to sell Fairtrade

"Compass is opening its doors to a brighter future for fairtrade farmers and their families in the developing world. We hope that their commitment will encourage other companies to do the same" Harriet Lamb CEO Fairtrade Foundation

Compass Group is committed to ensuring that all of our dealings with suppliers ? from the point of search and selection, through to supply and payment ? are conducted in accordance with our guiding principles of responsible and ethical trading. The second of our five pillars of Corporate Responsibility is focused on Sustainable Sourcing. In line with this is our objective to support Fairtrade farmers and their communities.

Our objective it so support Fairtrade Farmers and their communities. The Compass Group Corporate Responsibility Framework outlines numerous ways in which we are committed to growing responsibly. As the leading caterers in the food service industry, one approach is to ensure we source our food ethically. As a business we are determined to be at the forefront of supporting and promoting Fairtrade and are proud to be the first major foodservice provider to champion Fairtrade and everything it stands for.

Why Support Fairtrade?
Fairtrade is an alternative system of trade; in essence Fairtrade guarantees grower / producer organisations a fair and stable price for their products. We strongly support the Fairtrade Foundation, whose Fairtrade Mark guarantees that farmers from the developing world are paid a price that covers the cost of production, plus a premium to be spent on community projects such as better healthcare, sanitation and education. The Fairtrade Mark is an independent consumer label which appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged farmers and workers in the developing world are getting a better deal.

Our Long-term Commitment
We share and know the concerns of our clients and consumers about the difficult conditions facing many farmers and growers in producing countries. We recognise that supporting Fairtrade is one way, among others, of benefiting them. We work in collaboration with our partners, supplier?s clients and customers to promote awareness and increase sales of Fairtrade products. One way we are planning on doing this is through celebrating Fairtrade fortnight.

For the last ten years we have partnered with our Fairtrade suppliers to ensure that the Fairtrade supply chain is well managed and has innovative products. As a business, Compass provides one of the widest ranges of different Fairtrade marked goods. A selection of delicious Fairtrade snacks include consumer favourites, such as Divine Chocolate Traidcraft Cookies and a Fairtrade range of Brownies and Flapjacks ? amongst many other delicious goods.

Compass? top ten selling Fairtrade products:

• Bananas
• Kit Kat
• Cadbury's Dairy milk chocolate
• Coffee
• Tea
• Sugar
• Orange juice
• Apple juice
• Divine chocolate
• Cookies

By supporting Fairtrade we continue to make a long-term and positive difference to farmers, growers and local communities in developing countries.

Current Compass Initiatives
Compass? education business, Chartwells, will be hosting ?market stall? events in many of our university and college client locations where a number of of Compass? Fairtrade and other ethical suppliers will gather to showcase their products and raise awareness of their causes and the communities they support.  Universities? students, staff and visitors will have the opportunity to sample products in this farmers? market forum and understand the array of Fairtrade products available today.

Compass will be supporting our business and industry clients which would like to promote Fairtrade during the Fortnight by making a ?toolkit? widely available for clients.  This toolkit contains the necessary materials to raise awareness and, through this, Compass endeavours to make it as easy and hassle-free as possible for clients to promote Fairtrade during the two week celebration.

For more information on ?The Big Swap? visit the Fairtrade Foundation website.