Sustainability
We want to secure a future for our producers, roasters and chocolatiers, which we can only do by building sustainable supply chains today. Sustainability is all about understanding the effects of what we do, what we buy and how, to ensure workers receive a fair wage in a protected environment.
What is our aim, in a world whose resources and capacity to absorb human pollution are reaching their limits? We want to contribute to a regenerative dynamic and to limit our impact wherever possible, through solutions that work with nature, and above all with your help.
The challenges facing our industries
Producers are operating in an increasingly complex environment for an income that does not always cover production costs, which is putting our industries at risk. We must address the social, environmental and economic challenges to ensure they remain sustainable and that all stakeholders thrive. We know too little about the effects of our purchases and underestimate our ability to build sustainable supply chains that allow everyone to grow.
Climate change
This alone is making the future of coffee and cacao producers more precarious. We have to find ways to transition towards new, more sustainable and less emissive agricultural models. We support and develop regenerative supply chains, promoting best practices and pushing for agro-ecological transition.
Remuneration
Rising agricultural production costs and increasingly scarce labour in many parts of the world make the equation even more complex. The profession of producer is becoming less and less attractive. Everyone must receive a fair wage for their work if we want our industries to retain their appeal.
Prices
The coffee stock market is very volatile, which makes it difficult for producers and roasters to invest in their future. It’s important that we pay a fair buying and selling price. We must find ways of enhancing the image of these products throughout the value chain, taking into account local production costs.
Consumption
To meet these challenges, roasters, chocolatiers and consumers must all be aware that what they buy has an impact. We, too, can improve sustainability on our side of the globe.
3 key figures
To understand the urgency of adapting to climate change and making this an attractive industry for younger generations, by helping producers to thrive.
50
50% of cultivable Arabica acreage is set to disappear by 2050.
75
75% of GHG emissions from cacao are caused by deforestation.
55
The average age of a coffee or cacao grower is 55.
Our goal: transparency
Traceability
From the farm to your door, providing you with all the available data about your products to help you understand them.
Fair remuneration
By our branches at origin, who are best placed to understand the work done by producers and who pay a fair price in complete transparency.
Farming practices
Promoting best practices and helping farmers to adopt regenerative methods.
Low-carbon transport
Our ambition? To transport almost all our coffees to Europe by sail by 2030!
Cup quality
The best way for a consumer to appreciate a producer’s work and expertise.
Without you, we couldn’t do anything!
We work hard to make our coffee and cacao industries sustainable, but we’re merely a link in the chain. You, as producers, artisan roasters and chocolatiers, are the mainstays.
We work daily to make better purchasing decisions and bring you better products, but we make mistakes. Your thoughts and feedback help us improve.
They allow us to take the necessary grassroots action at the farms themselves, where our teams on the ground source products directly from producers.
The move to regenerative farming and low-carbon transport
We believe that sustainable practices will secure the independence and long-term future of producers. They have been hit hard by energy and supply challenges over the last 10 years, highlighting their need to be less dependent on a global system that encourages intensive use of inputs. This is why we focus our efforts on finding solutions in nature.
This approach also has a positive impact on our environment, which is something your customers will appreciate.
Traditional model
GHG emissions
Coffee is the 6th most CO²-intensive agricultural product in the world.
Destruction of habitats
Through deforestation and the ever-increasing need for space to grow crops.
Destruction of soils
Agriculture contributes to changes in land use, which is the leading cause of biodiversity loss.
Water pollution
Through excessive irrigation and poor wastewater treatment.
Conventional transport
Conventional transport emits a lot of carbon, which pollutes.
Regenerative model
- GHG storage
The agroforestry model stores CO2. - A biodiversity reserve
The agroforestry model preserves biodiversity. - Preservation of soil life
Soil preservation significantly increases its resilience to climate change. - Less wastewater
Particularly in the coffee industry, thanks to the different post-harvest processes (honey, natural). - Transport by sail
Our efforts must not stop at the farm! We can also reduce the CO2 emitted when transporting our coffee.
How can I choose a sustainable product?
Sustainability criteria to help you choose the best products
We have created a filter system for our coffee, cacao and equipment to help you find the right product. For example, you can filter for coffees transported by sail, certified coffees or specific type of agroforestry.
See our coffeesMaximum traceability
Our product information sheets show all the traceability information in our possession. When possible, we provide links so you can find out more about the origin, farm and producer.
See our coffeesOur quality analyses
Further down, we provide the results of our quality analyses. These are carried out by our teams at Mérignac and in our branches at origin.
See our coffeesWhat about the equipment?
In addition to providing all the available information on the product and brand, we give our equipment partners a Belco rating for their CSR practices.
See our equipment
Our partners
Developing regenerative agriculture is not something we can achieve alone. It’s a collective effort carried out with everyone involved in our industries, from producer to consumer. We also surround ourselves with additional experts from associations, the corporate world and research centres to achieve our goals, building long-term partnerships to create a network geared resolutely towards what we consider to be the only possible future.
