CSR Case Study - The Fairtrade Foundation

Julie Gallimore

The Fairtrade Foundation

Emma, Business Development Officer
Literature BA, MPhil, University of Birmingham

How did you decide that The Fairtrade Foundation matched your own personal values?

Having previously worked for a large multinational, I was keen to work for a smaller organisation where I fully believed in their aims and objectives and felt that I could input to their overall strategy.

Were these values assessed or talked about at application and interview stage?

During the interview especially, I was aware that I was being assessed throughout for my genuine commitment to development, rather than it being 'just another job application'. I felt what was being tested was not just my overall knowledge level and skill set, but also my overall engagement with the values of the sector/organisation. I was asked to demonstrate my knowledge of Fairtrade (not unusual), but given that they were aware I would be taking a pay cut, they were keen on speaking about my motives for working there.

Did you explore other career areas/organisations prior to securing this job?

After my Masters degree I did some temping to fund my travels to Australia and South America where I did voluntary conservation work. Returning to the UK, I worked with a large organisation as part of their graduate development scheme. I did this for three years and it's clear that the skills I gained in this environment prepared me for my role in Fairtrade. My business development experience with a commercial organisation has helped me succeed at Fairtrade and I wouldn't have got the role without this experience.

What kinds of values are important to you and how do you feel you developed this set of values?

I feel that all people are equal wherever they come from and I feel that the world is full of injustice. People are important, and any small thing I can do to make people's lives better, especially in countries where poverty and disease are so prevalent, must be a help.

I think I developed this set of values from a few areas: a sympathetic religious upbringing by my parents, influence of family and friends regarding more detailed issues and self-information. I think there are still a lot of areas I would like to learn about, but I feel that learning about your own opinions is a continuous process. At University I got involved in lots of groups and societies and volunteered as an advice worker at a rice and representation centre.

How have your values come into play on a day to day basis?

I'm part of the Commercial Relations Team at the Fairtrade Foundation and we focus on building awareness and purchase of Fairtrade certified products. This is through working with suppliers so they can develop and license more Fairtrade products, and also with retailers so they can effectively market and sell these products. I deal specifically in the product areas of wine and sugar and with retailers Sainsbury's and Waitrose, along with some other convenience groups.

I go to meetings, create reports, make presentations and own projects to ensure that we are keeping Fairtrade in the front of our commercial stakeholders' minds. My key skills are getting to the bottom of problems and getting others (internal and external) to be honest and open.

Do you think there is a particular skill set that goes with applying values in the workplace?

For me it's about honesty, being genuine and not fearing reprisal. These come perhaps from strength of character, rather than a 'skill set' as such. Also there is probably a tie up with your working life and what you do outside work, like being active and supportive of your local community.

Do you have ideas about how your career might develop in the future?

In the immediate and mid-term I am happy to stay at the Fairtrade Foundation. People don't seem to leave this organisation!

How do you think your job choice/application of values to the workplace is different from the career choices of your peers?

My peers are in a diverse range of jobs. Some go by salary and benefits, others by variety of projects, some choose a job which is not demanding so they can pursue other activities outside work easily for example, writing. For the people who use their values in the workplace, they seem to be more passionate, more committed to their jobs than others.

What advice would you offer to prospective students hoping to go into work that in some way matched their values?

Learn about issues and take the time to think through your own responses to situations. Don't be afraid to be controversial as long as you are reasonably confident as to why you feel what you feel. Show strength of character, but be willing to be challenged and disagreed with … enjoy the debate! For me it was important to get work experience and to look beyond salary and benefits to aims and objectives of organisations.


Created on: February 24th 2009

Updated on: February 24th 2009