The origins of Equal Exchange stretch back to 1979 when three voluntary workers returned to Edinburgh after working on aid projects in various parts of Africa. Along with a sister organisation in London, Campaign Co-op, they started buying instant coffee from Bukoba on Lake Victoria in Tanzania. As a result Campaign Coffee was born.
The volunteers had seen how small scale farmers were getting into debt due, in part, to the appallingly low prices they received for their products. Aid was not the only answer - direct, fairer trading could help redress the balance!
Many years later, after bigger campaigns, more education and better products finally reaching independent retailers and supermarkets, the three volunteers' dreams are beginning to be realised.
A workers co-operative is a company that is owned & controlled by its employees. Each employee member has an equal share in the ownership of the company and we operate within a shared common value system.
As a co-operative business we also want to involve investors through a non-voting share scheme.
All co-operatives subscribe to the seven founding principles that are:
- * Voluntary & open membership
- * Democratic member control
- * Member economic participation
- * Autonomy & independence
- * Education training & information
- * Co-operation amongst co-operatives
- * Concern for the community
Equal Exchange Trading Ltd is a company registered in Scotland No. SC0127205.
Registered office: Suite 1, 2 Commercial St, Edinburgh, EH6 6JA