Sustainability is the word on the lips of specialty coffee. With 48% of all new coffee products launched in 2020 carrying an ethical or environmental claim, how do we know which retailers are fulfilling their promises? Here’s our guide to help you cut through the claims and buy coffee with impact.
Christmas is about joy, connection and, unavoidably, consumption. This is that wonderful time of the year when we can feel a pressure to buy, buy and buy some more. Whether you like it or not, companies are fighting for your attention with heavy advertising, and even heavier discounts. As a specialty coffee roastery who prioritises people, a fair price for our producing partners, suppliers and our team; discounts, sales and one-time-only offers have never been part of our pricing structure. Instead, we made the decision early on to offer fair pricing year round. This means you’ll never see a 50% off price hack, but instead be charged the same for your bag of coffee every month of the year.
In 2023, Black Friday generated more than £13 billion for the UK economy. Imagine the impact this kind of spending could have if it was put to a good cause. That’s why this year we have worked in partnership with Blue Marine Foundation, an ocean conservation charity dedicated to protecting and restoring life in our seas. From 29th November to 1st December, 10% of all sales made on our webshop have been donated to the brilliant work at Blue Marine Foundation. Your purchases have gone on to provide real impact in their work in partnership with coastal communities, sustainable fisheries, local partners, and governments to deliver marine conservation and restoration solutions to the climate and biodiversity crisis. Thank you.
As we increasingly become more aware of the impact our purchasing has on the planet, it’s time to invest our spending power in businesses with traceable credentials who not only produce excellent coffee, but also act as a force for good in the world.
With a consumer shift towards ethical and environmental purchasing, it’s not surprising that marketing has caught up with the trend. Sustainability is THE buzzword in our industry. Overall, this is a positive change. With more public interest in all-things-sustainability we have seen changes in the way our industry works, in particular through the perpetual rise of the B Corp certification (read on for more thoughts on this) and all the tangible impact that goes alongside this. For us, this has meant a commitment to pay the asking price from producers, exporters & importers, allowing them to plan and invest back into their farms and businesses and in their own environmental and social practices. This swaps the power dynamic. Meaning producers, who know their costs and needs far more than international buyers, can establish a price that guarantees viable income and business growth. We pay more for quality, as we should.
Closer to home, we’ve moved towards a larger and therefore more economical and environmental roaster, significantly reducing our daily carbon emissions. As a London Living Wage employer, we’ve also implemented hiring practices that encourage diversity, ongoing training and career development. We’re sure other B Corp accredited coffee businesses have seen similar real impact and change.
In order to remain relevant to conscious and savvy customers, specialty coffee operators are now expected to follow best practice or at least, appear to do so. With 48% of all new coffee products launched in 2020 carrying an ethical or environmental claim according to a recent study by Mintel, this is where we find ourselves in a potential greenwashing space. As a customer, how do you decipher the marketing speak from the real action? If you’re looking for specialty beans, here’s our tips for what to look out for to help you see through the branding and start buying with impact.
A traceability story …
Put simply, traceability is the ability to trace where and when a coffee was produced. Much of the ethical and environmental impact in your cup of coffee comes from the beans themselves. This makes the sourcing process instrumental in a business's overall sustainability credentials. Coffee is a product that crosses hands and continents. This means there is potential to have a huge positive impact, with a fair pricing structure supporting the whole chain, from producers at source to employees in this country. On the flip side, we can also see misleading claims and unethical practice buried in a long and complicated supply chain.
Seek businesses that know and share their product supply chain, in particular where their coffees come from. When looking at coffee labels, ensure you’re buying coffees that are clearly labelled with farm names, regions and even the names of producers themselves. The more specific, the more traceable. Any coffees marked by simply the country of origin are likely to be commodity or commercial grade, bought by the container load and potentially purchased from multiple sources, with no way to determine the conditions of production or the all-important price paid. We like to know where our coffee comes from, and whose hands it has touched in getting to us.
Many roasters will have direct contact with producing partners, sharing stories, images and even hosting livestream calls or visiting their origin partners. Look for current and detailed information on product pages, journals and blogs. For example, in recent years we have shared stories from the Salaverria family in El Salvador on our journal, opened direct dialogue to Mandalay, Myanmar through a zoom call with producers Su Nandar Linn and Thi Ha Gyawalie as well as welcoming our traceable importing partners Indochina and Langdon Coffee Merchants for Cupping Clubs at our HQ in the last few years..
Many producers will also have their own websites and social media accounts connecting the consumer directly with the very first hands that meet their coffees. We recommend directly following our excellent partners Daterra, Finca San Jeronimo and Daye Bensa (to name just two!) through their own social media channels.
An excellent indicator towards sustainable sourcing can also be found in a repeat purchasing model. At Climpsons, 90% of our coffees are from the same people, year after year. Why is this such a good measure of sustainability? It means you can enjoy returning favourite coffees each calendar year. With a guaranteed buyer for their beans, producers can invest in long term production planning as well as have the means to adapt their business to the now notable effects of climate change. For producers, an on-going relationship means offering their workers regular employment for more than just a single season and building an expert, skilled and knowledgeable team of coffee growers, pickers and processors to support their economic growth for years to come. In ever changing and complex conditions, we value the relationships we have with people like Bruno de Souza, he can tell it like it is and keep us updated on what is happening in Brazil, for example the C market has gone to its highest in years and the coffee production has been impacted by drought, meaning less coffee available.
Certifications to look for …
While certifications towards sustainability certainly have their limitations, there are labels to look out for as a consumer that indicate excellent ethical and environmental practice.
1. B Corp
Most of us have heard of the B Corp certification by now, with our home city of London recently announced as the B Corp capital of the world. There are now more than 1000 B Corp certified businesses in the UK with the goal of utilising business and business practices as a force for good. B Corp provides a framework towards sustainable practice with the option to specialise in impact areas from workers to community to carbon emissions tracking. While there are many ways to work towards sustainability without necessarily holding the B Corp badge, as a consumer it’s a clear and easy way to navigate ethical purchasing.
“Certified B Corporations are leaders in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. Unlike other certifications for businesses, B Lab is unique in our ability to measure a company’s entire social and environmental impact.” From About B Corp Certification.
When considering buying from a B Corp you can look at their specific impact score. With 80 being the minimum score required to achieve certification, higher scores will indicate better sustainable practice. We achieved certification in 2022 with a stand-out score of 110. You can read our previous journal article ‘B Corp Behind the Label’ to find out more about how we did this.
2. Rainforest Alliance Certification
With farming causing nearly 80% of global deforestation the Rainforest Alliance seeks to transform the way the world farms, offering a certification programme for farms with thorough sustainability programmes that protect the planet’s valuable forests. Rainforest Alliance farms are guaranteed to use fewer chemicals, treat workers and families better and implement sustainable land management practices that encourage diverse ecosystems to thrive.
Daterra in Brazil, the home of our contemporary classic espresso The Baron, was the first coffee farm in the world to achieve Rainforest Alliance Certification. They are champions of biodiversity, committing 50% of their 5,800 hectare site to non agricultural land. This is significantly more than the legal requirement in Brazil which is just 20%.
It’s worth noting that there are limitations to these certifications and many small producers, importers and roasters who follow excellent sustainable practices may not have the means to pay for these accreditations. Labels are a great starting point, but not the be all and end all when it comes to working with a wide range of producers.
What impact can you have as a consumer?
Choose to put your spending power into businesses that clearly share the traceability of their product. This means shopping with roasters that champion their producers. Look out for those that can guarantee a fair and ongoing income to producing partners that allows them to invest in their own business development as well as plan towards the impact of climate change. Shop independent and support businesses who prioritise people (whether in their team or along the supply chain), planet and a mindful approach to profit.
Browse our full range of ethically sourced consciously produced coffees here.
