LA RIOJANA CELEBRATES PRESTIGIOUS ETHICAL SUPPLIER AWARD
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We are thrilled to announce that La Riojana co-operative, Argentina’s leading producer of Fairtrade, Organic and Biodynamic wines and a long-standing Fairtrade wine producer for the Co-op, has won Co-op’s Treating People Fairly Award, a coveted accolade, judged by an expert panel, which celebrates Co-op suppliers who demonstrate a significant commitment to ethical trade and make a positive impact for workers through their actions.
As part of the awards entry, applicants were asked to showcase a project or programme that has supported Co-op to treat everyone fairly and give a fair deal to workers. We chose to highlight the Tilimuqui school project, one of our most successful Fairtrade projects to date which has not only addressed a basic need in one of our local communities, also home to many of our co-operative workers and their families, by providing children the equal right of a secondary education and the chance of a brighter future but has also had a profound socio-economic impact on the whole community. A project that would not have been made possible without our close partnership with the Co-op.
La Riojana was one of six Co-op suppliers shortlisted for the award and it therefore was a great honour for Walter Carol, La Riojana’s export director, to be invited to attend the awards held at Co-op’s Manchester headquarters on 7th May 2024 and to have the opportunity to present the Tilimuqui school project in person, a project that has meant so much to so many people.
After receiving news of the winning award, Walter commented “We were truly thrilled to receive this award, as it is fantastic recognition of the work we do to support our workers, as well as our local communities, by investing the Fairtrade Premium in long-term, life changing projects such as the Tilimuqui school project.”
In presenting the award, Co-op described La Riojana’s submission as “a strong example of the power of responsible business that creates an intrinsic link between the sustainability of the local community, economy and its business. Colegio Nacional Agrotecnico makes the hope of a brighter future actually tangible for the young people of Tilimuqui and the wider area, by enabling isolated populations to truly be the future agriculturalists of tomorrow, which otherwise would be a difficult goal to achieve.”
Image (from left to right):
Aisha Aswani, Senior Human Rights & Ethical Trade Manager, Co-op
Nick Day, Europe Sales Director, La Riojana co-operative
Walter Carol, Export Director, La Riojana co-operative
Cathryn Higgs, Head of Ethics, Sustainability and Policy, Co-op
Tom Bradley, Head of Commercial, Co-op
Emily Pearce, Senior International Development and Responsible Sourcing Manager, Co-op
Image credit: Co-op
