Foysol Choudhury, MSP for the Lothian Region, spoke in yesterday’s Scottish Government Debate on Scotland—A Fair Trade Nation, raising urgent concerns over sustainability and ethical supply chains.
Foysol Choudhury, MSP, spoke to Scotland’s continued recognition as a Fair Trade Nation, highlighting its commitment to fairness, trade justice, and global cooperation.
His speech recognised local businesses and organisations, including One World Shop, Hadeel, and the University of Edinburgh, who are embracing fair-trade principles, pointing to Scotland’s role in supporting marginalised communities worldwide while fostering sustainable and ethical practices locally.
However, Foysol Choudhury MSP emphasised the importance of popular retailers, like Primark, in moving to adopt fair-trade practices to ensure fair wages are met and to ensure ethical practices in merchandise production.
By encouraging businesses to adopt fair-trade practices, Scotland can set a powerful example of how ethical commerce can combat exploitation in merchandise production, both at home and abroad.
Through initiatives like Edinburgh’s Fair Trade City status and support for international producers, Scotland demonstrates the impact of prioritising sustainable supply chains and fair wages on a global scale.
Following the debate, Choudhury emphasised that while parts of the world may be casting their gaze inward when it comes to trade, Scotland can continue looking outward, ensuring sustainability and ethical practices remain at the forefront of Scottish development in the global realm.
Speaking in the chamber, Foysol Choudhury MSP stated: “Producers in the Global South can be considered to have done the least to cause the climate crisis but face the greatest losses as climates change.
“For a multinational corporation, a changing climate may mean a loss on the balance sheet, but for a small-scale farmer, it means losing their livelihood. With Fair Trade, producers are better able to adapt and protect their livelihoods and communities.”
“We must keep working to maximise the benefits of being a Fair-Trade nation.”
“We should also be looking to further encourage businesses across all sectors to adopt fair trade practices and supporting them in building sustainable, ethical supply chains.”
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