NEC WAKES UP AND SMELLS THE COFFEE

25-05-2007

Congratulations to the NEC. We asked them to wake up and smell the fair-trade coffee (and tea for the matter). Good people that they are, they have, and now all of their visitors can enjoy a warm drink with a clear conscience.

Last December, The Stirrer’s regular Birmingham Mail column highlighted how the provision of fair-trade drinks was a haphazard affair across the NEC’s range of venues which also include the ICC (see the article here)

We were told at the time that it us was up to exhibition organisers to decide if they wanted to order it.

The good news is that from September that will all change - and the “default” tea and coffee sold from the NEC’s own in-house food outlets at every event and corporate dinner will be fairly traded.

Catering Manager Sally Davis told us: “The fair trade won on merit after a taste test.

“We always wanted a fair trade outcome but we had to make sure that it wasn’t only the winner on price and taste but that the supplier could handle next day delivery, and that what they supplied would fit with our coffee machines.

“I’m glad we’ve got fair trade. It’s about having a corporate responsibility. We’re recognising that customers want a nice drink that’s value for money, but which is also fairly traded.”

The news was welcomed by Birmingham fair trade campaigner Maggie Jo St John, who recently visited coffee farms in Nicaragua and wrote a blog on The Stirrer.

“This is absolutely tremendous” she said.

“This kind of decision is life-changing for coffee farmers. It might mean that granny can get some healthcare or that their children can go to secondary school instead of just primary school.

“It helps people get access to their basic human rights - health, education and job opportunities.