Last Unfair World Cup – the prelude
Let this be the last unfair Rugby World Cup.
Let’s make RWC2015 in England a fair tournament …..
fair for players; fair for officials; fair for spectators; … and fair for the people behind the merchandise, the catering and the sports equipment.
We would like to see the organisers of RWC11 and the English Rugby Football Union (RFU) commit to sourcing as many products as possible sustainably and fairly traded – for the benefit of millions of small-scale producers and their families in developing countries, and for a better environment for everyone.
London is already leading the way. The organisers of the London 2012 Olympic Games have made a pioneering commitment that all bananas, tea, coffee, chocolate and sugar served at official venues will be Fairtrade. The contracts are now in place; the supply chains are primed, the menus are being finalised … and athletes, officials, the media and spectators will will all be consuming Fairtrade-certified drinks and snacks come July-August 2012. That is a huge step forward: for sales, for visibility to a global audience, and for setting a recognised sustainable catering standard for others to follow.
If the Olympics – with its 14 million meals served during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, across 40 locations – can do it, so can the Rugby World Cup.
England (and Wales – as the Millennium Stadium will be hosting some matches) now has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make Fairtrade the standard for all rugby world cups … and continue the best practice example set by the Olympics. And there are 4 years for them to go further: to widen out the sourcing standards to include Fairtrade rugby balls, Fairtrade cotton in uniforms and kits, and more Fairtrade food and drink products being served.
Next weekend, as the Webb Ellis trophy is held aloft by the winners and the baton is passed to the 2015 tournament hosts, Fairtrade campaigns in Auckland and London will be making a joint action to kickstart this campaign.
You can get in on the act now, by co-signing the letter we will be sending to the RFU at the end of this tournament.
Tell RFU to run with a fair finals for all ……
