Making Every Cup More Responsible & Resilient

Sustainability is not just good business; it is imperative for the future of coffee and tea. Coffee and tea brands are actively engaging with local and origin communities while working to become more energy efficient and reduce waste to create positive social and environmental impacts that will help ensure a more sustainable future. By Vanessa L Facenda.

For coffee and tea companies, ‘sustainability’ is not a buzzword in their annual reports or a goodwill initiative, it is woven into every part of the business, from how the coffee and tea is sourced to how it is served. From reducing their carbon footprints and waste to supporting farming and local communities, and investing in the future, coffee and tea brands are working to “make every cup more responsible and resilient,” as Peet’s Coffee noted.

For example, becoming independent in 2022 triggered a transformation in how the world’s largest tea business approaches ESG. LIPTON Teas and Infusions has since moved from chasing broad multi-category pledges and consumer-facing trustmarks to tea-specific action meant to positively change quality both in cup and in how it is produced. The company’s first double materiality assessment involved stakeholders throughout tea’s value chain and from around the world. It confirmed the areas of greatest potential impact and led to a new sustainability strategy in 2023 which, intertwined with its commercial agenda, aims to unlock the true value of tea within a generation. Focused on accelerating climate action, uplifting livelihoods, and serving healthier, tastier teas, this long-term approach is underpinned by a recognition that skills development is central to achieving LIPTON’s goals.

As climate change continues to threaten the global coffee supply, Peet’s Coffee is a founding supporter of World Coffee Research, funding the development of high-quality, climate-resilient coffee varieties to protect the future of the crop. “Together, these initiatives show that sustainability isn’t just good business – it’s essential to the future of coffee. At Peet’s, every cup is part of something bigger,” said a spokesperson for the brand.

This year, Traditional Medicinals is continuing its mission to care for people, plants, and the planet through environmental action and community-driven initiatives. Building on the momentum of 2024, the certified B Corporation company, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, is making significant strides in sustainability, ethical sourcing, and regenerative partnerships.

It All Begins at Origin

A notable initiative since becoming independent has been the LIPTON Tea Innovation & Technology Academy, which was inaugurated in 2024. This education facility was established together with the Kenyan Ministry of Education and University of Kabianga with the aim of helping farmers gain the training to improve their crop as well as their own financial circumstances. Among the first vocational training courses is the Integrated Pest Management programme, developed with leading agronomists from the University of Amsterdam amongst others.

The course supports a shift away from agrochemical use, showing what is possible without harming yields and without putting livelihoods at risk. The Academy’s overall curriculum is designed to raise living standards, especially for women on whom much of Kenya’s tea production relies. Higher education programmes, up to PhD courses, will start in the future as the Academy targets 3,000 people through its doors each year once fully operational.

Peet’s Coffee is making long-term investments in coffee-growing regions through its expanded partnership with Enveritas, a non-profit that uses data and third-party verification to assess social and environmental risks. Peet’s tackles issues by working with suppliers to develop targeted improvement projects. In 2024 alone, the company supported nearly 39,000 farmers in ten countries — funding efforts like clean water access in Papua New Guinea, childcare in Guatemala, and climate-resilient agriculture in Honduras, Indonesia and Ethiopia.

In 2024, 99 percent of Traditional Medicinals herbs were certified organic and 38 percent were Fair-certified, as the company works toward its goal of sourcing 80 percent Fair volume by 2030.

Later this year, it will launch its first three Fair for Life certified products, “deepening our commitment to ethical trade and helping make herbal wellness more equitable at its source.” In addition to sourcing these fair-certified herbs, the company contributes to a separate fund for producer-led projects. Additionally, in 2024 Traditional Medicinals contributed more than USD $320,000 to localised community investments across the globe.

Traditional Medicinals “believes the quality of our products stems from the quality of life of the people who produce them.” In tandem with its certification efforts, the company has been involved in several community sourcing projects, including supporting over 300 women in Egypt with business training and loans, installing clean water boreholes for 4,000 people in Zimbabwe, revitalising village infrastructure in Bulgaria and India, and expanding prenatal care access in remote farming communities in the Philippines through donated medical equipment and training.

Lavazza’s values extend into the communities where coffee is grown. Through the Lavazza Foundation, the company supports more than 30 active projects in 20+ producing countries, empowering women and youth, building climate resilience, and promoting long-term economic stability for farming communities. These initiatives are designed to create lasting, positive change in the regions that are central to coffee cultivation. Furthermore, they reflect Lavazza’s belief that sustainability isn’t a marketing buzzword, it’s a responsibility. From ethical sourcing to workplace culture to regenerative agriculture, the brand is “working to embed sustainable practices at every stage of its business, ensuring each cup supports something greater.”

Reducing Carbon Footprints In-House

Peet’s Coffee offers a $0.25 discount to anyone who brings their own cup — “a simple, permanent incentive that encourages better habits,” the company said. For those sipping in-store, real porcelain cups are back, cutting down on single-use waste. Through a partnership with Too Good To Go, Peet’s has diverted more than 120,000 bags of surplus food from landfills, ensuring good food doesn’t go to waste.

From its start in Minnesota 30 years ago, Caribou Coffee has been growing around the United States and world — but never lost a taste for supporting the communities in which it does business and doing the right thing to grow a more sustainable future. When Caribou opened a new coffeehouse in Texas in May (the first stand alone location in the state), it was also the latest step in the company’s ongoing efforts to reuse commercial QSR (quick serve restaurant) facilities and repurpose materials to reduce impact on both communities and the environment.

“Whenever we open a Caribou Coffee location we think about two important things,” said Emily Heuring, senior director, real estate, design and construction, Caribou Coffee. “Obviously it’s crucial to meet the community interest and need for great coffee and a gathering place, but we also look at how we can minimise impact to the community and the environment during the pre-opening design and build phase. In this case, we focused on smart reuse of an existing QSR commercial property. Doing this gives us the ability to retrofit, optimise and rebrand the coffeehouse without more invasive processes like breaking ground, or all of the steps, materials and resources needed for new construction.”

Located at 5955 Rufe Snow Drive, Watauga, Texas, the coffeehouse is an example of Caribou’s sustainability efforts that begin with immediate construction practices and extend to long term operations improvements. So, the physical space, a former Scooter’s, now incorporates recycled materials like Trex boards and recycled siding, but also low-energy LED lighting and systems that reduce water and gas usage.

“Successful sustainability isn’t just about meticulous planning – it has to be carried through in every aspect of design, build and daily operations in ways that work for the long term,” said Heuring.

Fresh Roasted Coffee has a simple mission: to make high-quality, sustainably sourced coffee accessible to everyone. “We believe that great coffee shouldn’t be exclusive or expensive — and that roasting responsibly isn’t optional. Coffee has a massive environmental footprint, and it’s our job as a roaster and manufacturer to minimise that impact wherever we can,” said a spokesperson for the company.

In 2024, Fresh Roasted Coffee (FRC) took a major step toward clean energy by converting its entire 84,000 sq ft facility to solar power. The project began with a full roof overhaul-adding new insulation and a white reflective top to reduce heat absorption. From there, it installed over 1,100 solar panels, creating a 753 KWh7 system designed to meet – and exceed – its total energy needs. Since operations in the converted facility began in October 2024, and the impact has been substantial. As of July 2025, FRC has produced 465.267 MWh of electricity—enough energy to power over 43 US homes for one year. FRC remains connected to the grid so it is able to purchase power when seasonal weather limits its solar capabilities, but when it exceeds the facility’s needs FRC is able to direct energy back into the grid to help power other businesses and homes in its community.

FRC’s clean energy story began with its founding. From the start it has used roasting machines that operate on a closed-loop system that’s automatic, self regulating and efficient. The energy-efficient roasters allow FRC to roast in a virtually smoke-free environment, cut carbon emissions by up to 80 percent, and keep hundreds of thousands of pounds of CO2 out of the atmosphere. Furthermore, FRC’s overall energy use is reduced by recirculating heat and repurposing that excess heat to help warm the facility in winter. “With both renewable energy and clean roasting at the core of our operation, we’re working to become one of the most environmentally responsible roasters in the US, but sustainability doesn’t stop at the equipment, it’s built into every part of our business,” said the spokesperson. FRC recycles throughout its facility and donates chaff to local farms and gardens for composting.

Environmental responsibility remains central to Lavazza’s strategy. With coffee production deeply tied to climate and land health, the company has implemented a roadmap focused on measuring, reducing and compensating for environmental impact. From ISO 14001-certified operations to a long-term Sustainable Packaging Roadmap, Lavazza is taking measurable steps toward a more circular, climate-conscious future.

The company said its business decisions are “guided by a deep respect for people and the planet.” As such, it is investing in its people, fostering an inclusive, healthy, and safe workplace for its 5,800+ employees worldwide. In 2025, Lavazza expanded its Gap-Free Diversity & Inclusion program globally and delivered more than 4,000 hours of dedicated training focused on sustainability and equity, demonstrating a deep commitment to professional development and responsible business practices. Lavazza upholds rigorous health, safety, and human rights standards across its supply chain through initiatives like its Codes of Ethics and Conduct. Responsible procurement practices ensure that its values are embedded at every level of operation.

Earlier this year, Traditional Medicinals launched its Herbs for all platforms, which expands access to herbal wellness and education. The program includes Planting Wellness, which provides grants to grassroots groups offering culturally relevant herbal care in underserved communities across the US, and the Plant Wisdom Collective, a free digital platform that shares herbal education. With over $275,000 in investments and $75,000 in grants awarded to two non-profits: Oko Farms and The Botanical Bus, Herbs for All supports community healing, environmental justice, and ancestral knowledge preservation. The initiative will expand nationally in 2026 to empower more organisations to share traditional herbal medicine.

Spotlight on Regenerative Agriculture

illycaffè has long been committed to mitigating the effects of climate change throughout the entire supply chain, starting with coffee cultivation. Pursuant to this and under the guidance of its chairman, Andrea Illy, illycaffè has been a pioneer in the field of regenerative agriculture, which allows for proper nourishment of the plants, naturally regenerating the soil, thus reducing CO2 emissions. This type of cultivation helps improve the health of the ecosystem thanks to the increased biodiversity of the species used for ground cover and soil dynamics. Illycaffè’s first certified regenerative coffee blend was produced in 2023.

illycaffè celebrated International Coffee Day in 2024 by highlighting its Arabica Selection Brazil Cerrado Mineiro, the first coffee from regenerative agriculture and regenagri® certified, created together with the Federation of Cerrado Mineiro producers. “The Arabica Selection Brazil Cerrado Mineiro is the result of the relationship we have built over the years with coffee producers and the Federation of Producers of Cerrado Mineiro. We have shared the urgency of finding a solution to the effects of climate change,” said Cristina Scocchia, CEO of illycaffè, in a statement. “Aware that this challenge can only be overcome by joining forces, we have identified the best techniques for ecosystem adaptation, mitigation, and regeneration, producing the first 100 percent Arabica coffee sourced from certified regenerative agriculture, as certified by regenagri®.”

In April – Earth Month – The Republic of Tea debuted its Regenerative Organic Certified Tea Collection, a premium line of teas that align with its long-standing commitment to sustainability. Certified by the Regenerative Organic Alliance, this accreditation ensures that the teas are grown using farming practices that regenerate soil, support biodiversity and empower farmers, and improve equity and animal welfare. 

LIPTON Teas and Infusions is also exploring regenerative agriculture. It has entered into research partnerships with the Universities of Oxford and Cranfield that are exploring regenerative practices and on-field emissions analysis. This work is set to benefit the entire industry as the company “considers creating value for all necessary to achieve success.” 

Vanessa L Facenda has been editor of Tea & Coffee Trade Journal since 2012. She may be reached at [email protected].