The Uniting Church in South Australia is committed to being a Fair Trade church.

It was agreed that the Presbytery and Synod (PS08.26):
In light of the inequities present in the global market economy and the Uniting Church's commitment to standing in solidarity with the marginalised:

1. Recognise and encourage those congregations, schools and agencies who already use and promote fair trade products.
2. Encourage remaining congregations, schools and agencies to serve and/or promote fair trade products.
3. Request that meetings of the Presbytery and Synod be deemed Fair Trade events and explore opportunities to serve and/or promote fair trade products.
4. Continue to explore opportunities to serve and/or promote fair trade products at the Presbytery and Synod offices at 212 Pirie Street, Adelaide.

What is Fair Trade? 

Fair Trade is a process which ensures that producers receive a fair price for their goods and that practices of slavery and child labour are not involved in the production process. You can support fair trade practices by purchasing fair trade goods including tea and coffee and signing up to become a fair trade community. Resource packs are available for workplaces, universities, churches and schools. Guidelines for fair trade faith communities are available here:  Fairtrade Guidelines for faith groups (105.31 kB)

Additional church and faith community fact sheets and action guides can be downloaded here: Become a fair trade church (72.39 kB) and here: Church action fairtrade UK (253.41 kB)

Fair trade tea, coffee and chocolate are now available at most supermarkets (check the 'health food' section) or can be ordered over the internet.

A number of Uniting Church congregations already support fair trade. Some of their stories are told here and here

Further information and resources including video clips, DVDs, brochures and posters are available at:

Fair Trade Association: http://www.fta.org.au

Fair Trade Oxfam site: http://www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns/fair-trade; and
                                         http://www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns/fair-trade/coffee

Don't Trade Lives: http://www.donttradelives.com.au/dtl

Download the two papers below that include theological reflections on Fair Trade

Fair Trade: Some Theological Perspectives, by Den Denham Grierson Fair trade paper (825.4 kB)ham Grierson, produced by the Justice and International Mission Unit, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania, Uniting Church in Australia, 2007: 

 when trade serves God's justice (186 kB)