March is a special time for us at Nossa Familia Coffee. It's a time to reflect and share our journey as a Certified B Corporation. Being part of this global community means more than just selling great coffee; it's a commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us. It means holding ourselves to rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. And it's not a one-time deal; every three years, we go through a recertification process to ensure we're continually meeting these high standards.
Back in 2016, Nossa Familia proudly became Oregon's first certified B Corp coffee roaster, kicking off our mission to use coffee as a force for good. We don’t treat ‘sustainability’ as a buzzword; we go back to the root of the word: the ability to sustain. We strive to cultivate practices that increase the likelihood that our farms, our relationships, our places, and our business overall will thrive into the foreseeable future. As we celebrate our eighth year as a B Corp, we're happy to share some of the progress we’ve made and the impact we had in 2023.
2023 IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS
GIVING BACK TO COMMUNITY
Through Nossa Familia Coffee's commitment to giving back, we allocate 1% of our annual gross revenue to support communities locally and in coffee-growing regions. To date, we've donated over $600,000 in-kind and in cash donations to charitable causes. In 2023, we funded $1,938 in microloans to small businesses in coffee-growing countries and contributed over $96,000 in financial and in-kind coffee donations to nonprofits working to alleviate poverty and improve livelihoods.
DELICIA DO BRASIL: $1,938 from purchases of Delícia do Brasil funded microloans to women-owned small businesses in Brazil, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Peru. Since its inception, this initiative has invested $3,965, leveraging the power of relending to make a greater impact of $9,570 loaned to date.
FESTA HOLIDAY BLEND: $1,750 from purchases of Festa Holiday Blend helped Women Coffee Growers of UPC in Guatemala purchase motor-operated depulper to enhance processing and quality control.
NEXT GENERATION COFFEE: $1,091 from Next Generation Coffee, a special B Corp partner coffee exclusively available at New Seasons Market supported the Young Entrepreneur Fund by De la Gente in Guatemala to provide zero-interest loans to young adults from coffee-growing families.
FULL CYCLE: $15,878 from purchases of our signature Full Cycle blend was donated to nonprofits supporting cycling initiatives, including Bike Works by p:ear, Chef Cycle for No Kid Hungry, Community Cycling Center, NW Trail Alliance, and The Street Trust.
Improving our Environmental Impact
- 352,995 lbs of coffee were roasted
- 233,912.72 lbs CO2e were saved
- 191,173.05 lbs CO2e were saved by roasting on our energy-efficient Loring machines - over 80% less emissions than standard roasters
- 42,418.646 lbs CO2e were saved at the roastery from purchasing 100% renewable energy, using energy efficient lighting, and operating an all-electric delivery fleet
- 56,556 lattes were served at our cafes
- 39% of lattes served were made with plant-based milk - presenting a lower Global Warming Potential than lattes made with dairy milk
- 52,364 single-use cups were saved from the landfill thanks to 41% of customers bringing their own reusable cups or choosing for-here service
Working Toward a Diverse, Equitable, Inclusive Culture
- Continuing our Guest Roaster Series to amplify Black-owned coffee companies, Nossa Familia featured Keia & Martyn’s at our cafes. Customers enjoyed their single-origin Colombian coffee freshly roasted by the bag, on espresso and on drip. Additionally, we hosted a special in-person and Instagram Live coffee talk with Nossa Familia’s founder, engaging our community in conversations about sustainability, equity, and the coffee industry.
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DEI Training & Mural: In June 2023, Nossa Familia participated in a community mural event as part of Portland Means Progress, an initiative by Prosper Portland. Artist Victor Bizar Gómez painted a stunning mural on our Coffee Roastery in NW Portland. Employees and community members joined in the painting process, fostering collaboration and connection. The mural, now a permanent part of Nossa Familia’s Roastery exterior, celebrates coffee farmers and everyone involved in the coffee journey from seed to cup, and we are honored to showcase Victor's work.
- In honor of Juneteenth, Nossa Familia donated 19% of all cafe purchases to the Black United Fund of Oregon. The fundraiser raised $1,500 in support of BUF-OR's mission to uplift BIPOC communities and reduce systemic inequities. We're grateful to our customers whose contributions helped make a tangible difference in the lives of students, entrepreneurs, and local organizations supported by BUF-OR.
WORK IN PROGRESS
- Purchasing Direct Trade Coffee at a fair market price that ensures our family and origin partners can continue to grow coffee for generations to come
- Purchasing 100% renewable energy at all Nossa Familia facilities
- Reducing roasting energy & emissions by up to 80% using Loring machines
- Implementing extensive Zero Waste initiatives in our roastery & cafés
- Having a local and sustainable purchasing policy to guide procurement
- Offering paid volunteer & pro-bono time for employees to engage with community organizations
- Donating at least 1% of annual gross profits to nonprofit organizations
- Progress over perfection - continually striving to improve in all areas of the company
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