While hairy sandals were clapping each other on the back at the inaugural Drinks Business Green Awards ceremony in London last week, one British investor was throwing question marks at the whole concept of Fairtrade wines over lunch on the Helderberg. “In South Africa, Fairtrade accreditation comes with a political requirement – BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) – which doesn’t apply to any other country in the world. It’s all bogus and a scam.” Until the playing fields are leveled, he refuses to play. Some interesting angles on Fairtrade from a series of conferences organized by Sainsbury’s last week.