Elmshorn 14 September 2018 - In a ceremony on 10 September 2018, Albert Röhl, coordinator for the Fairtrade School campaign in Schleswig-Holstein, presented the award certificate for Fairtrade University to the university management and sustainability officers of the NORDAKADEMIE University of Applied Sciences on behalf of TransFair e.V. 

As one of the first private universities in Germany, NORDAKADEMIE was officially awarded the title Fairtrade University on 10 September 2018. TransFair e.V., the non-profit association in Germany for fair trade, thus confirms that NORDAKADEMIE is specifically committed to improving the living and working conditions of small farmers and workers in the cultivation of coffee, cocoa or sugar cane, for instance.

In a ceremony, Albert Röhl presented the certificate to NORDAKADEMIE, represented by the Board and the Presidium, the Sustainability Team and members of the Student Parliament (StuPa). Albert Röhl has been an important driving force for the spread of Fair Trade in Schleswig-Holstein for many years. Among other things, he is the contact person for the Fairtrade School Campaign, the spokesperson for the Fairtrade Town Steering Group Elmshorn and the chairman of the non-profit association and world shop TOP 21. In his laudation, Röhl congratulated NORDAKADEMIE on its commitment to fair trade and to other sustainability projects that have been implemented on campus.  

Jörg Meier, Chancellor of NORDAKADEMIE, emphasises that Fair Trade shows how acting in solidarity is possible in a market economy:

"I think it is important to set a good example for the students and to provide food for thought that economic action can be very versatile and can also include acting in solidarity."

Leon Grothmann, responsible for sustainability in the StuPa, also very much welcomes the Fair Trade initiative at NORDAKADEMIE.

"The award brings the topic of fair trade into focus a little more, especially among students."  

As a Fairtrade University, NORDAKADEMIE fulfils the following criteria: 

• The university management and the student parliament have expressly declared their support for the promotion of fair trade and for the application as a Fairtrade University.
• A steering group, at NORDAKADEMIE the sustainability team consisting of employees and the sustainability officer of the StuPa, coordinates the activities around Fair Trade at the university.
• Fairtrade articles are offered on the campus in Elmshorn and in the Hamburg branch in Dockland, and only Fairtrade coffee is served in the tea kitchens.
• Fairtrade products are also served in the guest catering and on official occasions.
• With events and campaigns, the university draws attention to Fair Trade and its effects.

So the university canteen under the direction of Maik Kosmol participated in September just as in the previous year in the Fair Week: it was offered menus with Fairtrade ingredients and designated as such; in addition, there was supplementary information and giveaways on Fair Trade. On the Open Day in June, Fair Trade was the topic of a trial lecture by Holger Petersen, Professor of Sustainability Management, who is also available as a contact person for the topic at the university.