News and Events
Socially responsible chocolate Alison Ward, Global Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Cadbury, visited Liverpool Business School this week to talk to students about her work - particularly Cadbury’s move to certify Dairy Milk as a Fairtrade brand. Her talk was part of the Corporate Social Responsibility module, led by Bob Doherty, delivered to final year Business students. Alison oversees the corporate responsibility agenda for Cadbury’s, leading on key programmes including: investing in cocoa sustainability through the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership and Cadbury Dairy Milk Fairtrade; the company’s environmental commitments, called Purple Goes Green, and community investment. Bob commented: “The talk really showed the application of CSR in the market place.”
Alison talked about the ethics behind their move to Cadbury’s Dairy Milk to be certified as a Fairtrade product. In addition, she briefed the students on their work to reduce their carbon emissions and to introduce sustainable packaging, particularly their new Easter Egg packaging which will come to market next year.
Rise and stall of a fair trade pioneer
An article co-written by Bob Doherty, Senior Lecturer in Social Enterprise and Corporate Responsibility at LBS, has recently been accepted for publication in the Journal of Business Ethics.
“The rise and stall of a fair trade pioneer: The story of Cafédirect” examines the growth of Cafedirect since its set-up in 1992 to be the fourth largest hot beverage company in the UK, with a £23m sales turnover. This article analyses the different marketing approaches employed by Cafedirect during the development of the brand. The paper then moves on to discuss both its current performance in the supermarket retail sector, where it is facing fierce price competition from supermarket own-label Fairtrade brands, and its significant growth of 33% sales through the out-of-home distribution channel. Where the current rise of both Fairtrade Towns and Universities is resulting in a pull through of sales via major food service wholesalers.
The article builds upon, “A truly co-operative venture: the case study of Co-operative Food, a retailer response to Fair Trade,” written by Bob and published in the Journal of Strategic Marketing late last year, and also another article by John Meehan and Bob titled, “Market entry based on social resources: The Case of Day Chocolate Company in the UK confectionary sector”, also published in the Journal of Strategic Marketing in May 2006.
President of the Small Organic Farmer’s Association visits LJMU
LJMU Students attended a special International Business Ethics lecture in the Liverpool Business School by Bernard Ranaweera, President of the Small Organic Farmer’s Association (SOFA), as one of many events taking place during Fairtrade fortnight to raise awareness of the importance of ethical sourcing.
Bob Doherty, Senior Lecturer in Social Enterprise & Corporate Responsibility at LJMU, introduced the lecture, which looked at the need for ethical and sustainable farming and the impact Fairtrade has had by assisting suppliers in areas such as land development, education, social and economical development.
Bernard told students about the vision of SOFA: “To establish a environmentally friendly, agriculturally developed, economically empowered community while treating them in a equal manner”. SOFA is a democratic association with a general assembly of 252 members and elected president. They provide tea and spices to ASDA and the London Tea Company, and have been recognised by and working with Fairtrade since 1998.
Thanks to organisations such as Fairtrade, consumers are now becoming more aware of where their products are sourced and are increasingly factoring ethics into their purchasing decisions. This explains the phenomenal growth in the turnover of Fairtrade produce, which has experienced an annual increase of around 45% since 1997.
Bob Doherty (Joint MA Social Enterprise Programme Leader) attended the second European Fairtrade Conference in Brussels, Belgium. Bob presented on the issue of academic research on Fair Trade and the importance of Knowledge Transfer.
Pictured above: Bob Doherty presenting at the opening plenary session
Pictured above (l-r): Karlien Wouter (Coordinator Fairtrade Gemeenten, Max Havelaar Belgium), Soloba Mady Keita (Fairtrade Cotton Farmer and Mayor Kita Wes, Mali), Bob Doherty
The Social Enterprise programme team were delighted to host Jose Miguel Peralta Castellano, a small-scale banana producer from the Dominican Republic. He is both a member and President of La Asociación de Bananeros Unidos (ASOBANU). This is an organisation of small-scale banana producers; ASOBANU was Fairtrade certified in 2004 and now supplies Fairtrade bananas to both Sainsbury supermarkets and the Co-operative Food Group. The organisation was founded in 1998 and is based near the town of Batey Amina in the northwest of the Dominican Republic.
Both Jose Peralta and Hannah Reed from the Fairtrade Foundation visited Liverpool Business School to speak with both students and academics. Jose explained the social benefits created by Fairtrade particularly the community cohesion, he commented "Fairtrade is doing business with respect, we feel like partners when trading our bananas, the Fairtrade price, the Fairtrade contract and the social premium ensure we can plan ahead and invest in our communities to make them more sustainable.”
Students commented on the power of social enterprise to reform international trade.
Right-hand picture: Hannah Reed (Fairtrade Foundation) and Jose Peralta (ASOBANU).
Left-hand picture (l-r): Neil Rotheroe (MA Social Enterprise Programme Leader), Jose Peralta, Hannah Reed, Bob Doherty (MA Social Enterprise Programme Leader).
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