We recognise that international trade, in which we are of course much engaged, has an
environmental impact in itself, but also that transport costs are only a small part of the total
carbon footprint of most products. Trade, meanwhile, offers the opportunity of providing the
financial means for many producers to mitigate their own impacts and to invest in adapting to
environmental changes.
The importance of improving agricultural productivity and the careful management of water
supplies is likely to increase, and Traidcraft will have an important role in working with small
scale producers in the developing world to help them respond to these challenges to the benefit of the whole planet.
Reducing our direct carbon footprint
We are pleased that we have made progress in reducing some of the key measures of our
negative environmental impact.
- Our total carbon emissions are estimated to have reduced from approx 1,200 tonnesi of
CO2 to 1,100 tonnes. This was achieved by reduced air and sea freight, and lower usage of gas in the UK. However it should be noted that the level of uncertainty surrounding some of the calculations means that this reduction cannot be absolutely quantified. - The proportion of goods imported by air (by mass) was reduced from 2.7% to 1.85%, just short of our target of 1.75%. The 2009-10 figure had been distorted by a number of craft top-up orders, which we were able to avoid by smarter ordering during the 2010-11 year. We imported no food by air.
- All electricity used at our Gateshead sites is from renewable sources, and the installation of more efficient heating equipment in 2009-10 paid dividends in reducing gas usage over the full year, also helped by a reduction in evening working in the winter period.
- We continue to seek ways of reducing paper usage in our marketing activities, but the
need for paper catalogues remains if we are to be effective in selling. We began to shift
from sending out full catalogues to the use of smaller leaflets in supplementary mailings,
although growth in the mail order channel did mean an overall growth in the number of
catalogues used. - We also began to shift towards paperless invoicing for some customers. Reduced staff numbers and improved awareness among staff reduced the volume of paper used for office purposes. Overall, we reduced the volume of paper used in the year from 5 tonnes to approximately 3.5 tonnes.
Working to help producers mitigate their impact and adapt to climate change
When we carry out our own producer assessments, part of our process is to help producers
identify and understand their own environmental impacts and develop strategies to reduce them. FLO’s Fairtrade product standards also have strong environmental requirements, appropriate to the product in question, ensuring that a high degree of attention is given to issues that may affect carbon emissions and environmental degradation. Adaptation to climate change and mitigating environmental impact is increasingly an integral part of Traidcraft Exchange development projects. For example:
- Improving farming practices to reduce vulnerability to crop failure and improve
productivity. - Encouraging the production of goods for local markets as well as international trade.
- Improving water management techniques in cotton production.
- Supporting jute workers in developing more environmentally friendly processesAssisting small scale textile producers in India to become less polluting.
We will continue to build such considerations into new project proposals and supplier support
plans.
