PROFIT BEFORE PEOPLE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS
Robert Fall | 27.02.2004 08:52 | Social Struggles
Freedom to choose denied
Recently members of staff at the University of Leeds have been informed that ethical concerns about companies will not be considered a valid reason for not choosing to buy goods off particular suppliers. When one purchasing office was asked to clarify their position on this issue they said that they were “...not free to pick and choose suppliers based on factors not deemed by the 'University' or its auditors to be valid justification of choice.”
Recently members of staff at the University of Leeds have been informed that ethical concerns about companies will not be considered a valid reason for not choosing to buy goods off particular suppliers. When one purchasing office was asked to clarify their position on this issue they said that they were “...not free to pick and choose suppliers based on factors not deemed by the 'University' or its auditors to be valid justification of choice.”
For example, staff at the university have been informed that they should purchase their water coolers from Nestle, who violate the World Health Organisation's International Code of Marketing, and actively markets products which are, in some circumstances, harmful and in others, lethal (see 
http://www.babymilkaction.org/pages/boycott.html). University staff have been informed that they are not free to decide not to use Nestle based on ethical concerns.
The Fairtrade campaign
The purchasing policy at the University of Leeds is putting profit before people, despite the fact that there is currently a campaign to make the University of Leeds a Fairtrade University. I am sure that I won’t need to tell most of you about Fairtrade , but briefly Fairtrade guarantees a better deal to producers in the developing world. It is one organization taking steps to end the exploitation of workers by large multinationals around the world. If you want to learn more visit http://www.fairtrade.org.uk.
Fairtrade fortnight
The 1st – 14th March is Fairtrade Fortnight. All eight Leeds MPs recently joined together to congratulate Leeds after Leeds City Councillors unanimously voted to make Leeds a Fair Trade City. If you are interested in learning more see; http://www.leedstidal.org/
Register your disapproval
If you are disturbed by the fact that staff at the University of Leeds are being told to put profit before people, then there is something you can do. Write to the Vice Chancellor and ask him what is being done to make the University of Leeds a Fairtrade University. His address is;
Professor Sir Alan Wilson
Office of the Vice-Chancellor
University of Leeds
Leeds LS2 9JT
Or you could ring the switchboard on 0113 243 1751 and ask to be put through to the Vice Chancellors Office.
http://www.babymilkaction.org/pages/boycott.html). University staff have been informed that they are not free to decide not to use Nestle based on ethical concerns. The Fairtrade campaign
The purchasing policy at the University of Leeds is putting profit before people, despite the fact that there is currently a campaign to make the University of Leeds a Fairtrade University. I am sure that I won’t need to tell most of you about Fairtrade , but briefly Fairtrade guarantees a better deal to producers in the developing world. It is one organization taking steps to end the exploitation of workers by large multinationals around the world. If you want to learn more visit
http://www.fairtrade.org.uk. Fairtrade fortnight
The 1st – 14th March is Fairtrade Fortnight. All eight Leeds MPs recently joined together to congratulate Leeds after Leeds City Councillors unanimously voted to make Leeds a Fair Trade City. If you are interested in learning more see;
http://www.leedstidal.org/ Register your disapproval
If you are disturbed by the fact that staff at the University of Leeds are being told to put profit before people, then there is something you can do. Write to the Vice Chancellor and ask him what is being done to make the University of Leeds a Fairtrade University. His address is;
Professor Sir Alan Wilson
Office of the Vice-Chancellor
University of Leeds
Leeds LS2 9JT
Or you could ring the switchboard on 0113 243 1751 and ask to be put through to the Vice Chancellors Office.
Robert Fall
e-mail:
robert_fall@hotmail.com