COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 08, 2025

QUESTION NO. 38

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive what supports SDCC can provide to existing Fairtrade towns and areas becoming or aiming to be a Fairtrade towns?

REPLY:

Analysis carried out by South Dublin Chamber (on behalf of SDCC) engaging directly with businesses shows that most businesses have the purchase of fairtrade and ethically sourced products integrated in their own purchase programmes and processes, with many having this engagement as part of their wider commitments. These wider commitments extend to upholding the UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Climate Change programmes and their own local and worldwide ESG (Environmental Social Governance) programmes.

Businesses, driven by both internal commitments and national and EU regulations, are addressing multiple environmental and social objectives, which are much broader in their impact rather than looking at fair trade in isolation. From the analysis undertaken, it is acknowledged that while fair trade is recognised as important, it has been surpassed by more unified ESG initiatives and businesses prefer to integrate it within their broader sustainability strategies rather than focus on a single centralised fair trade initiative at the county or town level.

The Council will continue to realise the objectives of the SDGs through the implementation of its Corporate Plan and County Development Plan, which will provide for a much broader and integrated approach to meeting sustainability ambitions.