Date: 2008-11-07

A conference on the ethical supply chain is scheduled to take place on Thursday December 4th, 2008. The conference will be hosted by The Co-operative movement and will take place at the British Library Conference Centre in London.

The event is open to non Co-operativesUK member organisations, Co-operativesUK Member organisations and to individuals.

Some of the questions which will be debated include:
• Has the ethical consumer movement made its voice heard down the supply chain?
• Are food producers, in the UK and abroad, heeding calls for more sustainable production?
• How can social and economic justice for small-scale farmers be achieved?
• How can we make their voice more effective in the future?
• How are communities on the ground taking action to respond to the desire for sustainable food?
• And how will these issues be influenced by the current financial climate?

The conference will be chaired by Sheila Dillon, presenter of Radio 4’s The Food Programme http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/presenters/sheila_dillon.shtml.

The prices to attend the conference are as follows:-
• £130 for non Co-operativesUK Member organisations
• £117 for Co-operativesUK Member organisations
• £80 for an individual ticket (numbers limited)
Speakers at the conference will include:-
• Peter Marks, Chief Executive, The Co-operative Group
• Professor Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy at City University
• Kathini Maloba, General Secretary of the Kenya Women Workers Organisation
• Tomy Matthews of the Fair Trade Association of Kerala
• Carolyn Steel, author of ‘Hungry City’
• James Graham, chief executive of SAOS (the Scottish farmers’ co-operative movement),
• Representatives of the NFU and TUC

For a brochure or booking form visit www.fairandsquare.coop or email ethicalshopping@fairandsquare.coop. Alternatively, telephone and ask for co-ordinator Christine Tansey 0161 246 2944.