Fair Trade CEO and Ashoka Fellow to Visit USD

Paul Rice, president and CEO of Fair Trade USA and an Ashoka fellow, will visit San Diego and the University of San Diego campus Thursday, Feb. 23.

From 9 to 11 a.m., Rice will hold a dialogue with the San Diego Fair Trade Community at Ryan Brothers Coffee, 1894 Main St., SD 92113.

Local fair trade coffee roasters and fair trade representatives of Catholic Relief Services have been invited to hear Rice discuss the current climate of fair trade and the direction of certification according to new Fair Trade USD certification requirements.

From 12:15 to 1:30 p.m., Rice will speak in the auditorium of USD's School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES) on the west end of the campus, across the street from the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice. Rice will speak to USD students about his journey after graduating from college and acting for the purpose and solidarity with others. He will discuss how this journey led him to work in fair trade for social change.

Fair Trade USA, a nonprofit 5013organization, is the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States. Fair Trade USA audits and certifies transactions between U.S. companies and their international suppliers to guarantee that farmers and workers producing Fair Trade Certified goods are paid fair prices and wages, work in safe conditions, protect the environment and receive community development funds to empower and uplift their communities. Fair Trade educates consumers, brings new manufacturers and retailers into the Fair Trade system and provides farmers with tools, training and resources to thrive as international businesspeople.

Last fall, USD became one of only 15 U.S. campuses to be named an 'Ashoka Changemaker Campus' by the global nonprofit association Ashoka, known for its groundbreaking work in the field of social entrepreneurship to find solutions to global social, environmental and economic problems. As a member of the Ashoka U Changemaker consortium, USD joins a select group of colleges and universities that have established themselves as hubs of social innovation through a combination of education, research and service opportunities.

About the University of San Diego

Strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice and leading with love. With more than 8,000 students from 75 countries and 44 states, USD is among the Top 20 Best Private Schools for Making an Impact according to The Princeton Review. USD’s eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the Knauss School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. In 2021, USD was named a “Laudato Si’ University” by the Vatican with a seven-year commitment to address humanity’s urgent challenges by working together to take care of our common home.