We understand that there’s a big, undeniable, connection between our coffee beans, the prosperity of people and the welfare of the planet which is why we have integrated sustainability as a core principle of how we do business. This is reflected in our vision to create “sustainable, shared, success” for us and our stakeholders.
Our approach to achieving economic, social and environmental sustainability is focused around four key areas:
Sustainable Sourcing
We have always been ahead of the curve in terms of sustainably sourcing coffee, for instance in 2004 we introduced the UK’s first triple-certified (Fairtrade, organic and Rainforest Alliance) espresso. We know the value of working in direct partnership with our suppliers to make their practices more sustainable. For example, we have an on-going commitment to promoting climate change resilience and conservation of water resources with the San Juan del Oro coffee cooperative in southern Peru. This partnership work secured Gold in the prestigious 2degrees Champions Awardsin 2015, further celebrating our commitment to pushing the boundaries of sustainable business.
Reducing our Environmental Impact
Our ISO14001 (2015) accredited environmental management system is managed by our Environmental Committee. Members implement continuous improvement projects to reduce our environmental impact in the UK. Recent examples include encouraging employees to cycle more through our Cycle to Work scheme and fundraising challenges, and, an annual “Sustainability Week” staff engagement campaign to encourage behaviour change (e.g. good recycling habits).
Investing in our People
We look after our employees by giving them opportunities to develop their skills, as evidenced by our BronzeInvestors in People Our employees are also encouraged to share their skills with disadvantaged unemployed young people through our partnership with the Princes Trust’s Get into Hospitality training programme. Furthermore, we have a zero-tolerance approach to human rights abuses in our operations and are committed to being transparent in our approach in this area, consistent with our disclosure obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Our progress in this area earned us an Award for Outstanding Demonstration of Social Impact at the University of Manchester Supplier Awards 2017.
Engaging with our Community
We support coffee communities and those a little closer to home by giving financial donations to three charities: the David Williamson Rwanda Foundation, the Fundación Amigos del Café (“Friends of Coffee Foundation”) and the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice. We also work with the business studies pupils a local school, Holyrood Secondary, and with support from the Scottish Food and Drink’s schools programme give them an insight into the food and drink sector and set them hypothetical business assignments for their coursework.
To ensure we stay at the forefront of innovation in sustainability we want to go further by setting ourselves long-term goals and regularly reviewing the progress we make. Our Sustainability Five Year Plan sets out what we hope to achieve, keeps us on track and challenges us to further deepen our impact.
