Sustainability

Sustainability is more than just a word for us. We live it, believe it, think it and are convinced it is the only way forward in the future. We strongly believe that today’s welfare and high standard of living must still leave the world as beautiful and as diverse for future generations. We want our children to see the world, its different peoples, animals and nature in all its beauty and diversity. Let us all help to make this possible. We at Julius Meinl committed ourselves to make it happen.

Sustainability has shaped our history from the beginning: Founded in 1862, Julius Meinl became the largest importer of coffee and tea in the Austrian Empire. As the company grew in size, so did the social responsibility of Julius Meinl towards his employees. Julius Meinl has always been at the forefront of social responsibility. We were the first company to introduce child care and a vacation home for our employees in the early years of the 20th century. And we have already provided health care and free doctor consultations in times when this was most unusual.

Consequently, sustainable entrepreneurship at Julius Meinl has always been characterized through:

  • Premium quality and best service
  • Social engagement
  • Open-minded and cosmopolitan behaviour

We have been cherishing these values for five generations of the Meinl family.

“Sustainability is to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

WCED report „Our Common Future“, 1987

Our latest sustainable achievements:

  • We have significantly reduced the amount of materials used for all our packaging to positively contribute to the well-being of our environment.
  • We have come up with innovations for alternative packaging materials, such as our degradable soil on tea bags.
  • We have implemented the ISO 14001 environmental management system at our production in Vicenza.
  • We have installed a waste heat recovery from roasting machines at our production in Vicenza to heat/cool our offices thereby significantly reducing our CO2 emissions.
  • We have implemented checklists for sustainable procurement to guarantee fair labour conditions.

We are proud members of the following organizations:

Fairtrade

The Fairtrade certificate guarantees that importers, roasters and coffee traders pay a set minimum price to coffee farmers. This price lies above the rate currently traded in the global market. Coffee farmers are hence offered better working and living conditions, as well as brighter perspectives for their future.

With this initiative we contribute to the goals of Fairtrade – guaranteed minimum prices, long-term delivery contracts, direct trade between producer and customer, investments into social and community support projects, as well as environmental protection. It is only a small step, but it makes a huge difference for the people employed in coffee production. 

Discover our Fairtrade coffees 

See also: www.fairtrade.net

UTZ

UTZ stands for sustainable farming and better opportunities for farmers, their families and our planet.

“Coffee has always been our income crop and quality increase is one of the key objectives. So we need to do more with less. UTZ gives us good management tools and it is clear where improvements are needed.”

Source: www.UTZ.org

Maria Aparecida Silva with her son and grandson, Sítio Ribeirão da Onça states, Brazil.

Children after school in Honduras.

Farmer hand-picks coffee cherries, Peru.

The UTZ program enables farmers to learn better farming methods, improve working conditions and take better care of their children and the environment. Through the UTZ program farmers grow better crops, generate more income and create better opportunities while safeguarding the environment and securing the earth’s natural resources. Now and in the future. Their strict requirements on good agricultural practices and management, safe and healthy working conditions, no child labor and protection of the environment are closely monitored by independent third parties. UTZ tracks and traces the coffee from the farm to the shelf in the store. This way, consumers can be sure that their trusted product was grown, harvested and processed sustainably. And that tastes a lot better.

Discover our UTZ coffees

Organic/Bio

Wherever today’s consumers choose to buy or eat organic products, they should be able to have confidence that these comply with strict EU rules. Products that do not meet these standards may not be referred to as organic or bear the EU’s organic logo or a national equivalent.
 
This is why the EU regulation on organic farming covers not only production and processing, but also the control and labelling of organic food. So whenever you buy organic food, you can be confident that it has been produced in accordance with strict environmental and animal welfare rules and checked accordingly.
 
 
See also:

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