Cardiff Met achieves highest-ever Fairtrade University Award result
Cardiff Metropolitan University has achieved its highest-ever Fairtrade University Award score, earning a two-star Fairtrade University Award in recognition of its commitment to ethical sourcing, sustainability and social justice.
Cardiff Met achieved 385 points across 41 assessment criteria, demonstrating a University-wide commitment to creating positive social and environmental impact.
The award reflects positive action across the University, from increasing the availability of Fairtrade products and strengthening ethical procurement practices to embedding Fairtrade and responsible consumption within the curriculum. Students have also taken part in Fairtrade-focused projects, campaigns and volunteering opportunities that connect global challenges with real-world learning.
The achievement places Cardiff Met among a select group of UK universities recognised by the Fairtrade Foundation and SOS-UK for embedding Fairtrade principles across teaching, research, procurement and student engagement. Other universities in the 2024-26 Fairtrade University Award cohort included UCL, Birmingham, Leeds, St Andrews, Cardiff and Exeter.
The University has held Fairtrade accreditation since 2007, but this latest result marks its strongest performance to date.
One standout initiative was the Fairtrade afternoon tea and storytelling event, delivered through a collaboration between Cardiff Met's Sustainability, Catering and Print teams, Fairtrade Wales and Fairtrade Pontypridd. The event brought staff, students and community partners together to explore the real-world impact of Fairtrade and ethical consumer choices.
Cardiff Met’s Climate Action Lead, Dr David Clubb said: “This award is hugely meaningful for the Climate Action team. Through our work, we’ve come to better understand the real impact Fairtrade has for small producers around the world, supporting their efforts to remain as custodians of the land and helping to safeguard dignity and living standards in rural areas.
“Achieving the two-star award demonstrates the commitment and effort of the everybody involved in the accreditation process and reflects positively the University’s ambition to act responsibly on a global scale across all that it does."
For students, the benefits extend beyond the classroom.
MSc International Business Management student Ferdous Woahid Raz said: "Volunteering for the University's Fairtrade initiatives has been an incredibly rewarding experience. It has allowed me to develop new skills, deepen my understanding of global ethics and sustainability and gain valuable experience that will support my future career. I am proud to be part of a university community that truly promotes these values."
With the next assessment due in 2028, Cardiff Met is already looking ahead to building on this success and creating even more opportunities for staff and students to champion ethical and sustainable choices.