Fair Trade, Corporate Accountability and Beyond: Experiments in 'Globalising Justice'
Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne, December 19th - 20th 2007
About the Conference | Program | Papers | Information for Participants | Information for Speakers
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Hosted by the Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law, University of Melbourne, with the support of the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand and the Centre for Governance of Knowledge and Development at the Australian National University. Sponsored by Govnet and CAPPE (Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics)
While fair trade systems and a range of other supply chain governance and corporate accountability initiatives are well established in the UK, Europe and parts of the Americas, the development of such initiatives in the Australian context has tended to lag behind. This situation is currently undergoing dramatic change. In the year 2006 Australia/New Zealand represented the fastest growing market for Fairtrade certified products in the world. Such growth reflects rising awareness and concern for issues of human rights, social development and corporate responsibility associated with the management of global supply chains.
In an environment of rapid growth and consolidation, in which the commercial and political significance of these initiatives continues to grow, there is a significant opportunity for Australian businesses, NGOs, consumers and researchers to engage more seriously and critically with how fair trade and corporate accountability can best be enabled to ensure positive development outcomes in the Asia-Pacific region.
This two day workshop will provide a forum to enable local and regional stakeholders and their international counterparts to come together in pursuit of three specific goals:
- First, to learn lessons from international experience in developing and implementing supply chain governance initiatives, with the aim of more clearly understanding what works and why in different contexts. Particular focus will be placed on evaluating the capacity of such schemes to balance goals of promoting development and poverty reduction among marginalised workers and producers with the need to maintain competitive and sustainable business models.
- Second, to examine how the development of such initiatives is currently playing out within Australia/New Zealand and the Asia Pacific Region, and explore the opportunities and challenges particular to this local and regional context. Analysis will focus on the Fair Trade system, the Fairwear initiative, and the experiences of groups seeking to promote improved labour standards in China and the wider Asian region via a combination of advocacy, monitoring and grassroots organising activities.
- Third, to lay the foundation for more effective and sustainable networks of collaboration and learning among companies, practitioners, activists and academics in Australasia and the Asia Pacific, as a means of promoting the expansion and strengthening of supply chain governance systems in this region.
The Workshop will be held at the Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne.
Please find the finalised progam here: Fair Trade Workshop Program
Confirmed Speakers
Peter Utting Anita Chan Nick Mclellan Director Tim Wilson Gordon Renouf Diana Beaumont
Deputy Director
United Nations Research Institute for Social DevelopmentAlex Nicholls
Lecturer in Social Entrpreneurship
Said Business School, Oxford UniversityAndrea Maksimovic
International Cooperation Coordinator
SOLIDAR, BrusselsAnna Hutchens
Director, Fair Trade Project, Centre for Governance of Knowledge and Development
Claribel David
Convenor Asia Fair Trade Forum International Fair Trade Assiciation, Philipines
Dr John Howe
Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law
The Univeristy of MelbourneEmer Diviney
Research & Policy Coordinator Ethical Business
Brotherhood of St Laurence
Research Fellow
Contemporary China Centre,
Australian National UniversityOrly Lobel
Associate Professor of Law
University of San DiegoSean Cooney
Assoc. Professor
Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law
The University of Melbourne
Jeff Ballinger
Director
Press for ChangeTerry MacDonald
Lecturer in Policitics
Monash UniversityApo Leung
Executive Director
Asia Monitor Resource Centre
Hong KongAnnie Delaney
Federation of Homeworkers Worldwide
Freelance Journalist and Researcher
Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand
Director of the IP and Free Trade Unit
Insitute of Public Affairs
General Manager of Policy and Campaigns
CHOICE
Asia Monitoring Resource Centre
Papers
The Threat Posed by 'Corporate Social Responsibility' to Trade Union Rights
By Jeff Ballinger
Corporate Facilitated Trade Union Elections in Chinese Factories - An Evaluation
By Anita Chan
Building Fair Trade Networks in the Asia Region: Achievements and Challenges
By Claribel David
Evidence from Brotherhood of St Laurence Research
By Emer Diviney and Serena Lillywhite
The Regulatory Impact of Using Public Procurement to Promote Better Labour Standards
By John Howe
Mainstreaming Fair Trade: Fair Trade Brands & the Problem of Ownership
By Anna Hutchens
Critical Reflections on CSR: A Labour's Perspective
By Apo Leong and Chan Ka-Wai
Crowding Out or Ratcheting Up? Fair Trade Systems, Regulation and New Governance
By Orly Lobel
Maclellan PaperRegional Trade Agreements in the Pacific: fair Trade for Farmers?
By Nic Maclellan
Can CSR Help Workers’ Organize? An Examination of the Lessons Learnt and an exploration of a New Way Forward
By Andrea Maksimovic
What gives Fair Trade it’s right to operate? Organisational Legitimacy and Strategic Management
By Alex Nicholls
Regulating for Social Development: The Potential and Limits of Corporate Responsibility and Accountability
By Peter Utting
Registration
If you are interested in attending this workshop, please find the registration brochure below.
Registration fees are payable by cheque or credit card.
Full: $99.00 (inc. gst)
Student: $49.50 (inc. gst)
The registration fee covers lunch and refreshments on both days.
Conference Dinner: $37.90 (inc. gst)
The dinner will be held at 7pm, Wednesday 19th at Cafe Italia.
Please indicate on your registration form if you wish to attend.
The registration deadline has been extended until Wednesday 12th December.
Please return forms by Wednesday 12th December to
CELRL, Melbourne Law School
The University of Melbourne, Vic, 3010
Fax: 9349 4623
Accommodation
Rydges Carlton will be offering special rates for Fair Trade Workshop participants. Please contact Chris McAllister on 9347 7811 or reservations_carlton@rydges.com. Please advise Chris that you are a participant in the Melbourne University Fair Trade Workshop.
There are many other accommodation options situated close to the Law School, some of which are detailed in the Law School's Accommodation Guide.
For further information please visit the Law School's Visitor Information web page.
Please contact Jessica Cotton with details of your flights and your accommodation needs as per your letter of invitation: +61 3 8344 8924 / jcotton@unimelb.edu.au
Forms
International Speakers' Reimbursement Forms
Domestic Speakers' Reimbursement Forms
Corporate Accountability through Community and Unions: Linking Workers and Campaigning to Improve Working Conditions Across the Supply Chain
By Annie Delaney
Fair Trade Workshop: Evidence from Brotherhood of St Laurence research
By Emer Diviney and Serena Lillywhite