For many years Brazil’s annual harvests, particularly of Arabica beans, have had a significant influence on international coffee prices. Brazil’s sometimes rocky economic situation does have an effect on coffee bean harvests – and the results show up in overall production for various bean types, in organic production trends, and in the country’s total export volumes.

The 2023-2024 coffee harvest season in Brazil was marked by a significant increase in production compared with the previous year. This surge was primarily driven by favourable weather conditions and improved farming practices. Brazil’s total coffee production in 2024 exceeded that of 2023 by a substantial margin.

Brazil is renowned for its high-quality Arabica beans, which are prized for both their flavour profile and their aroma. However, the country also produces Robusta beans, a lowercost alternative, whose reputation has been improving over the last few years. The relative proportions of Arabica and Robusta in Brazil’s harvests do fluctuate from year to year, influenced by factors such as market demand and economic incentives.

In general, Arabica beans continue to dominate Brazil’s coffee production, accounting for asignificantly larger share of the total harvest. However, Robusta production has also shown growth in recent years, driven by increasing demand for lower-priced coffee options.

Organic coffee production has been gaining traction in Brazil, as consumers increasingly seek products that are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilisers. While organic coffee still represents a relatively small portion of Brazil’s total coffee output, it has experienced steady growth in recent years.

Several factors have contributed to the expansion of organic coffee production in Brazil. These include increased consumer awareness of the benefits of organic products, government support for organic agriculture, and the development of sustainable farming practices.
Brazil’s coffee products reach markets around the world. The volume of coffee exports from Brazil varies depending on the changing dynamics of global demand, competition from other producing countries, and worldwide economic conditions.

Brazil’s coffee bean harvests play a vital role in the global coffee market. The country’s production of high-quality Arabica beans, coupled with its increasing focus on organic coffee, has solidified its position as a leading exporter. Brazil has maintained its strong position due to strong demand for its beans from countries such as the United States, Europe and Japan. However, the country has also faced competition from other coffee-producing nations, particularly Vietnam and Colombia.

Several factors are influencing Brazil’s coffee production, including these four:
Weather: Climate conditions, such as rainfall and temperature, can significantly impact coffee yields. Excessive rainfall or droughts can negatively affect crop health and productivity.
Pests and diseases: Coffee plants, particularly, Arabica, are susceptible to various pests and diseases, which can reduce yields and quality. Effective pest control measures are essential for maintaining healthy crops.
Soil quality: The quality of the soil in coffee-growing regions is crucial for plant health and productivity. Poor soil conditions can limit crop yields and affect bean quality.
Economic factors: Economic factors, such as the price of coffee beans and the cost of production, can influence the profitability of coffee farming. Low coffee prices or rising production costs can discourage farmers from investing in coffee cultivation.

While weather, pests, soil quality, and economic conditions can influence coffee production, Brazil’s ability to adapt to changing market dynamics and invest in sustainable farming practices positions it well for continued success in the years to come.

The Impact of Climate Change
Coffee production is fragile, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports maintain that climate change will reduce worldwide yields on average and decrease land suitable for growing coffee by 2050.

Climate change is affecting Brazil’s coffee industry in ways which may, in the end, become detrimental to everyone – from the growers all the way downstream to those who consume their coffee.

“A Systematic Review on the Impacts of Climate Change on Coffee Agrosystems” is the January 2023 research article published in the prestigious PLANTS science journal. The six co-authors of this study reviewed 148 records from literature considering the effects of climate change and climate variability on coffee production, covering countries mostly from three continents (America, Africa, and Asia).

The main effects of climate change have been hotter temperatures and lower moisture, causing plants and cherries to not only be unable to fully flourish and bloom, but die while developing. Since the majority of Brazil’s coffee plantations are below 6,000 feet, they are being impacted in tangible ways by hotter temperatures.

Coffee plants need very specific temperatures, soil, and environments to grow in and continually produce coffee each year. With the rising temperature and lack of rainfall and humidity, coffee plants aren’t growing and reproducing as they usually would. Climate change has caused typical weather patterns to be inconsistent, making harvest times and crop quality nearly impossible to control and predict. Though rainfall is lacking for some growing regions, it’s happening more often for others, resulting in more harvesting and picking cycles, which is great.
However, this means higher labour costs than usual, making it harder on farmers.

The hotter temperatures have caused plants to lose several growing days in their usual harvest cycle. This is because heat can disturb a plant’s metabolism, driving stress in the plant and possibly reducing its photosynthetic efficiency. While hotter regions have caused harm to some growing regions, it has opened up new areas where coffee can be grown. With the increased temperatures, coffee can now grow at higher altitudes. Twenty years ago, coffee couldn’t grow in altitudes above 6,000 feet, but now, some of the best coffees are coming from these regions. However, the majority of coffee plantations are below 6,000 feet and are being impacted by the hotter temperatures. The main effects of climate change have been hotter temperatures and lower moisture, preventing plants and cherries from fully flourishing and blooming, but also dying while developing.

Climate change is a reason for the rapid spread of coffee leaf rust, a parasite that feeds off the leaves of the Arabica plant, and steals their food, causing the leaves to spot until they fall off and the plant dies. In the 1800s, this disease killed off most of the world’s coffee supply, and in 2012, another horrific outbreak resulted in over three billion dollars in damages. Coffee leaf rust can be controlled and contained by applying fungicides during wet seasons. However, it is only at higher altitudes and cooler temperatures that the disease struggles to reproduce and spread. This is still a very real problem that farmers face.

The Brazilian National Supply Company (CONAB) is a national government agency that manages agricultural policies and supply and provides information on Brazil’s agricultural harvest. In September of 2024, Conab lowered its forecast for 2024 Brazil’s coffee production: 54.79 million bags from 58.81 million as it forecast in May, due to the dry weather and extreme heat the crop experienced during its development phase.

This would put production down 0.5 percent from last year. Arabica production was lowered to 39.59 million bags from the previous forecast of 42.11 million. Conab’s forecast is up 1.7 percent from 2023 due to increased planted area. Yields were lowered, despite this being an ‘on year’ in the country’s biennial cycle.

Robusta production was forecast previously at 15.2 million bags, down from 16.71 million which had been the estimate in May and down six percent from a year ago. Brazil’s weather
conditions are not expected, but there could be a gradual increase in the number and frequency of showers as humidity starts to build for the rainy season. Greater rainfall is possible in the last days of September or early October. Until then, most
of the rain will remain too light to induce any flowering. ICE Arabica stocks are down to 837,656 bags, their lowest level since 4 September. The amount pending review is down to 6,081 bags, which is the lowest in more than six months.

UN FAO economist Fabio Palmeri shared his views about Brazil’s challenges and opportunities, “After negatively affecting the 2024 coffee output, prolonged dry weather conditions are raising concerns over the potential impact on the 2025 crop. In the first nine months of 2024, Brazil exported two million tonnes of coffee, 40 percent more than in the corresponding period last year, with export earnings reaching a record high of USD $8.5 billion, amid strong international demand. Arabica coffee remained the most exported variety. However, exports of Robusta and Conilon coffee surged in 2024, with shipments increasing by 170 percent compared to 2023, amid lower availabilities from Vietnam.”

Palmeri made a special note of the fact that coffee exports increased despite persistent logistics bottlenecks, including limited space at Brazilian ports coupled with greater demand for shipping containers.

Well Positioned for Continued Growth

In tabulating Brazil’s national coffee consumption data for the period from November 2022 to October 2023, the Brazilian Association of the Coffee Industry (ABIC) found that there had been an increase of 1.64 percent as compared to November 2021 to October 2022. This volume represents 39.4 percent of the 2023 harvest, which was 55.07 million bags, according to Conab. In the period from November 2021 to October 2022, the volume consumed inside Brazil represented 41.9 percent of the harvest, which was 50.9 million bags.

As the world shifts to low-carbon economic sectors and markets, Brazil’s rich ecosystems can enable it to discover some lasting growth opportunities created by that shift. Threequarters of Brazil’s greenhouse gas emissions result from land-use change and agriculture. This implies that Brazil can and should make it a greater priority to halt spreading deforestation while transitioning towards low-carbon agriculture.

The scientific consensus is clear: Brazil’s rainforest in the Amazon is close to a tipping point, beyond which it cannot generate enough rainfall to sustain the national ecosystem. This is the power that fuelled Brazil’s growth: the agriculture, hydropower, water supply, industries. That same endangered ecosystem provides a full spectrum of environmental services to all of Latin America and the Caribbean as well as to the rest of the world.

Halting deforestation and scaling-up climatesmart land use can be done within Brazil’s agriculture sector while simultaneously increasing total productivity. It is entirely possible for Brazil to fully integrate agriculture, and other businesses, into the future green economy.

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Throughout its more than 20 year partnership with American Forests, Melitta has planted over 600,000 trees in landscapes across the country, making a substantial difference for wildlife, people and the environment. The One Million Tree Challenge helps to reduce the effects of climate change by restoring 4,000 acres of forest and absorbing 6,161 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. A single tree can capture 3.5 pounds of air pollutants – like ozone, dust and particulate matter – per year.

“Sustainability and giving back to our community are guiding values at Melitta. As a fourth generation, family-owned business, our commitment to future generations has always been at the core of what we do,” said Donna Gray, director at Melitta. “We continue to set aggressive goals to reduce our impact on the environment. In addition to our American Forests partnership, we are evolving our supply chain practices to be more eco-friendly, investing in solar panels for our roasting facility, and aligning our products with stringent eco-focused certifications. Our collective efforts support our mission to pursue better coffee for a better planet.”

For over a century, American Forests programs have helped ensure that large forest landscapes are healthy and resilient to the impacts of climate change. The organization has also contributed to environmental sustainability through programs in cities by helping develop and bring to life plans for planting and caring for trees in the neighborhoods that need trees the most.

“Melitta stands apart for its unwavering long-term commitment to our nation’s forests. Some of the trees that they helped to plant twenty years ago are now 15 feet tall and doing everything we’d hoped – providing habitat for wildlife, capturing carbon from the atmosphere, and filtering the water we drink,” said Austin Rempel, director of forest reforestation at American Forests. “With the One Million Tree Challenge, Melitta builds on this proud history and takes it even further.”

To learn more about and participate in Melitta’s One Million Tree Challenge, click here. To find out more about the American Forests partnership, visit americanforests.org. For more information on Melitta sustainability initiatives, visit melitta-group.com.

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To fuel its sustainability goals, Dunkin’ has partnered with like-minded organisations. Together they’re working to support the regions where Dunkin’s coffee grows and make a difference in the lives and livelihoods of coffee farmers and producers.

The Dunkin’ Drive-To Sustainability Program is comprised of three pillars: verification, partnerships, and improvement. As part of the first pillar, we are partnering with Enveritas, a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded to overcome systemic barriers that prevent the application of proven solutions for ending poverty among smallholder coffee growers.

By leveraging its Coffee Policy and third-party verification with Enveritas, Dunkin’ aims to improve standards with US roasters and international licensees, audit its US coffee supply chain to ensure policy compliance, and track key performance indicators toward continuous improvement efforts.

Some of Dunkin’s efforts under its pillars of Partnerships and Improvement include:
• Supported the planting of 450,000 trees in coffee growing regions of Honduras and Guatemala in 2021 with a donation to One Tree Planted, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to helping the environment by planting trees in countries around the world.
• Trained farmers and farmworkers in Honduras through its Farmworker Training Project alongside the Louis Dreyfus Company. This project enhanced Dunkin’s suppliers’ abilities to make improvements on sustainability issues.
• Boosting coffee sustainability through agricultural science as a leading sponsor of the nonprofit World Coffee Research (WCR). A percentage of sales from every pound of Original Blend coffee beans sold to Dunkin’ franchisees for use in Dunkin’ restaurants go to WCR.
• Since 2018, Dunkin’ has been a part of The Sustainable Coffee Challenge, a collaborative effort led by Conservation International to make coffee the world’s first sustainable agricultural product.
• To empower women in coffee, Dunkin’ has supported providing coffee suppliers in Guatemala and Colombia with access to Equal Origins’ Virtual Learning Journey.
• Over the next three years, alongside global agri-business company Olam Food Ingredients (OFI), Dunkin’ will help 350 coffee-farming families in Santa Barbara and Comayagua, Honduras become more economically sustainable and better environmental stewards through trainings and improved crop yields.

To learn more, visit impact.inspirebrands.com.

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“Plastic-free July” in the UK has put added pressure on the coffee and tea industries to reform. The European Union recently banned the use of single-use coffee cups, and grocery retail chains Aldi and Sainsbury’s now promise plastic-free teabags.

Kent & Sussex Tea and Coffee evaluated the habits of over 100 cities throughout the UK using Google search volumes and survey data to find out where consumers care the most about this issue. [Methodology: a data analysis of the UK’s most sustainable coffee and tea consumers by using the average monthly search data for relevant terms between January 2020 and May 2021 and Google Surveys data in February 2021].

To locate the Brits most concerned about the ‘sustainability’ of their caffeine, the company examined who was searching (“googling”) the following terms:

1. Plastic free teabags
2. Recycling
3. Reusable coffee cups
4. Zero waste/sustainable shops
5. Coffee beans
6. Loose-leaf tea

They also cross referenced this with how much British consumers claimed to care about their caffeine carbon footprint according to a survey they conducted between 12 and 15 February 2021. The findings uncovered “eco warrior” and “eco fakers.”

In third position – because of a high volume of searches for ‘reusable coffee cups’ and ‘loose leaf tea’ – is Bath. In second place, searching most in the country for ‘reusable coffee cups’ and third most for ‘loose-leaf tea’ and ‘coffee beans,’ is the neighbouring city of Bristol, while Cambridge residents were the second most likely to search for ‘loose-leaf tea.’

Residents of Bedford top the list — they are googling ‘recycling’ more than anyone else, and they score highly on all other factors too, including ranking second in terms of most likely to search for ‘coffee beans.’

The city searching for ‘loose leaf tea’ more than anyone else is Stockport, which ranked 8th overall for caffeine-conscious consumption. Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire had the highest search volumes for coffee beans in the UK.

Conversely, which towns and cities fared the worst in this survey?

The third “least conscientious” city is Stoke-on-Trent, whose residents were the least likely to rank ‘sustainability’ as important when buying their coffee in the UK per the survey. Luton (Bedford’s neighbour) is the second least caffeine-conscious city in the UK. In fact, “Lutonians” do not spend much time searching for ‘reusable coffee cups’ or ‘loose-leaf tea’ when it comes to their brews.

Bedford ranked significantly below all others with the lowest volume of searches, in particular, the least for ‘loose-leaf’ tea.

Eco warriors, or eco fakers?

By comparing the search volume data to the February 2021 study, Kent & Sussex Tea and Coffee found there is also a big disparity between which British consumers claim to shop sustainably for their tea and coffee, and those who actually do.

The Northern Irish were the most likely to “claim” they shopped for their tea and coffee sustainably, and yet overall, the top-ranking Northern Irish town Derry landed in 21st position. The East Midlands and Scotland were the next likely regions to “say” they prioritised sustainability when shopping, and yet neither region managed to place any city in the top ten.

The most honest region was the West Midlands. According to the survey, people in the West Midlands were the least likely to claim they shop sustainably, which was corroborated by their search volumes. Stoke-on-Trent and Coventry, which are both in the region, ranked fourth and fifth least likely to be googling about these issues.

The North West of England downplayed their efforts the most. And although the region was the fourth least likely to rank sustainability as an important factor, it scored two cities in the top ten — Chester and Stockport.

Lastly, the towns where convenient caffeine reigns supreme are Sale, Newport and Raleigh (where residents search the least for ‘coffee beans’) and Bradford, Luton and Milton Keynes (where they search the least for ‘loose-leaf tea’).

• Vanessa L Facenda, editor, Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.
  Keep in touch via email: vanessa@bellpublishing.com
  Twitter: @TCTradeJournal or LinkedIn: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

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The company recently launched a new training initiative across the organisation that focuses on sustainability education for both the workplace and home. Integrated into the traditional training modules, the Sustainability Training is a year-round educational programme that equips employees with the most up-to-date best practices for reducing their impact on the environment. It also gives employees a voice to suggest additional measures to further that goal within the organisation.

“We saw an opportunity to provide our employees with the knowledge they need to be champions of sustainability in all facets of their lives,” said Cindi Bigelow, third generation president & CEO of Bigelow Tea.

“Our goal at Bigelow Tea is to continually strive to be a more eco-conscious company as a whole. Empowering our employees to be champions of this change in their work and home lives was a natural extension of this goal,” said Bigelow.

Some of Bigelow Tea’s most recent efforts to reduce its impact on the environment include a partnership with Fermata Energy, installing a bidirectional charger at their Louisville location and adding the company’s first electric vehicle. In addition, Bigelow Tea was recently certified by Green-e Energy for using 100% renewable energy across all three of its locations, and also completed a four-year energy audit which enabled the reduction of energy usage ranging from 2%-14% across its three locations.

Sustainability has long been a guiding principle at the organization. At Bigelow Tea’s Fairfield headquarters, the company installed 870 solar panels on the roof of its corporate building in 2007 and has been certified as a Zero Waste to Landfill company since 2012, diverting 95.3% of its solid waste companywide through composting and recycling programmes.

“We want our employees to be sustainability champions, to mentor others, collaborate on efforts and to share their successes with us,” said Bigelow.  “We are constantly searching for and evaluating opportunities that allow us to reduce our impact on the environment, and we encourage other organisations to do the same. If everyone just gives one inch, you do move mountains together.”

One of the four principles of the company mission statement includes a commitment to being a good corporate citizen, a principle originally laid out by company founder Ruth Campbell Bigelow over 75 years ago.  Said Bigelow, “We’re following her lead, to do the right thing simply because it’s the right thing to do.”

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Building on the significant progress over the past decade (pdf, 4 Mb), Nestlé has now pledged to increase its sustainability efforts.

Philipp Navratil, senior vice president, head of Beverages Strategic Business Unit, said: “Together with our partners and 230 Nescafé agronomists, we improved efficiency and agricultural practices on farms, enabling farmers to command a premium price for coffee grown sustainably. We diversified sources of farmer income to reduce their dependence on monocultures and to make them more resilient. We will not stop here. Our programmes will evolve toward better social conditions in and around coffee farms. We will double down our efforts on labor rights, child protection, youth and women empowerment.”

By 2025, Nescafé expects to have 100% responsibly sourced coffee, tracing it back to an identified farmer group. The coffee is verified or certified by independent organisations.

Nescafé will reduce and remove carbon emissions where it sources coffee and throughout its operations. Nescafé says it will also use environmentally friendly packaging. These are steps that will help Nestlé reach its 2025 packaging commitment and its 2050 net-zero ambition.

Nescafé’s partner, Rainforest Alliance, evaluates activities in coffee-sourcing regions worldwide to ensure they positively impact farmers’ lives. Rainforest Alliance regularly monitors farmers’ adoption of good practices and the evolution of related indicators like productivity.

“Our partnership with Nestlé on the Nescafé Plan is about improving and optimising coffee farming. Working together with the Rainforest Alliance on training, monitoring and evaluation, Nescafé used data and evidence to adapt its activities with the coffee farmers. We are delighted to be their partner on this journey,” said Alex Morgan, chief markets officer, Rainforest Alliance.

Through implementing the Nescafé Plan since 2010, Nestlé has achieved the following:

• Currently, 75% of coffee for Nescafé products is responsibly sourced. In 2020, Nescafé purchased more than 649,000 metric tons of responsibly sourced coffee, the largest volume from a single coffee buyer;
• Distributed 235 million high-yielding and disease-resistant coffee plantlets, exceeding the initial objective of 220 million. This contributed to the renovation of nearly 120,000 hectares of coffee farms worldwide;
• Developed and released 15 new Arabica and Robusta coffee varieties in five countries: Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Philippines and Thailand. These plant materials have higher productivity, resiliency and superior quality;
• Delivered more than 900,000 farmer training sessions on good agricultural practices. The objectives were to optimise productivity and costs, improve quality and reduce the environmental footprint through efficient irrigation methods or pruning techniques;
• Empowered more than 10,000 women and young farmers through leadership programs and training on household economic planning;
• Reinforced the business skills of more than 10,000 farmers with a focus on financial literacy, record keeping and entrepreneurship.

Nestlé will publish a new and expanded Nescafé sustainability roadmap before the end of the year. The company says it will continue to work diligently to foster a more robust and sustainable coffee sector.

Download the report here: “Our sustainable journey – Ten years of the Nescafé Plan.”

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With this funding, NEXE Innovations will be able to focus on Phase 2 of its project, which supports:

• Scaling up the manufacturing process of its Nespresso–compatible pods, and
• Improving the compatibility of bioplastics derived from wood-based biomass for early-stage commercialisation.

As part of Phase 1, NEXE developed a completely plant-based and compostable single-use coffee pod from bioplastic wood fibre.

Natural Resources Canada collaborated with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to develop this challenge as part of the Domestic Plastics Challenge under the federal government’s Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC). ISC is a $100 million programme dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses in developing innovative and sustainable solutions to complex environmental challenges. The Government of Canada may then act as a first customer, helping these small businesses to commercialise their innovations, scale up their businesses and create good jobs for Canadians.

“Our government is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses. It is becoming increasingly important to invest in sustainable solutions that will support not only our economy but also our environment. When our government invests in innovative and sustainable work from small businesses like NEXE, we are growing the economy, building Canadian technological leadership and contributing to Canada’s fight against global warming,” said the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne,
minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.

Dr Zachary Hudson, chief scientific officer at NEXE Innovations, commented: “We are grateful to the Government of Canada for this award, which reflects its commitment to nurturing innovative, Canadian-made solutions to some of the world’s most challenging problems. At NEXE, we have developed and validated sustainable plant-based materials that are better for the environment without compromising on the needs of the consumer. We look forward to bringing them to market with the support of Innovative Solutions Canada.”

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Chiapas is one of Mexico’s key coffee-growing regions – producing over 41% of the nation’s coffee – and supports the livelihoods of over 100,000 families. However, the impact of climate change and land-use dynamics in the region are reducing the suitability of growing areas, with productivity suffering under traditional cultivation methods. This is where the risk lies, as those unable to adapt are increasingly likely to relocate their farms to higher elevation areas where the protected areas and most diverse ecosystems are located. Added to this is the current trend of warmer, drier weather patterns combined with agricultural expansion, causing a higher frequency of uncontrolled fires, with the resulting deforestation and degradation posing a significant threat to ecosystems, productive landscapes and the local population´s well-being.

Olam’s field staff have worked alongside coffee farmers in the region for over seven years, providing coffee seedlings and productivity assistance, tackling leaf rust and regenerating farms that may otherwise have been abandoned. This landscape partnership with the Rainforest Alliance, which was launched in 2018, is an opportunity to scale up these efforts and equip 800 farmers with the resources and skills they need to mitigate climate change, increase their productivity, quality and access to the market. It will also contribute to Olam Coffee’s commitment to ensure zero deforestation in our supply chains by 2025, as set out in our new sustainability strategy Coffee LENS.

We are working to restore degraded agricultural land by promoting agroforestry practices, which primarily involves re-establishing vegetation cover with coffee seedlings and native forest trees. By supporting farmers to enjoy a profitable and sustainable coffee business, we remove the incentive to encroach into natural protected areas and instead, engage them in good environmental stewardship. This way, we hope to change the trajectory of degradation, towards a living landscape where farmers prosper in thriving communities. This is our ambition for delivering a transformative impact, under the principles of Olam’s AtSource Infinity programmes and the Rainforest Alliance.

Progress to date

We have distributed half a million coffee saplings so far, to replace old stock, which, combined with the climate-smart agronomic training, has already increased the yields of 200 farmers by 60% on average.

Under the project’s focused restoration efforts, more than 300,000 forest trees have been planted, with a target of 800,000 by 2023 and to restore and protect 5,000 hectares in and around La Sepultura and Frailescana natural protected areas. This is contributing to Mexico’s goal of zero deforestation and a 30% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2030. These efforts complement the federal and state agencies’ collaborative actions to help eradicate uncontrolled fires in this landscape and the entire region.

The ability to track landscape-level improvements under this partnership and credibly communicate the broader sustainability benefits to Olam’s AtSource customers, USAID and other key stakeholders, will strengthen participation and support for the project, and unlock further opportunities to scale up the agroforestry efforts.

Measuring impact at landscape level

Perhaps the most unique aspect of this multi-stakeholder initiative is the approach to assessing and evidencing sustainability impact at landscape scale using the LandScale system. LandScale provides the right framework to measure and monitor the net increase of productive areas, from agroforestry and restoration of degraded over-grazed land into coffee production. It also helps align the interests of all partners involved, including government agencies, who are not directly involved in restoration activities on the ground, but share the mutual objective of halting habitat destruction from uncontrolled fires, through incentivising the roll out of payment for ecosystem services (PES) mechanisms in participating communities.

LandScale includes three main components – an assessment framework, verification mechanism, and reporting platform – which enable the private sector, governments, and civil society to access reliable information that can guide and incentivize sustainability improvements at scale.

LandScale tailors the assessment framework to the landscape. It offers guidance for conducting the assessment, including direction on defining the landscape’s boundary, selecting relevant indicators and performance metrics, collecting data, and reporting results. After completing an assessment, partners can communicate the results to key stakeholders. One way to do this is via the online reporting platform, available from mid-2021. The platform facilitates the assessment process and publicises results to decision-makers such as buyers, investors, and governments.

LandScale also provides a verification mechanism to enable credible and transparent claims about landscape performance and a specific organisation’s contribution to, or association with, a landscape.

For more information, visit: www.landscale.org.

• Jeremy Dufour is Sustainability Projects general manager at Olam Coffee and Sophie Persey is LandScale senior manager at the Rainforest Alliance

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Véronique Cremades-Mathis, global head of Sustainable Packaging, Nestlé, said, “We have made strides in our transformative journey towards a waste-free future, but we know that we have more work to do. As the world’s largest food and beverage company, we’re committed to putting our size and scale to work to tackle the packaging waste problem everywhere that we operate.”

Even as Covid-19 has presented more challenges, the company’s commitment to sustainable packaging remains the same. Nestlé continues to play a leading role in helping solve the issue of plastic pollution through its three-pillar approach launched in January 2019:

Pillar 1: Developing new packaging

• Transitioning to paper packaging across various formats. For example, Smarties sharing block, a popular color-coated chocolate confectionery product, is available in a recyclable paper wrapper in the UK.
• Nestlé’s water business has doubled the amount of rPET used since 2019 across its still water portfolio in the US to 16.5%.
• Nespresso introduced new capsules made with 80% recycled aluminium, an important step towards circularity.

Pillar 2: Shaping a waste-free future

• In August 2020, Nestlé Philippines reached plastic neutrality. That means Nestlé collected and co-processed the equivalent amount of plastic as contained in the products sold and prevented the further flow of plastic into landfills and oceans.
• Together with Project STOP, Nestlé creates a sustainable waste management system and helps reduce ocean plastic pollution in Indonesia.
• Nestlé embarked on a trial to collect, sort and process soft plastics in Australia.
• Nestlé is scaling up reusable and refillable options for its Petcare and soluble coffee products, for instance, through collaboration with the start-up company MIWA in Switzerland.
• Nestlé advocates for the design and implementation of affordable and effective mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility schemes. It has identified 20 countries, accounting for 50% of the company’s plastic usage, where the company will support recycling rates and waste management infrastructure.

Pillar 3: Driving new behavior

• Nestlé is rolling out a sustainable packaging education and training programme for over 290,000 employees, to accelerate behaviour change and help the company meet its packaging objectives.
• Nestlé introduced a digital platform to help consumers dispose of their packaging waste appropriately in Italy.
• Nescafé Dolce Gusto launched a consumer education campaign to promote recycling in Germany and in Mexico.
• Nestlé is driving positive change through school programmes, like the Tunuyan Verde project in Argentina.
• The Algramo (Chile), MIWA (Switzerland) and Loop (France) pilots of refillable and reusable packaging solutions offer a new shopping experience.

Additionally, the company announced that it is seeking to identify and support innovative solutions through the Nestlé Creating Shared Value (CSV) Prize, which launches 30 September. In partnership with the non-profit organisation Ashoka, the Nestlé CSV Prize will award CHF 250 000 in grants for system change innovations in areas such as alternative delivery systems and ground-up solutions to tackle plastic waste.

The development and testing of new, more environmentally friendly packaging materials is driven by the Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences , the food industry’s first such enterprise. The institute has around 50 scientists who conduct cutting-edge packaging research to ensure the safety and applicability of new materials. Research outcomes include new refillable or reusable systems, simplified materials, high-performance barrier papers and the introduction of more recycled content to Nestlé’s packaging. The institute collaborates closely with more than 180 packaging experts embedded in Nestlé’s global R&D network, as well as with research institutions, start-ups, and suppliers. Nestlé will continue to introduce alternative packaging materials and new delivery systems, invest in infrastructure and work with consumers to help solve the packaging waste challenge.

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Engage has collaborated with the Harrogate-based independent tea and coffee company for over five years on a range of projects including building websites, developing microsites and creating content.

The agency was selected to provide digital support for Taylors’ sustainability activity due to the longstanding partnership and its extensive experience with FMCG brands including Heineken and Britvic.

The three year project includes the development of a digital content hub to showcase the environmental and social work conducted by the Taylors and Yorkshire Tea brands in the UK and with suppliers overseas. It also features more information on the company’s sustainability credentials and insight into how other brands can become more sustainable. A dedicated sustainability report has also been produced to review past projects and impacts on people and the planet.

Samantha Gibson, sustainability communications manager at Taylors of Harrogate, commented: “Not only have the Engage team produced a beautifully designed platform to bring this work to life, they’ve also embraced the values behind the project, challenging themselves to build sustainable thinking into the development of the site itself. We couldn’t have asked for a better partner. We are excited about the opportunities the site brings to enable us to talk openly about our sustainability work, not only discussing our progress but also the challenges we’ve faced. It’s also a place to share more from our amazing suppliers around the world.”

Taylors is the first tea and coffee company in the UK to share full details of its supply chains and its impact on suppliers in the countries it operates. Alongside a strong focus on supply chain resilience, the business has spent the last five years working towards CarbonNeutral certification for its entire tea and coffee supply chain, and all of its products are now certified from field to shelf. Further sustainability work includes projects involved in access to water, planting trees and sustainable farming.

Tom Schofield, creative director at Engage, said: “We’re starting to see more of our clients following the lead of Taylors and investing in their sustainability resources and credentials. Thanks to programmes like Blue Planet II, sustainability is becoming more mainstream and consumers are increasingly expecting brands like Taylors to invest in both people and the planet.

“We’ve really enjoyed working on the sustainability hub and report so far, and we’re looking forward to working on the next steps of the project which includes collaborating with Taylors to deliver a sustainability webinar.”

Businesses which prioritise sustainability can reap the rewards and benefits, added Alex Willcocks, co-founder of Engage: “Sustainability is not only great for people and our planet, but it’s also great for business. Customers today have their pick from a number of competitively priced, high quality products and services. Adopting a visible and positive stance on the issues of Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) that is both authentic and aligned to your customer values is a powerful differentiator, especially in a crowded market.”

For business leaders looking to find out more about how to achieve greater sustainability credentials and the benefits this can generate, Engage and Taylors of Harrogate will be hosting a webinar on Thursday 20 August to underline the business benefits and value of having a centralised sustainability hub, and the positive impact that sharing a sustainability story can have on brand value and reputation.

To register for the webinar, visit: app.livestorm.co/engage-3/the-value-of-showcasing-sustainability-online-with-taylors-of-harrogate.

For more information about the sustainability partnership, visit: engageinteractive.co.uk/work/taylors-impact

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The Initiative will be led by founding members including A.P. Moller – Maersk, Danone, Mercedes-Benz AG, Microsoft, Natura &Co, Nike, Starbucks, Unilever, and Wipro, as well as Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). The Initiative is supported by BSR, which is serving as the Secretariat for the Initiative.

Transform to Net Zero will focus on enabling the business transformation needed to achieve net zero emissions no later than 2050, in addition to driving broader change with a focus on policy, innovation, and finance. The outputs of the initiative will be widely available to all, though additional companies may join. The Initiative intends to complete the outputs of this work by 2025.

The work will be led by the following principles:

1. Focused on transformation: Delivering on the companies’ individual commitments and translating into action, which will include corporate strategy, governance and accountability, finance and operations, risk management, procurement, innovation and R&D, marketing and public affairs.
2. Led by science and best practice data and methods: Committed to standardised approaches to achieve what the best available science requires for a 1.5°C world; committed to improving the quality and availability of research, data, and tools for all; committed to the highest return for the climate on investment.
3. Leveraging existing efforts: Committed to open collaboration with existing net zero initiatives (sign-on, advocacy, sectorial, methodology efforts) to leverage existing work and advance business transformation to net zero.

4. Strong governance and oversight: At the highest levels of the company, governance and oversight structures will work to achieve net zero, including through developing innovative products, services, and business models.
5. Robust reduction and removal across the extended enterprise: Net zero requires emissions reductions across the entire value chain, including impact of products and services and supply chain. Net zero requires companies to achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions aligned with the latest science and increase capacity for GHG removals in the near term to be the path to get companies—and the world—to net zero no later than 2050 to ensure a stable climate, and will mean a mix of climate-positive actions should be pursued.
6. Investment in innovation: Substantial commitment and willingness to invest in and accelerate innovation to achieve net zero transformation, including partnering with others.
7. Policy engagement: Advancing public policy that enables and accelerates progress towards net zero, and engagement with bodies such as trade associations to achieve this objective.
8. Transparency and accountability: Public reporting and disclosure on progress towards net zero transformation to key stakeholders, including investors, customers, consumers, and where required―regulators; sharing information with all stakeholders on good practice to net zero transformation.

9. Just and sustainable transition: Marginalised groups and low-income communities bear the greatest impacts of climate change. Therefore, companies will help enable conditions needed to achieve effective, just, and sustainable climate solutions for people of all gender, race, or skills.

Kevin Johnson, Starbucks president and chief executive officer, said: “Starbucks aspires to be a resource-positive company by building on our long history in sustainability. Joining Transform to Net Zero aligned with our aspiration for a more sustainable future. Partnering with other like-minded companies, we will open-source best practices, advocate for positive government policies, and support a just transition. We believe in driving real change and encourage other organizations to join us in this critical effort for humanity.”

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With #ONEMAKESTHEDIFFERENCE, illycaffè reconfirms its commitment to creating a sustainable business model capable of finding competitive advantages for the business while integrating social and environmentally responsible best practices. The company’s goal is to collaboratively show how sustainable quality helps protect and improve the well-being of the planet, while also reminding consumers that everyone’s actions can make a difference.

illycaffé has implemented a multi-year programme to develop products that are increasingly environmentally friendly and represented by the hashtag #ONEMAKESTHEDIFFERENCE. Launching this month are new eco-friendly disposable items, starting with recyclable to-go cups donning the #ONEMAKESTHEDIFFERENCE hashtag and a graphic illustration, which will be available in illy bars, illy Caffè shops, and in vending machines.

Additionally, a new eco-friendly X1 ESE & Ground coffee machine will become available in October, equipped with technology that enables it to dispense coffee and steam, and heat water immediately, avoiding waiting times as each reaches its proper temperature. After each use, the machine instantly goes into standby mode, thereby ensuring significant energy savings. The machine reportedly also combines two methods of coffee preparation which are environmentally sustainable: new ESE compostable paper pods and ground coffee. All materials used in the construction of the machine have been carefully researched and selected to withstand usage over a long period of time, while also following eco-friendly guidelines all the way through to packaging.

Over the next 13 years, the #ONEMAKESTHEDIFFERENCE initiative will continue developing new sustainable products and offer solutions that respond to consumer needs, while using fewer material and energy resources to reduce illy’s environmental impact.

“We want to build a better future together with our consumers,” explained Massimiliano Pogliani, CEO of illycaffè. “Using the approach of continuously improving, which has distinguished us for over 80 years, knowing that day by day and deed by deed, each of us can make a difference.

“#ONEMAKESTHEDIFFERENCE officially marks the start of a series of initiatives to reaching our ambitious goal of becoming carbon neutral for the 100^th Anniversary of the founding of illycaffè.”

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The new charter, launched by The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) and the International Organisation of the Flavour Industry (IOFI), is a voluntary framework for companies in the fragrance and flavour industries. It represents a collective commitment to making a difference for the planet.

The Charter covers sustainability in every sense, taking a life-cycle approach based on five focus areas – responsible sourcing, reducing environmental footprint, employee well-being, product safety, and transparency and partnerships.

The IFRA-IOFI Sustainability Charter complements other longstanding sustainable development commitments and initiatives, such as ADM’s recent pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an additional 25% by 2035. It aims to help the sectors as a whole make further advances by sharing best practice, providing tools, and benchmarking progress.

“The IFRA-IOFI Sustainability Charter is an important initiative for businesses to collaborate and promote sustainable development across the fragrance and flavour industries and we are delighted to be a part of it,” said Alison Taylor, chief sustainability officer. “At ADM we believe that it is vitally important to plan for generations to come, and this collective commitment will help ensure our industry is making the right steps forward to a brighter and more sustainable future.”

The IFRA-IOFI Sustainability Charter has been in development since 2016, shaped through wide consultation of member companies and external experts, and acknowledging the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It has been designed to be aspirational and inclusive, with clear and achievable goals that allow companies of all sizes to make a contribution to improving the overall sustainability of the fragrance and flavour industries.

The Charter continues to be open to signatories from fragrance and flavour companies around the world. Signatories will provide data on progress against 18 commitments in the five focus areas, feeding into a benchmarking report that will be published early in 2021.

For more information on the Charter, visit: ifra-iofi.org.

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The international non-profit organisation expects at least two million farmers around the world to use the new certification programme to produce better crops, adapt to climate change, increase their productivity and reduce costs. Major brands and businesses along the supply chain will rely on the programme to source a steady supply of certified ingredients, meet their commitment to responsible business, and address the rising consumer expectations for more sustainable products. 

The new programme consists of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard with requirements for farms and supply chains, along with a new assurance system and a suite of tools to measure progress towards sustainability objectives. The two years of work to reach this critical point build on the organisation’s combined 45 years of certification experience following the merger of the Rainforest Alliance and UTZ in 2018. 

The development of the new certification programme included public consultations that received input from more than 1,000 people in nearly 50 countries, representing more than 200 organisations. 

“The new certification programme incorporates new tools to support farmers and companies to set clear sustainability targets and focus investments to improve positive impacts for people and nature,” said Ruth Rennie, director of standards and assurance at the Rainforest Alliance. “These tools and innovations will support more resilient agriculture and help make responsible business the new normal. This is increasingly urgent in our age of climate change, biodiversity loss, and global inequality.”

“This ambitious and innovative certification programme is part of the Rainforest Alliance’s strategy of collaboration with farmers, companies, implementing partners, and third-party auditors, as well as other NGOs, governments, and consumers,” said Alex Morgan, chief markets officer at the Rainforest Alliance. “Only together can we restore the balance between people and nature and create a world where we thrive together,” he added.

In May of this year, the Rainforest Alliance also released its new seal, which can be used on product packaging and promotional materials from 1 September 2020. The new seal will eventually replace the current Rainforest Alliance Certified seal and the UTZ label. The new certification seal is a simple visual that shows consumers how to make a better choice and demonstrates that farmers and companies are taking steps to make their products more sustainable.

Key innovations of the Rainforest Alliance 2020 certification programme:

• Climate-smart agriculture: A climate-smart agriculture approach is vital for farmers and businesses around the world who need to adapt to a changing climate in order to secure the future of their crops and livelihoods, products, and supply chains. The 2020 Sustainable Agriculture Standard is inherently oriented towards climate-smart agriculture with a focus on adaptation and resilience.
• Human rights: A new “Assess-and-Address” approach to tackling human rights issues such as child labour, forced labour, discrimination, and workplace violence and harassment has been developed. Rather than imposing a simple ban that often drives the problem underground, Rainforest Alliance says the new approach focuses on assessing the risks and engaging local communities to work together to prevent and address the issues wherever and whenever they may occur.
• Improved data management: Better analysis of risks and measurement of performance, new digital tools for farmers and clearer performance insights for companies. Geospatial analysis is used to support and monitor performance against key requirements of the standard, such as the avoidance of deforestation.
• Shared responsibility: The programme seeks to address systemic imbalances in global supply chains, which put too much burden on producers alone to achieve more sustainable agricultural production. Buyers will have to reward producers for meeting sustainable agriculture standards by paying a mandatory ‘sustainability differential’ which is an additional cash payment over and above the market price for the sale of certified crops. Buyers will also need to provide investments to support producers to achieve their sustainability objectives and be transparent about those.
• Social and environmental requirements for supply chains: In the new certification programme, companies in the supply chain identified as having a high risk of negative social and environmental impacts will also need to implement improved practices. These include for instance ensuring decent working conditions and labour protections as well as wastewater management.
• Deforestation: Deforestation continues to be banned for certified producers, but prohibition will extend to the conversion of all natural ecosystems, including wetlands and peatlands, for more land to be protected and managed more sustainably.
• Risk-based requirements and assurance: The new certification programme is based on more in-depth risk assessment of the social and environmental risks to sustainable agricultural production in different crops and countries. Data from the risk assessment will be used to provide guidance to producers and companies on where to focus their improvements for maximum impact.

From September 2020, the Rainforest Alliance will start rolling out the certification programme around the world through a comprehensive global training programme and further development of supporting technology systems. From July 2021, all audits will be against the 2020 Sustainable Agriculture Standard. 

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The Populus poll was commissioned by Nature 2030, an international coalition of businesses, politicians and campaigners ‘doing right by the environment’ in the 2020s and beyond.

Populus polled 2087 members of the UK public aged 18 and over between 29-31 May this year.

The results show that 84% of the UK public believe all drinks containers should be included in the government’s proposed scheme – up from 69% in May last year.

Additionally, almost four in five people said they believe the scheme should have a variable deposit – a departure from the government’s consultation where some 57% favoured a flat deposit level.

The Scottish government passed legislation in May to introduce its ‘all-in’ deposit return scheme in 2022, and the UK government has committed to introducing a deposit return scheme covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2023.

Campaigners believe an ‘all-in’ scheme with a variable deposit is key to tackling Britain’s waste crisis. They argue a comprehensive scheme capturing as many materials as possible will be easier for consumers to understand and is the most effective model for reducing waste.

However some campaigners have warned the flat deposit could make it more economical for consumers to buy drinks in larger plastic bottles. They have argued that a flat deposit represents a substantial percentage increase on the price of small drinks servings compared to larger servings. They say this could compound the plastic crisis and lead to increased obesity rates by encouraging consumers to purchase larger portions of sugary drinks.

Nevertheless, academics and campaigners have welcomed the results of the poll. A spokesman for the Nature 2030 campaign said: “The Great British Public has spoken.

“With Whitehall set to introduce a deposit return scheme over the next few years, Ministers have got the necessary time to design a system that has the support of consumers across Britain.”

Dr Sian Henley, lecturer in Marine Science at the University of Edinburgh, said: “The survey results show the British public supports the introduction of a deposit return scheme that puts the environment first.

“Making the deposit return scheme as comprehensive as possible ensures no materials will be left to litter our precious seas and coastline for generations to come.”

Dr Laura Foster, head of Clean Seas at the Marine Conservation Society, said: ““It’s high time the Government takes its lead from the public and introduces a scheme of all sizes and all materials that will give us the best chance to combat litter and plastic pollution once and for all.”

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The chair, based within EPFL’s Institute of Materials and to be appointed as a tenure-track assistant professor, will focus on the research and development of sustainable materials such as alternative packaging to enable the reduction of plastic waste. Research topics of interest will address critical areas, such as the overall environmental impact of materials and the exploration of bio-based, bio-degradable and recyclable materials, including high-performance paper-based barrier materials that could help to address environmental concerns about plastic packaging, and more.

Stefan Palzer, Nestlé’s chief technology officer, said: “Tackling plastic pollution is a top priority for Nestlé. We continue our efforts to pilot novel approaches for re-use packaging, while also evaluating new recycling technologies and sustainable packaging materials. The development of high performing, environmentally friendly materials requires a fundamental understanding of material structures and properties, which is why we are collaborating with our innovation partners to invest in sustainable material research at EPFL.”

“Our specialists are already committed to developing cutting-edge, new materials that will help the world get rid of its dependency on petrol-based products. Building strong relationships with industrial partners is key to have these new products reach customers in the most efficient way,” stressed Martin Vetterli, EPFL president.

The discovery and development of functional, safe and environmentally friendly packaging solutions is a key focus for Nestlé. In 2018, the company announced its Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences as an important step further to achieve the company’s commitment to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. The Institute’s broader research partnership with EPFL includes a four-year agreement to support postdoctoral and PhD projects aimed at developing and testing life-cycle engineered food packaging.

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The independent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis by Intertek, one of the world’s leading Total Quality Assurance providers, is the first to measure the environmental impact of producing, using and disposing of all types of single use coffee cups, including the whole supply chain from growing trees, paper-making, plastic production, transport, cup and sleeve manufacture, delivery and waste processing.

It found that each conventional single use coffee cup requires 0.58 litres of water to produce and has a carbon footprint of up to 60.9 grams of CO2e per cup. This is because conventional, coated and compostable cups are all made from virgin paper.

That means 1.45 billion litres of water and 1.03 million trees are used to produce more than 2.5 billion coffee cups used in the UK every year and 290 billion litres and 206.3 million trees to make the estimated 500 billion cups used globally.

The carbon footprint of the 2.5 billion cups that go to landfill in the UK is therefore over 152,000 tonnes of CO2e, the equivalent of 33,300 cars being driven for a year. Globally for the 500 billion cups, that is over 30.4 million tonnes, the CO2 equivalent of providing electricity to 5,155,366 households – a city the size of Paris.

However, if the UK moved over to the Frugal Cup, which is made from 96% recycled paper with no waterproofing chemicals, it could save over a billion litres of water and up to a million trees a year. Repeated globally, 215 billion litres of water and 198 million trees could be saved per year.

The analysis shows that if Frugal Cups replaced the more than 2.5 billion coffee cups used in the UK every year, the carbon saving would be approximately 90,315 tonnes of CO2e, which is the carbon equivalent of:

• Driving more than 224 million miles in an average car. Enough to drive around the world 8,996 times and take 19,502 cars off the road
• Charging 11.5 billion smartphones. More than enough to charge every smartphone on the planet three times
• Sequestering carbon from 117,947 acres of forest – the size of 68,300 football pitches
• Providing electricity for 15,291 homes for a year – the size of a town like Port Talbot.

If the 500 billion paper cups consumed globally were replaced with Frugal Cup, more than 18 million tonnes of CO2e could be saved, which would be the carbon equivalent of 42 million barrels of oil, driving around the world 1.8 million times or providing electricity to 3,058,173 households for a year – more than enough to power whole countries like Scotland, Denmark or Finland.

Replacing the UK’s more than 2.5 billion cups with Frugal Cup could also save 1.07 billion litres of water every year, the equivalent of 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools, and more than 990,099 trees. (This figure is based on 2006 US statistics that found 6.6 million trees were cut down to produce 16 billion paper coffee cups, therefore averaging 2,424 paper cups per tree and the Frugal Cup being made of 96% recycled paper).

Frugalpac’s chief executive, Malcolm Waugh, said: “This independent study conclusively proves that the Frugal Cup is the most environmentally friendly paper cup available and could easily become the standard if the major coffee chains accepted it.

“It’s the only cup that uses recycled paper and whichever way you dispose of it, still produces by far the lowest carbon and water footprints against conventional, coated and compostable cups.

“It’s increasingly clear that people and businesses have to live and work more sustainably. Recycling coffee cups is still a huge problem. There is only one dedicated waste facility in the UK to process conventional cups and 53 industrial composting sites that could process compostable cups. Increasing that capacity will cost tens of millions of pounds and take decades to achieve.

“The Frugal Cup has been specifically designed to go through conventional recycling facilities. Moving over to our cup will protect the environment, reduce carbon emissions, save billions of litres of water and stop millions of trees needlessly being cut down to produce single use cups made of virgin paper.”

The Frugal Cup is already being used in independent coffee shops across the UK and in universities such as the London School of Economics (LSE).

Marcelo Warmling, Hospitality & Catering manager at the LSE, said:

“Standard virgin paper cups with a plastic liner are extremely difficult to collect, sort, and recycle because of their components and construction. That’s why we decided to stock the Frugal Cup across all our catering outlets.

“Manufactured in UK – using a market-leading 96% recycled paper and no waterproofing chemicals – the Frugal Cup delivers considerable reductions in the use of energy and carbon. With such impressive Life Cycle Analysis results, the Frugal Cup was the only choice for us. Plus, as it is manufactured using recycled paper, it has already completed several loops of recycling prior to it becoming a cup, which means that the process is truly circular.”

To more information about the Frugal Cup, visit: www.frugalpac.com.

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Rooke joins the BCA following 25 years at the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) where he held the position of head of policy and external relations. His new leadership appointment comes at a crucial time for the UK coffee industry as the deepening impacts of Covid-19 are felt and as Brexit negotiations start to shape future trade, tariffs and labour movement and environmental policy continues to shape the UK’s circular economy and infrastructure.

Commenting on his appointment, Rooke said, “The coffee industry is, like many other sectors, facing a period of massive upheaval and business uncertainty from Covid-19. Coffee is an everyday part of so many peoples’ lives and we will be looking to ensure its production and availability to customers can be maintained during this very difficult period and those members whose businesses are facing immense pressure can get some respite from the measures Government is introducing.

“Whilst I am of course excited to be joining the UK coffee industry, we recognise that there is an immediate need to support our members, and UK coffee, through this crisis.”

2020 will also see several key government resources and waste consultations on the environment and packaging, along with ongoing work for the BCA around wider sustainability issues such as improving the resilience of coffee farmers and driving responsible sourcing practices across its supply chains.

At the start of the year, the BCA Board developed an ambitious set of new objectives and goals for the association that will provide new routes to growth, expand capabilities and continually improve the relevance of the association for its members. These renewed objectives will be pivotal to Rooke’s role in moving the organisation forward.

BCA chair, Thomas Blackwall, commented, “Paul’s extensive background working in policy and external affairs for wider trade associations will be hugely beneficial for the BCA, we couldn’t be happier that he has accepted the role.

“With Paul coming on board we will start to see the BCA go through a rapid phase of expanding capability, building capacity and becoming an even stronger voice for the UK coffee industry. This is even more important given the business impacts from the coronavirus crisis and in prioritising the health, safety, and wellbeing of people working throughout the coffee sector.”

Rooke will report into the BCA chair and board and will work closely with the heads of the BCA Committees, notably across Technical & Regulatory, Sustainability, Communications, and Trade & Logistics.

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