For the first time ever, Fairtrade Ireland is teaming up with Electric Picnic for the “Fairest Trader Award” to encourage even more of the amazing food vendors and restaurants at the festival to stock Fairtrade compliant products.
Fairtrade Ireland has been working with Electric Picnic and other festivals for years to help them become more sustainable. To become a Fairtrade Festival, all traders at the event must supply Fairtrade certified coffee, tea, sugar, hot chocolate and bananas. These standards ensure Fairtrade products are socially and economically fair and environmentally responsible. Irish consumers can support Fairtrade farmers by purchasing goods carrying the Fairtrade mark.
“Electric Picnic has been a Fairtrade Festival since 2012. This year, we are ramping up our efforts to encourage further compliance among the traders. Sustainability is a hot topic right now, everyone knows we have to make changes. Fairtrade is about taking action, making ethical choices and bringing people who often get forgotten, into the festival with us. It’s the only way to have a party!” says Peter Gaynor, Executive Director, Fairtrade Ireland.
“Electric Picnic is proud to have worked with Fairtrade Ireland for almost a decade and we are always eager to pursue anything that is more sustainable for the planet and those of us who live on it. The Fairest Trader Award is a fantastic initiative and will hopefully encourage our fantastic food vendors to take on even more Fairtrade products.” Melvin Benn, Festival Director.
The Fairtrade Award will be awarded to the Trader who is the most compliant from an initial audit that will take place by a team of Fairtrade auditors on Friday. To qualify for a free trade pitch next year, we ask that traders are 100% compliant with the Fairtrade festival criteria, selling minimum of four Fairtrade products. Fairtrade Ireland will also be giving out some fabulous gifts and hampers to compliant traders throughout the festival as well as flags so that you can show your customers that you support Fairtrade!
The Fairtrade Award will be awarded by Peter Gaynor, Executive Director, Fairtrade Ireland and Melvin Benn, Managing Director, Festival Republic on the Main stage on Saturday 31st August.