Constructive Dialogue on Globalisation Issues
8 July 2002: Butchers' Hall, London
Workshop leaders
- Sue D'Arcy and Martin Gilmour, Masterfoods (A Division of Mars UK), sustainable development
- Louise Robinson, Reading International Solidarity Centre, actively exploring benefits and complexities of fair trade
- Dr Francis Jegede, University of Derby and World Development Forum, Northern and Southern perspectives
- Trish Williams, consultant, gender issues in globalisation
- William King, Company of World Traders, food supply chain
- Sharon Wardle, BCCB, institutional strengthening
- Annie Heaton, Save the Children, health and the private sector
- Esam Bakhsh, Nippon Koei UK, water resources
- David Rice, BP, conflict resolution in Colombia
- plus support and evaluation: Finbarr Carter, Norfolk Education and Action on Development and Just Business
Issues from the workshops
Sustainable Development
- What are the processes of cocoa and chocolate production?
- There are many different issues concerning the producer of the raw material in the developing country, and the Multinational Corporation involved.
- How can such issues be addressed to benefit both grower and producer?
- Who ultimately benefits and why?
- What are the links between the fluctuating income received by producers, and money spent on advertising by the corporation involved?
- To what extent is there a need for farmers in developing countries to diversify to overcome these problems?
- How does this compare to farmers in the EU?
Actively Exploring Benefits and Complexities of Fair Trade
- "By the time you leave your house in the morning, you are already indebted to half of the world."
- How does fair trade allow farmers to invest in their future?
- Why is guaranteeing a wage important, and what impacts can this have?
- What environmental, health, economic, and infrastructure issues affect farmers in developing countries?
- How can such farmers deal with these issues that come their way?
- What difference can fair trade make?
Northern and Southern Perspectives
- How does globalisation affect us as individuals, households and society?
- Are the consequences of globalisation polarised?
- How can it be turned into a benefit for everyone?
- How do our lifestyles and decisions taken by our government affect other people around the world?
- How can we ensure a fairer and more equitable use of resources?
- Together we can all help make the world a better place to live.
Gender Issues in Globalisation
- What is meant by gender?
- What advantages and disadvantages might globalisation imply for the role and status of women?
- Can the connections with wealth, poverty and power for women be affected by globalisation?
- To what extent does the media play a role in the portrayal of issues of gender?
- Are there changes that need to be implemented by the media and its portrayal of women and to women?
- To what extent should traditions be compromised for a more western approach to gender issues?
- What are the global issues that are encountered in this country regarding gender, and how might they compare to developing countries?
Food Supply Chain
- What are the most important factors for buyers and sellers in the global food chain? In what ways are these perspectives the same and in what ways do they differ?
- Why is communication the key to a successful global food chain?
- How might this be achieved?
- What can be improved for both buyers and sellers by working together?
- "The every day products that we take for granted from an entirely new angle."
Institutional Strengthening
- Why is strengthening and capacity building important?
- What are the benefits of combined international and local consultancy?
- To whom is this more important?
- Is there a need for improved infrastructure?
- In what ways could this be achieved?
- Which are more beneficial and why?
- How might issues of debt and environmental problems affect such action?
- What else needs to be taken into consideration?
Health and the Private Sector
- In what ways are there inequalities in healthcare between western and developing countries?
- What role does the private sector play in the way that companies operate in developing countries?
- Why is the private sector so important in developing countries?
- How do practices such as donating drugs for one year to a developing country free of charge affect healthcare provision?
- Why are drugs in developing countries expensive compared to developed countries? Who is responsible for the pricing of drugs, and what impact might this have?
- What powers do developing countries have to overcome such inequalities?
Water Resources
- Why is there the need for water and sanitation to be sustainable and appropriate for the community?
- What needs to be taken into consideration when planning water provision?
- How significant is the prospect of future growth in the use of the resource to the original design?
- How can the provision of water be participatory?
Conflict resolution in Colombia
- What is the impact of drafting from oil fields in Colombia?
- Does such activity help to develop the local area, or cause more problems, such as environmental destruction?
- Whose responsibility is it to overcome such issues, and to what extent?
- Are Multinational Companies exploiting countries such as Colombia?
- Why do host countries not protest more about these activities?
- To what extent can/should communication and cooperation be used as the solution to conflict in such cases?