December 2018: Fair Trade Month

Seattle U and Fair Trade

Fair Trade Designation

Seattle University was the first Pacific Northwest University to earn the title of Fair Trade Designated University. Read more about Seattle University's qualifications.

MotMot Coffee

In January 2017, Seattle University’s Fair Trade Team, under the leadership of Braden Wild (BA International Business and Economics, '19) and Dr. Quan Le registered SU's Fair Trade coffee Café Ambiental as a social enterprise with the State of Washington, a milestone for the fair trade coffee project! Café Ambiental has also been officially re-branded as MotMot Coffee harking to the national bird of Nicaragua native to the mountains where the coffee is grown. In addition, the Fair Trade team finished second in the Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition in 2017! Learn more about MotMot coffee and order some here or at the SU Bookstore!

Anti-Sweatshop Policy

The pursuit of social justice is an essential part of Seattle University’s institutional mission. Consistent with this mission, Seattle University has long supported fair labor standards and safe working conditions for people who produce university-licensed apparel. There is a campus-wide Anti-Sweatshop Policy and an Anti-Sweatshop Committee covering vendors and manufacturers that supply the University with apparel bearing the University’s name and/or logos. Read more.

Redhawk Dining and Fair Trade

Chartwells, Seattle University's food service provider, is committed to providing fair trade certified teas, chocolate, and coffee to the Seattle University community. They are proud to support the Fair Trade movement through securing better wages and business conditions for farmers in developing countries while also encouraging sustainable growing practices. Read more about Chartwells' commitment to Fair Trade.

SU Supported Research

CEJS fellow, Quan Le — Associate Professor of Economics and Director of the International Business Program at SU’s Albers School of Business — uses educational events to teach marketing methods while promoting the sale of the Fair-Trade coffee MotMot Coffee produced from the SU-Nicaraguan coffee farmer partnership. He is also working with coffee farmers in Nicaragua to help them reach the specialty coffee market in the Seattle area. Read more.

Events at SU

Fair Trade Finals

When: December 10-14, 2018
Where: Various locations on SU Campus

Dec 11, Tuesday – Cherry Street Market
Free samples of Guayaki Yerba Mate
Dec 12, Wednesday – Cherry Street register stands
Free samples of Theo Chocolate
Dec 13, Thursday – Hawks Nest Bistro
Free samples of Stumptown Coffee and "Coffee chat" with Stumptown's Coffee Educator
Dec 14, Friday – Bottom Line (11:00AM-2:00PM)
Free samples of Cafe Vita coffee

Description: In need of a coffee, thee, or chocolate refill during Finals week? Stop by the Fair Trade booths at C-street, The Hawk's Nest, and the Bottom Line. Learn about Fair Trade from Redhawk Dining and its vendors... and try out some free samples!