York University has been named Fair Trade Campus of the Year, a national honour recognizing excellence in ethical sourcing and sustainability.
This award, presented by Fairtrade Canada during the National Fair Trade Conference, marks York’s first time receiving the honour. The recognition builds on the University’s Silver Fair Trade Campus designation which it has held over the past two years and reflects its sustained leadership in embedding fair trade principles into everyday campus life.
York was recognized for its “Fair Trade, Every Day” approach, which has expanded the availability of fair trade-certified products across the University. As a result, tens of thousands of products are purchased each year, increasing access for the campus community while supporting ethical supply chains.
Fair trade-certified products – such as chocolate, coffee, tea and bananas – are available at various YU Eats locations including Stong College, Winters College, Central Square (Keele Campus) and Glendon Campus. The initiative also extends to apparel, with the York University Bookstore offering certified fair-trade T-shirts and hoodies through a partnership with Green Campus Co-op, a student- and faculty-founded organization established in 2011.
The award also acknowledges York’s broader leadership role in the sector. By hosting the National Fair Trade Conference in 2025 and maintaining an active presence in national conversations about fair trade in higher education, York has become a hub for learning and collaboration.
York staff are frequently called on to share expertise on advancing fair trade in higher education. Sasa Netsorovic, director, Bookstore, printing and mailing services at York, recently shared insights on how campuses can translate fair trade values through procurement decisions, community partnerships and student engagement, drawing on York’s “Fair Trade, Every Day” approach.
Nicole Arsenault, director of sustainability, says the award “reflects years of dedicated work by students, faculty and staff who have championed fair trade and embedded it into campus culture.”
These efforts, she adds, support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
With national recognition as Fair Trade Campus of the Year, York University continues to demonstrate how institutional commitment and community-driven action can create meaningful change.