Bewley’s goes carbon neutral
Coffee experts Bewley’s, the market leading importer, roaster and supplier of fresh ground coffees in Ireland, announced today that it will become Ireland’s the first coffee company to be fully certified CarbonNeutral® . The development will see over 3,500 tonnes of CO2 removed from the atmosphere each year.
The announcement, at Bewley’s Café Grafton Street, was attended by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage & Local Government, Mr. John Gormley, T.D., with Síofra Campbell, Chairman and John Cahill, Group Chief Executive, Campbell Bewley Group.
The plan will be achieved through:
- expert measurement of emissions
- specific schemes targeted to reduce CO2 emissions from the business operation
- a move to renewable energy sources
- support for high quality carbon offset projects.
The CarbonNeutral® company certification will apply to Bewley’s coffee roasting, tea blending, foodservice and retail operations and will include Bewley’s Grafton Street Café.
The move ties in closely with Bewley’s wider sustainability initiatives where the company already recently became the first and only coffee roaster in Ireland to attain the ISO 14001 environmental management standard – independently certified by the NSAI. The company was also the first to import fairtrade-certified coffees into Ireland twelve years ago and is the largest supplier of fairtrade coffees to the Irish market.
Bewley’s CarbonNeutral programme was developed in consultation with The CarbonNeutral Company (TCNC), the world leading business in climate consulting and carbon offsetting. TCNC’s independent science advisors – the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management (ECCM) – measured Bewley’s carbon footprint and have helped to develop carbon measurement systems across its organization. The foundations were then laid for a 15% overall reduction in CO2 outputs, which was achieved in 2007.
With a clear assessment of where carbon is currently being generated, Bewley’s is now on target to achieve a further 20% reduction in CO2 emissions for 2008. The company is investing in renewable energy sources and heat recycling from its gas fired coffee roastery to heat its headquarters.
To reduce their carbon footprint to net zero, The CarbonNeutral Company has provided high quality carbon offsets to Bewley’s – all of which meet international standards, and meet the CarbonNeutral® Protocol’s requirement for guarantees and verification. Bewley’s has chosen to support clean hydroelectric electricity generation in South America, among other projects.
The longer term reductions being targeted are the equivalent of removing the CO2 emissions of some 3,200 cars annually1. The overall initiative is being led by a team headed by Síofra Campbell, Chairman of Campbell Bewley Group, who commented: “The relationship with The CarbonNeutral Company will be ongoing, to ensure that our plans take into account any updated standards and best practice. In addition, carbon emissions now comprise an integral part of quarterly reporting for each division.”
“We are involving every one of our employees and business partners in this agenda. We have already reduced energy usage and will be moving to a renewable energy provider. We are implementing a new heat recycling system. In addition, a major recycling initiative is targeted at reducing waste and we are carrying out a feasibility study for organic waste composting from our Dublin roasting facility.”
Sue Welland, Founder & Creative Director, The CarbonNeutral Company said, “Companies such as Bewley’s are leading the way in actively tackling climate change by implementing a CSR strategy which combines internal reductions, for example – the new heating recycling system, and external reductions through carbon offsetting. This will ensure that Bewley’s carbon footprint will be reduced to net zero. For Ireland to reach its Kyoto Protocol target to limit emissions to 63 million tonnes per year, more proactive action from companies is needed.”
Bewley’s said it will also involve its coffee producers in carbon reduction initiatives where this will actively support their economic viability, crop sustainability and overall coffee quality. A viability study is underway which will include support for solar power initiatives on a number of coffee farms where the mains electricity supply does not exist or is unreliable.
CARBON NEUTRAL FOR A BETTER WORLD – The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr. John Gormley, T.D. (left) is pictured with Siofra Campbell, Chairman and John Cahill, Chief Executive, Campbell Bewley Group, at today’s announcement.
