BNZ the country’s biggest Fair Trade workplace

Bank of New Zealand becomes the country’s biggest Fair Trade Workplace.

The Fair Trade Association Australia and New Zealand has announced that BNZ has become the biggest New Zealand Fair Trade Workplace.

As part of the move to become a Fair Trade Workplace the bank has swapped all its tea and caffeinated coffee to Fairtrade Certified products. It is estimated that the BNZ staff consume more than one million cups of tea and coffee each year. The news comes during Fair Trade Fortnight - the theme of which is ‘The Big Swap’.

“With over 5000 employees, BNZ and its staff will make a significant impact on the lives of small-scale farmers in developing countries as they swap to Fairtrade tea and coffee at work,” says Steve Knapp, Executive Director, Fairtrade Association Australia and New Zealand.

“Fairtrade is all about empowering growers to help themselves out of poverty. This is done through a fair and stable price and the additional Fairtrade Premium. This Premium is used to invest in farm improvements to increase yield, quality and sustainability. Producer cooperatives make democratic decisions to use this cash for healthcare, education and other social and welfare projects including building schools, roads and clinics and funding healthcare workers and clean water supplies” says Mr Knapp.

Brett Francis, Sourcing and Procurement Manager at BNZ, explains that “BNZ are proud to have made the swap to Fairtrade because we know it is a tangible way of adhering to our values as a business.”

Already we have received a great response from our staff who are incredibly supportive of the initiative,” he said.
All tea and coffee except decaf will be replaced with Fairtrade Certified products in all BNZ buildings and stores. Additionally, all coffee machines throughout the bank will be stocked with Fairtrade product. The bank hopes the change will drive awareness of Fairtrade amongst staff and that they may buy fair trade products outside of work.

Becoming a Fair Trade Workplace is possible for all organisations. All they must do is use Fairtrade Certified products and promote fair trade. As well as encouraging businesses to become Fair Trade Workplaces, FTAANZ is keen to persuade companies to swap entire lines to Fairtrade products. The range is on the increase with Fairtrade tea, coffee, bananas, chocolate and cotton now available. Demand for these products continues to rise.

New Zealand is now one of the fastest growing markets worldwide for Fairtrade products. The global market for Fairtrade grew by 22% in 2008. In New Zealand in the same year it grew by 69%. Having experienced healthy and sustained growth since it’s beginnings in 2004, sales have risen from $261,000 to $17.5m in 2009.
Coffee continues to be the biggest selling Fairtrade Certified product in New Zealand making up 90% of sales in 2009. Due to the rise in sales of Fairtrade coffee the direct Fairtrade Economic Benefit to producer organisations selling to the New Zealand Fairtrade market has increased significantly to reach $1.1 million in 2009.

www.fairtrade.org.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media