# Fair Trade! I’ll drink to that… > “Life is too short for some coffee producers in the world and we need to drink Fairtrade products”! 28 June 2013 · News / Church News Canonical: https://insights1.uca.org.au/articles/fair-trade-i-ll-drink-to-that/ I know some people who live by the rule, “Life’s too short to drink bad coffee”. Recently at Synod we effectively turned this around and affirmed, “Life is too short for some coffee producers in the world and we need to drink Fairtrade products”! During Synod, we encouraged congregations to adopt the following ‘Three Goals for a Fairtrade Congregation’: (a) Use Fairtrade tea and coffee for all meetings for which you have responsibility, e.g. after church, elders and church council meetings. (b) Ensure other products that are used regularly in church gatherings are Fairtrade or ethically sourced. (c) Promote Fairtrade in the local community through activities that are locally designed. Recently I heard from Leichhardt Uniting Church Council who voted unanimously to adopt the ‘Three Goals for a Fairtrade Congregation’ from the Synod meeting. “We hope to be the first congregation to officially sign on to this Synod initiative (although we have been informal Fairtrade practitioners for some time). We are very excited to be supporting what we at LUC think is an excellent formal initiative within the UCA”, said Dr Robyn Goodwin from LUC. The Synod also resolved to set a goal that Fairtrade tea, coffee and other products, if possible, will be used and/or sold by more than 50% of the congregations in the Synod by the next full meeting of Synod. The Synod is also challenging itself to do better and resolved to: (i) support and promote Fairtrade as a concept (ii) encourage the use and sale of Fairtrade products across the Synod (iii) serve only Fairtrade products (such as coffee and tea) at meetings it is responsible for. Let’s all work together to be known as a church that is a Fairtrade supporter. I hope you share in our vision for Fairtrade and look forward to seeing the list of congregations signing up to the three goals grow. Let’s keep in mind who life is really too short for. **Rev. Dr Andrew Williams** ## Ready to become a certified Fairtrade workplace? Find out more at www.fairtrade.com.au/page/fairtrade-workplaces ## Some Fair Trade suppliers **Bercat Pty Ltd** 3/23-25 Fitzpatrick Street, Revesby NSW 2212 Ph: (02) 9792 1094 [info@bercat.com.au](mailto:info@bercat.com.au) [www.bercat.com.au](https://www.bercat.com.au) This retail/wholesale supplier roasts and packs coffees, imports instant coffee from Colombia and teas from Sri Lanka and India. It also supplies roasted East Timorese, Papua New Guinean, Colombian, Ethiopian, Kenyan, Mexican and Australian coffee. **Complete Office Supplies** 23 Pike Street , Rydalmere NSW 2116 Ph: 1300 88 22 44 [sales@cos.net.au](mailto:sales@cos.net.au) [www.cos.net.au](https://www.cos.net.au) Australia’s largest privately owned office products supplier is the first to receive accreditation for environmental standard ISO14001:2004. COS offers an extensive range of Fairtrade certified products. **Corporate Express** 163 O’Riordan Street, Mascot NSW 2020 Ph: 13 26 44 [www.netxpress.biz](https://www.netxpress.biz) [www.ce.com.au](https://www.ce.com.au) One of Australia’s leading single-source suppliers of business essentials. Its Fairtrade products include coffee, tea, sugar, drinking chocolate and sporting equipment from a variety of brands. **Ethical Choice** Glen Iris VIC 3146 Ph: 0422 083 678 [info@ethicalchoice.com.au](mailto:info@ethicalchoice.com.au) [www.ethicalchoice.com.au](https://www.ethicalchoice.com.au) A company that’s passionate about its product range of Fairtrade Certified Organic coffee and Fairtrade instant coffee. It services offices, restaurants, shops, cafes, schools, government departments, private sector and the public sector. **Nerada Tea Pty Ltd** 3/23 Overlord Place, Acacia Ridge QLD 4110 Ph: (07) 3272 0444 [info@neradatea.com.au](mailto:info@neradatea.com.au) [www.neradatea.com.au](https://www.neradatea.com.au) This company is the largest manufacturer of Australian grown tea and the largest supplier of imported Fairtrade and Organic certified teas and herbs to the retail trade. Products include loose leaf and teabag products. **Oxfam Australia Trading** PO Box 184, Kilkenny SA 5009 Ph: (08) 8240 7600 or 1800 088 455 [www.oxfamshop.org.au](https://www.oxfamshop.org.au) When you buy from Oxfam shops you are helping marginalised people around the world, with long-term employment and increasing independence. Over 50 Fairtrade products are available from shops, online, in leading supermarkets and through mail order. **Tradewinds Tea & Coffee Pty Ltd** P O Box 3424, Sydney NSW 2001 Ph: (02) 9252 5265 [info@tradewinds.org.au](mailto:info@tradewinds.org.au) [www.tradewinds.org.au](https://www.tradewinds.org.au) For over thirty years Tradewinds has been connecting consumers to the land and the people who grow, pick, process and pack our tea and coffee. The company imports quality tea and coffee that is: Organic, Fair trade, and Processed and packed where it is grown.