The University of Valencia, committed to sustainability, has prepared two practical guides to promote fair trade and responsible public purchasing among its university community and society at large. These guides are the result of collaboration between different entities and individuals who are part of the Fair Trade and Local Commerce Working Group of the Sustainability Commission of the University of Valencia.

The fair trade guide offers an introduction to the concept and principles of fair trade, as well as its social, environmental, and economic benefits. It also explains how to identify fair trade products and where to find them, both within the university itself and in the cities of Valencia, Gandia, and Ontinyent. In addition, it includes a series of reflections and proposals for adopting responsible and conscious consumption in different areas of daily life, such as food, textiles, hygiene, finance, communication, waste, energy, cleaning, transport, and stationery.

The responsible public purchasing guide aims to raise awareness and provide guidance to those responsible for public procurement at the University of Valencia about the importance and opportunity of incorporating social, environmental, and gender criteria into the processes of tendering and awarding goods and services. In doing so, it seeks to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and improving the living conditions of people and the planet. The guide offers a series of recommendations, examples, and resources to facilitate the implementation of responsible public purchasing within the university.

These guides are available in digital format on the UV Sustainability website and can be downloaded as PDFs. We hope they are useful and help generate a positive change in the way we consume and contract.