A TRAILBLAZER in the UK’s coffee scene has achieved one of the highest B Corp scores of any Scottish coffee roaster during its recent recertification.
This accolade reaffirms Dear Green‘s commitment to upholding the rigorous social and environmental standards set by the global standard bearer B Lab, the nonprofit behind the B Corp certification.
To pass, companies must score above 80 points on the B Impact Assessment and embed a legal commitment to these values in their business model.
Originally certified in 2020, Dear Green achieved an impressive increase of 33.4 points to score 117.6 in the recent recertification process required of all B Corps every three years.
The score puts them in the same bracket as some of the world’s most ethical companies, including Patagonia, Ben and Jerry’s and Tom’s.
Lisa Lawson, founder of Dear Green and the Glasgow Coffee Festival – the world’s first single-use-cup free coffee festival – said: “I started the business in 2011 from a place of frustration.
“I believed coffee could be a force for good, but the standards for quality, customer service, ethics, accountability and transparency weren’t high enough across our industry. We wanted to change that, to set a higher bar.
“Recertifying as a B Corp is an incredible milestone for us. It proves our values are ingrained in our business and recognised at the highest level. It proves we’re willing to back up our claims and be audited against a strict framework..
“Although this is a huge achievement, we still have a long way to go. This is just the beginning: we’re constantly striving to improve – our B Corp certification is a benchmark, it’s by no means the end of the road.
“We have pledged to be Net Zero by 2030. To make that happen we have invested in an electric vehicle and are planning on installing solar panels and heat pumps, and we’re working hard on anaerobic composting initiatives. We’re proud to recycle over 70% of our waste and are continually seeking ways to reduce our carbon footprint across the supply chain.”
Dear Green’s sustainable sourcing strategy focuses on increasing their investment in organic coffee, which is less harmful to the environment. This ethos is strengthened by their long-standing relationship with Daterra Coffee, Brazil’s first and only B Corp-certified coffee farm.
During a recent visit, Dear Green witnessed the farm’s Tree-llion Project, an initiative aimed at planting 20 million trees by 2030.
Lisa added: “Coffee needs to be considered as more than just your daily beverage – there is an endless amount of work, care, love, and logistics across many stages before coffee travels across the world and to our roastery. Producers dedicate their lives to coffee in a way that even the coffee-nerdiest of us will never quite be able to grasp.
“While we’ve tightened our travel policy; given our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint we see our trips to origin as a transformative experience. They deepen our understanding of the intricate journey coffee takes, from the hard work and dedication of farmers to the roasters and brewers who rely on them.
“Trips to origin have changed my life and the business. This year, our head roaster, Anna, visited Brazil and witnessed first-hand the innovation and care that goes into producing sustainable, high-quality coffee. These efforts remind us of the realities of coffee farming – the climate uncertainty, fluctuating prices, and the immense effort behind every cup.
“We need systemic change in the coffee industry and are committed to creating a transparent, sustainable supply chain. We are proud to work with other like-minded B Corp businesses, who incorporate sustainability into all their processes and practices, seeking out every opportunity for waste reduction, repurposing, and reusing to combat climate change whilst also being respectful of their community, their team, and their customers .”
Since its inception in 2011, Dear Green, Scotland’s first specialty grade coffee roaster, has embedded community-focused initiatives into its operations, from donating every coffee sack since day one, to supporting the Bute Forest Community Forest.
The company also donates 2% of its turnover each year – 1% each to social justice and 1% to climate justice projects.
As a leader in advocating for climate justice, Dear Green also uses platforms like the Glasgow Coffee Festival, which has raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity in the ten years since it launched, to drive conversations on sustainability.
To ensure its ambitious goals remain on track, Dear Green, a Real Living Wage employer, has hired Martha Bytof as their sustainability coordinator. Martha’s role ensures that the company remains accountable, continually pushing its vision for a sustainable future.
Lisa, the first employee of Australia’s Toby’s Estate and of Glasgow’s first specialty coffee roaster, added: “Coffee is becoming more popular every year. It is on track to overtake tea as the UK’s favourite beverage.
“However, the climate crisis is urgent, and businesses must take responsibility. Appointing someone to lead on climate responsibility could be the most important hire not just for every coffee company, but for every business. Martha is helping us achieve our ambitions and to set our standards even higher.
“The World Coffee Research Institute estimates 50% of all coffee-growing land will no longer be viable by the year 2050, so everyone at every point in the supply chain can’t ignore the fact that the existence of coffee depends on fighting climate change. If we don’t act now as an industry, we’ll lose coffee forever.”
For more information visit deargreencoffee.com