Clare Lissaman to moderate Sustainable September retail debate

Clare Lissaman, ethical and fair trade consultant and co-founder of organic menswear brand Arthur & Henry, will moderate Blue & Green Tomorrow’s Sustainable September’s retail debate.

The event, which will take place at the Royal Geographical Society on September 10, will bring together some of the leading thinkers on international trade and the free market. Tickets are available here.

Lissaman, also a board director of the Ethical Fashion Forum, gained experience of the workings of global supply chains while exporting Christmas decorations from China in the 1990s. She has also spent many years working with NGOs.

As moderator at the Oxford-style debate, Lissaman will rule over two opposing sides arguing for or against the motion, “Free trade trumps fair trade in helping developing economies”. 

Speaking in favour of the motion will be Sam Bowman, research director at the libertarian think tank Adam Smith Institute, who is currently researching how free market policies could improve the welfare of the poor.

He will be joined by Linda Whetstone, chairman of Network for a Free Society and board member at the Institute of Economic Affairs, expert in agricultural, trade, and development issues.

Arguing against the motion will be Stuart Singleton-White, senior manager of external communications for Europe and Australia at the Rainforest Alliance, who has worked in the public affairs, campaigning and media sectors with a number of charities, NGOs and government ministers for many years.

Tim Aldred, head of policy and research at the Fairtrade Foundation will also argue against the motion. He has more than 15 years of experience in international relief and development work.

The retail debate is part of Sustainable September, Blue & Green Tomorrow’s month-long celebration of sustainability. Tickets for this and other debates, regarding investment, tourism, and energy, and for the concluding all-day sustainability conference, are available here.

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Further reading:

20 questions with…Tim Aldred

20 questions with…Stuart Singleton-White

Sustainable September: Retail Debate to be held at Royal Geographical Society

Tickets on sale for Blue & Green Tomorrow’s Sustainable September events