Going beyond the concept of “green business,” momentum is growing for businesses driving social change. Equator Coffees & Teas, already known for ethical sourcing, stellar employment practices, and strong commitment to environmental sustainability, joins a new and growing class of company that uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. Certified B Corporations must meet comprehensive and transparent performance standards that measure a company’s impact on its employees, suppliers, community, and the environment.
Becoming the first Bay Area coffee roaster certified as a B Corporation is just the most recent “first” in a string of ethical “firsts” for Equator. Equator was one of the first coffee roasters to invest in a Loring Smart Roaster, which uses 80% less natural gas than traditional roasters and emits fewer pollutants. Equator is one of a handful of roasters that owns a coffee farm. In 2007, Equator purchased Finca Sophia in Panama and has since built eco-friendly housing equipped with clean burning cookstoves and flush toilets for the workers living on the farm. Equator was the first roaster in the Bay Area to sign on to sell Fair Trade Certified coffee. Today over 50% of Equator’s coffees are certified Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, or some combination of all three. In 2008 Equator became a certified Bay Area Green Business.
“We’ve always believed that social responsibility and environmental sustainability lead to the highest quality coffee”, said Helen Russell, Co-founder and CEO of Equator. “It’s fantastic that there is now a legal framework for corporations who go beyond the bottom line and consider the impact of their decisions on their employees, suppliers, community, consumers, and environment. We are very proud to be a Certified B Corp.”
Equator engages in a number of social ventures in coffee growing communities that illustrate the power of ethical business. These ventures not only help coffee farmers and producers live more dignified lives, and protect the environment, but they also ensure the highest quality coffee for Equator’s stable of high profile clients including Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, La Boulange Bakeries, and Joie de Vivre Hospitality.