Community Awards 2006 Nominees

Sainsburys

Fairtrade Business of the Year
(Sponsored by Sainsbury's)

Norbar Torque Tools

A HOMEGROWN family business with offices across the world has been nominated in recognition of its support for local and international equality.

Norbar Torque Tools commercial director Craig Brodey said: “We use a lot of Fairtrade products where we can, we are also very much about having a sustainable business.”

Norbar of Beaumont Road, Banbury, introduced its Faitrade range about 18 months ago.

Mr Brodey said: “I had been using Fairtrade products at home, as had the other directors, and we decided we wanted to carry it on in the business. We believe it is the socially responsible thing to do.”

The business uses a variety of Fairtrade goods including tea, coffee, hot chocolate and sugar in its staff canteen.

Mr Brodey said he was hoping to expand the options further as products were becoming more available. He said: “Now the range of Fairtrade products is growing and becoming more easily available to our catering suppliers we are going to review the ingredients that we use in our canteen.”

Norbar first opened its doors in 1942 as a manufacturer and designer of torque control tools. Since then it has spread its wings to open offices in Australia, the USA, Singapore and, more recently, China .

Prodrive

THE world's leading independent motorsport outfit has been recognised for excellence in its field – the field of Fairtrade.

As one of the key supporters behind Banbury's successful bid for official Fairtrade status earlier this year, it is fitting Prodrive should also be recognised for its dedication to the cause, with its nomination for a Banbury Guardian Community Award as Fairtrade Business of the Year.

The automotive giant, based on the Wildmere industrial estate in the town, has been using Fairtrade products for the past four years. The company has recently prolonged its contract with catering company Catermasters, with a view to expanding that supply to its proposed new Formula One base near Warwick.

Prodrive marketing director Grahame Wright explained: “One of the reasons we selected Catermasters was because it was important for us to work with a caterer that operated a clear ethical business policy. That fitted in well with our own policy of being a responsible neighbour in the local community.

“It's all about providing a fair price for the suppliers of the products. Every business has to remain competitive and make a profit, but that doesn't have to be at odds with social responsibility.”

The Fairtrade products on offer in the Prodrive canteen include tea, coffee, hot chocolate, biscuits, flapjacks, brownies, fruit, fruit juices and chocolate.

Catermasters marketing director Melanie Edghill said: “We are a small independent caterer and have been using Fairtrade products for the last seven years. More and more clients and customers are turning to Fairtrade as their corporate responsibility.”

Café Direct
A COFFEE bar could be set to trade in on its ethical ethos.

Cafe Direct on Oxford and Cherwell Valley College’s Banbury campus has been serving Fairtrade coffee, chocolate and crisps for the past two years.

Now it has been nominated in the Fairtrade Business of the Year category in the Banbury Guardian Community Awards.

“It will mean a lot to the team,” said catering assistant Ena Blackman.

The cafeteria is run by a team of six. Two work in the kitchen and the other four spend time between the cafeteria and the coffee bar which is in a separate part of the restaurant.

Under the Fairtrade system, Third World farmers are guaranteed a reasonable price for their goods. Cafe Direct was one of the local businesses that helped Banbury gain Fairtrade Town status last year. It is open all year round from about 8.30am to 8pm during term time and 10am to 2pm during the summer break.

As well as its Fairtrade produce, it also sells freshly squeezed fruit juices, paninis and baguettes.

College chef manager Jamie Martin said it was students’ enthusiasm for the cause that had provided the real impetus behind the idea. “The key benefit is the producers actually getting the money they should be, and the quality of the coffee is fantastic.

“You pay a little bit more but in the long run it’s worth it,” he said. “Farmers are getting cheated out of what is rightly theirs so if we can make it better for them that’s what’s important.

“Every little bit helps and even if it is only doing something small, if it can take off in every town and every country these people will really feel the difference.”