The Trade Aid shops and Trade Aid Importers (TAI) are governed by an environmental policy, sighted and agreed to by representatives from the shops and shop trusts at the Annual Conference and AGM on September 9 2006. This environmental policy is as follows:

Purpose
To develop environmental principles applicable to each part of Trade Aid’s operation and to raise awareness of staff and volunteers to these principles. Individual stores and TAI should also establish environmental strategies relevant to their specific operation. 

General principles
Creating sustainable communities and forms of trade is an important goal of Trade Aid’s vision and operations. At the heart of this objective is the adherence to a set of environmental practices which ensure that the movement, and its trading partners, minimize the impact of trading and retailing practices on the environment.

This policy applies to TAI and shops. It aims to ensure that TAI and shops advocate and use the most cost effective and lowest-impact practices relating to:

• Energy use
• Paper use
• Solid waste, especially packing materials
• Transport
• Fumigation
• Purchasing

Practices
Minimising environmental impact & establishing sustainable practices. Trade Aid should audit and assess on a continuous basis the use of renewable and non-renewable resources and how best to minimise environmental impact. Non-renewable resource use should be either avoided or minimised. Wherever possible renewable and recycled materials should be used and waste minimised through the further recycling of these materials.

Awareness and Training
Staff (paid and unpaid) should be made aware of best practice in terms of employing sustainable operations which lead to the most efficient use of all materials, supplies and energy. Staff should continuously strive to reduce the impacts of the operation on the environment. Staff and volunteers should also be able to inform customers on the sustainable trade practices of the movement, including producer groups and stores.

Setting Standards
While no specific industry standard exists for shops, they should aim to reduce, reuse and recycle materials as much as possible. Shops should have in place an environmental plan. Staff and volunteers should be made aware of TANZ policy and shop practices related to the environment.

Reporting

Each of the Trade Aid shops and TAI are separate entities. TAI, because of the unique function it performs, has a different environmental process from the shops. Each shop varies in their process due to the individual governance of each shop by its own charitable trust as well as the 29 different locations around NZ which provide different opportunities for waste management etc. The following reporting sections have therefore been broken down into 2 seperate reports.

1. TAI
2. The shops