Harriet Lamb, Chief Executive of Fairtrade International, has been awarded an honorary fellowship at Trinity Hall.

Lamb, who studied political science at the college between 1979 and 1981, started working at Fairtrade International in 1997. She was made Chief Executive in 2012.

Professor Martin Daunton, Master of Trinity Hall said: “As executive director and subsequently chief executive, she has raised the profile of the organisation, an organisation that Trinity Hall is committed to support. We support her commitment to social justice.”

Speaking about the appointment, Lamb said: “I am delighted to accept this honour on behalf of all those women farmers and workers who are the backbone of Fairtrade across the world.

“In the UK, it is the hard work of local campaigners, including people among the Cambridge University staff and students and in the local Cambridge group, who have helped put fairtrade on the shop shelves. I very much hope that this award will help open the door to other women in the future.”

Lamb was voted the Cosmopolitan Eco-Queen 2008 and Orange Businesswoman of the Year 2008.

Trinity Hall College now has 37 honorary fellows.