DFID, the Department for International Development, has produced an online presentation to help consumers make ethical choices.

Sustain advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, promote equity and enrich society and culture.

The Food Ethics Council challenges government, business and society to make wise choices that lead to better food and farming. The charity focuses on how choices are made and champions decisions that are:

• Principled – aiming to benefit people, animals and the planet, and to treat each fairly and with dignity.
• Informed – based on sound knowledge and diverse experience, but ready for surprises.
• Inclusive – involving and answerable to the people they affect.

Want to find out more about how sustainable your food is? Try out the Sustainable Food Programme.

If you find this trial program interesting then contact the author (info@epaw.co.uk) for access to the complete programme.

Click here to view the Sustainable Food Programme in a new window.

Banana Link is a not-for-profit co-operative that campaigns for a fair and sustainable banana trade. They work in close partnership with Latin American and West African banana workers trade unions, Caribbean small farmers and civil society organisations in Europe and the U.S.

The Banana Link website provides extensive information on the many social and environmental impacts of the international banana trade. They have a wide variety of resources available including information leaflets, posters, films and educational activities such as the Banana Game - visit the Resources section for a full list and information on how to order/download.

Making Local Food Work is an initiative managed by the Plunkett Foundation and funded by the Big Lottery Fund to explore community enterprise approaches to connecting land and people through food. A group of organisations use their expertise and specialist knowledge to offer advice and practical assistance to a range of enterprises.

Making Local Food Work is rooted in the belief that the needs of consumers, producers and the land are interdependent, and that community enterprise can renew and strengthen these links to the lasting benefit of all.

 The Soil Association exists to research, develop and promote local and organic sustainable agricultural production and to challenge chemical-based, intensive agriculture. It inspects and certifies over 80% of Britain's organic produce. The charity aims to build public awareness by providing information and education, to influence government and industry attitudes and to campaign for safer, healthier produce and production methods.

The mission of the Fairtrade Foundation is to work with businesses, community groups and individuals to improve the trading position of producer organisations in the South and to deliver sustainable livelihoods for farmers, workers and their communities.

Its four key areas of activity are:

•  Providing an independent certification of the trade chain, licensing use of the FAIRTRADE Mark as a consumer guarantee on products
•  Facilitating the market to grow demand for Fairtrade and enable producers to sell to traders and retailers
•  Working with its partners to support producer organisations and their networks
•  Raising public awareness of the need for Fairtrade and the importance of the FAIRTRADE Mark

The Marine Stewardship Council is an international non-profit organization that was set up in 1997 to promote solutions to the problem of overfishing. It runs an environmental certification and eco-labeling program for wild capture fisheries.

The website provides information and advice on sustainable seafood including where to find MSC certified shops and restaurants.