Bank of New Zealand staff had to drink more than one million cups of tea and coffee last year to be named the biggest New Zealand Fair Trade Workplace. With more than 5000 employees, the bank has swapped all its tea and caffeinated coffee to Fairtrade
Bank of New Zealand staff had to drink more than one million cups of tea and coffee last year to be named the biggest New Zealand Fair Trade Workplace.
With more than 5000 employees, the bank has swapped all its tea and caffeinated coffee to Fairtrade certified products to win the title.
Steve Knapp, Fairtrade Association Australia and New Zealand executive director, said by swapping to Fairtrade tea and coffee BNZ will greatly affect the lives of “small-scale” farmers in developing countries.
“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, BNZ sourcing and procurement manager, said using Fairtrade products is a tangible way of adhering to the bank’s values as a business.
New Zealand is now one of the fastest growing markets worldwide for Fairtrade products. While the global market for Fairtrade grew by 22% in 2008, New Zealand grew by 69%.
Fairtrade tea, coffee, bananas, chocolate and cotton are particularly in popular around the world. But in New Zealand coffee continues to be the biggest selling Fairtrade certified product making up 90% of sales in 2009.
