About Sustainable Harvest
Sustainable Harvest is a fair trade specialty coffee importer that invests 2/3 of its operating expenses—$1.1M in 2009—in non profit farmer training and activities to create a global trade model that better serves fair trade farmers. Based in Portland, Oregon, the company has offices in Mexico, Peru and Tanzania assisting 200,000 farmers in 14 countries to compete and thrive in specialty coffee markets. These offices also channel outside grants and investments that contribute to sustainable livelihoods for coffee farmers.
Sustainable Harvest sets itself apart by bringing together all the stakeholders involved in producing high-quality organic and fair-trade coffee. Certified B Corporations share our passion for engaging stakeholders, and we are proud to be a part of this community.
They make it easy for roasters to buy specialty grade green coffee from a sustainable supply chain. Their logistics team in Portland provides importing, shipping, and warehousing logistics to ensure a timely delivery of coffee to roasters. At the same time, their on-the-ground staff in Mexico, Peru, and Tanzania support and train coffee producers.
The Change We Seek®
Sustainable Harvest strives to improve the lives of farmers by bringing together supply chain partners and fostering fair and transparent trade. We invest a significant amount of money into farmer communities - focusing on training and supply-side activities.
Sustainable Harvest is committed to conducting business in a way that benefits the people and environment in which coffee is grown. As a result, Sustainable Harvest invests a large portion of its operating margin in coffee farmer development programs. We invest about two-thirds of our operating income into Farmer Development programs, such as our Kigoma, Tanzania coffee improvement project. Through farmer training and support, Sustainable Harvest impacts over 200,000 coffee farmers in thirteen countries.
Sustainable Harvest works to eliminate the unknown in its supply chain. We use the Relationship Coffee model to ensure that we know where our coffee is coming from and who is farming it. While a "middleman" traditionally works in an anonymous system, our model brings farmers and roasters together, facilitating direct communication, differentiation, and better business practices at both ends of the supply chain.
Photographs courtesy of Clay Enos Photography
In addition to the Relationship Coffee model, Sustainable Harvest has an annual event dedicated to improving the supply chain. Let's Talk Coffee™ is a 3-day training event in which members from all links of the supply chain gather to discuss business issues, market strategies, and train in quality control. Through this deliberate development approach, the Relationship Coffee model generates the necessary revenues that keep farmers, cooperatives, and roasters communicating, learning, and doing business together.
What makes us a better company?
B Impact Report |
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Certified since:June 2008 |
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| Summary: | Company Score |
Average Score* |
Governance
GovernanceThe Governance section of the Assessment evaluates a company's accountability and transparency. The section focuses on the company's mission, stakeholder engagement, and overall transparency of the company's practices and policies. |
10 | |
Workers
WorkersThe Worker section of the survey assesses the company's relationship with its workforce. This section measures how the company treats its workers through compensation, benefits, training, and ownership opportunities provided to workers. It also focuses on the overall work environment within the company through management/worker communication, job flexibility and corporate culture, and worker health and safety practices. |
22 | |
Community
CommunityThe Community section of the survey assesses a company's impact on its community. The Community section evaluates a company's supplier relations, diversity, and involvement in the local community. The section also measures the company's practices and policies around community service and charitable giving. In addition, this section includes if a company's product or service is designed to solve a social issue, including access to basic services, health, education, economic opportunity, arts, and increasing the flow of capital to purpose-driven enterprises. |
32 | |
Environment
EnvironmentThe Environment section of the Assessment evaluates a company's environmental performance through its facilities; materials, resource, and energy use; and emissions. Where applicable, it also considers a company's transportation/distribution channels and environmental impact of its supply chain. This section also measures whether a company's products or services are designed to solve an environmental issue, including products that aid in the provision of renewable energy, conserve resources, reduce waste, promote land/wildlife conservation, prevent toxic/hazardous substance or pollution, or educate, measure, or consult to solve environmental problems. |
9 | |
| Overall B Score | 80 | |
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80 out of 200 is eligible for certification *Of all businesses that have completed the B Impact Assessment |
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Company Highlights:
Employees: >80% healthcare premiums paid for employees and their families; >25% of management positions filled by internal candidates; employee base grown by more than 15%
Community: >50% of suppliers visited on site every year; >40% suppliers are majority owned by women or ethnic minorities; >40% management comes from previously excluded populations; >30% employees from low-income communities; >25% employees work in low-income communities; 10% of profits contributed to Sustainable Origins to provide farmer training and support services
Consumers: 68% Certified Organic coffee, 85% Fair Trade Certified coffee
Environment: >25% of energy comes from renewable sources; 25-50% of suppliers monitor waste production; 1-10% of suppliers actively use water recovery and reuse systems; some facilities LEED Certified