Butler is Indiana's first Fair Trade-designated campus

With Fair Trade-designated items available at the Butler Bookstore, Starbucks, C-Club and C-Store, a year of effort has finally paid off at Butler University, which recently earned Fair Trade Designation.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Butler University because Butler is the first certified Fair Trade Designated university in Indiana,” Fair Trade Colleges and Universities National Organizer Kylie Nealis said.

The fair trade movement supports higher environmental and social standards around the world by promoting better trading and working conditions. To earn Fair Trade certification through Fair Trade USA, companies must source materials from certified farms and organizations and pay Fair Trade prices and premiums, a system that is enforced through supply chain audits.

At Butler, the Student Government Association has been working for a year with the University Dining Services, Butler Sustainability, the Butler Bookstore and the office of the President to attain Fair Trade Designation. Fair Trade food items and apparel are available throughout the campus, and the campus dining halls are now using Fair Trade items like sugar and coffee.

“This is especially exciting because after this major milestone Butler will be able to continue adding more Fair Trade items to its menus,” Butler Dining Services Marketing Manager Matt Proctor said.