Fairtrade Survey 2024 outcomes

Fairtrade at the University poster
Fairtrade coffee available from campus catering outlets.

Glasgow Caledonian University has had a long commitment to Fairtrade. It was first accredited as a Fairtrade University in 2012, and in partnership with GCU Students' Association has achieved a 1 Star Award in the 2020-22 cohort of the Fairtrade Universities and Colleges Award.

In March 2024, the Fairtrade Steering Group carried out a Fairtrade Survey to gauge the University population's awareness of the presence of Fairtrade on campus. The survey recorded 171 responses from 125 students and 45 staff members. This is a six-fold increase from the 2022 survey which recorded 29 responses from students only.

The 2024 survey indicated that Fairtrade is seen as an important element of the University operations and there is a high level of support for Fairtrade and ethical trade by the University population:

  • 84% of students and 96% of staff are familiar with the Fairtrade logo.
  • 64% of students and 76% of staff associate Fairtrade with a commitment to ethical trading standards.
  • 53% of students and 69% of staff reported on seeing the Fairtrade logo across the University campus.
  • 71% of students and 82% of staff - the majority of the respondents - thought that it is very important for the University to support and promote Fairtrade as it aligns with the University's Common Good mission.

While the overall awareness of the core meaning of Fairtrade is good, the responses exhibited a gap in communicating about Fairtrade to the wider University population, despite promotional posters and the inclusion of Fairtrade within various events at the University:

  • Nearly half of the respondents (46% students, 47% staff) said that they had not seen any Fairtrade Fortnight activities, campaigns or promotions taking place at the University during the 2022-23 academic year.
  • 56% of students and 65% of staff reported not seeing any other Fairtrade events or activities taking place (in addition to the Fairtrade Fortnight).

These findings will be used to update the University's Fairtrade Plan (FTP). The FTP sets out how the University will increase awareness about Fairtrade and the Fairtrade offering at the University.

Everyone completing the Fairtrade Survey had the chance to enter a random prize draw to win Catering Vouchers or National Book Tokens. We’ve now contacted the winners have now been contacted, so if you completed the survey, please check your e-mails (and junk e-mail)! If you wish to learn more about the survey outcomes, read the Fairtrade Survey Report.