George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work and live in the community with each other.
The Honours Bachelor of Food Studies program continues to make a big impact on the entire George Brown community, this time helping the college earn a Fair Trade Campus designation (bronze).
The degree program's Food Movements course is a hub of important ideas that spur change when it comes to how George Brown orders, packages and purchases food products across the college.
Professor Dr. Lori Stahlbrand, who developed the course and co-developed the Food Studies degree program, now in its third year, said her students want to empower everyone at George Brown to become conscious consumers who drive change and understand the power of their purchasing choices.
The bronze level certification covers GB Eats, the college's official caterer and food service operator at all three campuses. The college serves fair-trade certified coffee, tea and chocolate at all GB Eats locations.
"This designation highlights George Brown's leadership in ethical food sourcing and our ongoing commitment to sustainability," Ryan Sargent, Director, College Business Services & Procurement, said.
Collaboration with college and external partners
As part of the project, the entire class attended the National Fair Trade Conference at York University in February, Stahlbrand said, and all the students completed Fairtrade Canada's Student Fair Trade Ambassador Training Program.
The class worked with GB Eats, College Business Services, Facilities and Sustainability, Chartwells, and Fairtrade Canada.
The class celebrated the official launch of the Fair Trade Campus designation on Thursday, April 17, at the Daphne Cockwell Centre for Health Sciences at Waterfront Campus.
"Each year, students take on a different project to move the needle on sustainability and equity in food at George Brown," Stahlbrand explained.
"In the first year, students helped George Brown to achieve the Gold Organic Campus designation from the Canada Organic Trade Association. The second class helped George Brown shift to Friendlier reusable food containers, and this year's class worked to achieve the Fair Trade Campus designation from Fairtrade Canada."