The Fairtrade Foundation is launching a pop-up cafe in London to demonstrate how its products make a huge difference to people in poorer countries around the world. Rosine’s Hot Chocolate Salon – which has been named after a cocoa farmer in Côte d’Ivoire – will operate in Dalston in Hackney and is part of the celebrations for Fairtrade Fortnight. 

This annual event kicks off today and lasts until March 10 this year. It was first held in Scotland in 1997 and has grown into a global phenomenon, with individuals, companies and groups in the UK and across the world coming together to celebrate the people who grow our food – people who are often exploited and badly paid. This year the theme is #SheDeserves and the focus is on cocoa growers, particularly women. 

There are many ways to become involved, with events taking place all across the UK. These include community, school and church get-togethers and coffee mornings, as well as family days out at fetes, Fairtrade food tastings and even fashion shows. 

The campaigning and celebrations are not just for a fortnight, however. Cheshire West and Chester Council, for example, has just renewed its Fairtrade borough status for another two years. Its Fairtrade Steering Group, which includes campaigners from Neston, Ellesmere Port and Chester, has also revealed plans to promote Fairtrade to more local community groups and businesses. 

Chester became the world’s first Fairtrade City in 2002, and later Cheshire West and Chester Council was awarded Fairtrade status in recognition of strong support for Fairtrade within the borough. This accolade acknowledges achievements that include promoting Fairtrade products in local shops and catering outlets, as well as securing high levels of support from residents, companies, faith groups and schools. 

No matter where we live in the UK, we can also make a difference in our daily working lives by choosing ethical careers. Shop shelves form the Fairtrade frontline and this means the retail industry is a sector where workers can make a huge difference. 

By taking a stance on what brands and products are stocked store managers can offer customers not just Fairtrade coffee and chocolate, but a whole range of products that have been ethically produced. 

Handmade cosmetics are a great example. Sales assistants can explain to customers how these are made to comply with company policies on everything from paying decent wages to the manufacturing workers to using ingredients that don’t harm the environment to banning animal testing on the finished products.  

Many items can also be sold without all of the unnecessary packaging, especially single-use plastics. If you’re a production operative or factory manager, meanwhile, creating food and drink using processes that use less plastic motivates the public to support recycling and can bolster not only the company’s ethical standing but also its eco-aware efficiency.  

In fact, ethical manufacturing has never been more popular, with more and more companies committed to recycling and reducing the use of single-use materials.  

If you want to work in production and manufacturing in any sector, the secret is always be prepared to innovate…it could lead not only to the career boost you’ve been looking for but a cleaner environment and a safer planet. 

Of course, not all contributions to the planet and a fairer society take place in the ‘real world’. In cyber space, an ethical hacker is employed to do everything a criminal mastermind would do in order to expose security weaknesses in systems. The findings of these specialist IT pros shape any necessary changes, from password checking to complex software development. 

Similarly, in the world of HR, not all moral compasses lead to physical destinations. Consider Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Its function may have many definitions but the most common is to ensure businesses conduct themselves in ways that are ethical. This means taking account of their social, economic and environmental impact, while always safeguarding human rights. 

Many companies also view CSR as a way of protecting their brand values and encouraging employees to adhere to the culture of the organisation – in this sense, HR professionals are CSR’s guardians.  

There’s another important guardian in British society: the teacher. Beyond education, a major part of this role is nurturing in young minds an understanding and appreciation of fairness. As a teacher, you need to know you’re applying the right ethical standards and be able to trust the decisions you make are right.  

Another one of the biggest job sectors is accountancy and financial services – and here, too, you must be satisfied the decisions you make are right. There are exciting vacancies on offer online, including bookkeepers, accounts assistants and financial analysts – but the one common denominator is every single one of these is a position of trust and responsibility.  

Step into the shoes of a chartered accountant or of a financial director and not only will you be charged with influencing the direction of the company, but also bringing financial rigour, discipline and accountability. In many ways you’re the moral core of the company, setting the tone for the whole organisation. 

As the UK gets ready to launch Fairtrade Fortnight, are you ready to discover a role online that has ethics and fairness at its heart?