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UWA staff and students can tick off their daily good deed just by sipping their morning cuppa or grabbing their afternoon chocolate hit.

Fairtrade Certified products are now available freely across the campus and it has earned UWA the official status of Fair Trade University - the first in the state.

All coffees sold by Guild Cafes are Fairtrade (and organic) certified and over 40 per cent of the tea and coffee savoured by staff is guaranteed to be socially and environmentally ethical.

Certified chocolate is also available in Guild Cafes and The Coop stocks a range of certified cotton t-shirts and treats.

Fairtrade Certification guarantees fair and stable prices for products, which protects farmers and producers in developing countries from poverty.

It also ensures environmentally sustainable production and devotes funds to community investment, such as health care centres and educational facilities.

Prof Paul Johnson, Vice-Chancellor said Fair Trade University status is a way of demonstrating the University's commitment to social and environmental sustainability.

"We want to take a leadership role in terms of social equality and global sustainability and our commitment to Fair Trade is part of taking that lead."

"The University is set up to make a real difference to people's lives, not just here in Western Australia, but around the world. The power of numbers here really matters," he said.

The Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand will present the University's certificate of Fair Trade Accreditation to Prof Johnson and 100 ^th Guild President, Cameron Barnes at 1pm on Tuesday, March 19 at the UWA EnviroFest on Oak Lawn.

Staff and students can find out how to choose Fair Trade products on campus by visiting www.sd.fm.uwa.edu/fair-trade .

Media references

Trish Howard (UWA Sustainable Development)  (+61 8)  6488  7540
Michael Sinclair-Jones (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 3229