Why Buy Anything
Conventionally?
Like most organizations, we have not yet figured out how to satisfy all of our stakeholders perfectly. We are committed to increasing our purchases of sustainably produced coffee, but we are also competing with many other companies who are not. We believe we have to continue to source in a way that keeps us competitive economically, while advocating for changes in the global sourcing system that the entire coffee industry supports.
We struggle with the reality that not all our coffees are sustainable. Our response is fivefold. We intend to:
- Uphold a commitment to Fair Trade Certified™ coffees. We are actively working to develop our supply chain to support anticipated further growth in Fair Trade Certified™ coffees and align with suppliers that can meet that demand.
- Continue to work towards raising awareness among consumers about the impact they can have on the growth of Fair Trade Certified™ coffees and what Fair Trade Certified™ means for themselves, and their community, here and abroad.
- Communicate the value of Fair Trade Certified™ coffees, and translate that value into a more compelling business proposition. Through publications like this, and by playing a leadership role in the business community, we advocate our mission of transforming the way the world understands business.
- Continue developing our grantmaking program to deliver greater impact and be more effective in improving the quality of life in the communities that we touch.
- Increase the efficiency of our operation, so we can gain the flexibility to pursue more sustainable business practices in the long term.