Austrian coffee firm Julius Meinl has achieved its target of sourcing 100% ‘responsibly selected coffee’ for its roasting facilities in Vienna and Vicenza.
According to the firm, the milestone marks the culmination of ‘years of dedicated work and close collaboration across the coffee value chain’, and means that every green coffee bean roasted in its production meets internationally recognised sustainability criteria defined in the Coffee Sustainability Reference Code (Coffee SR Code) of the Global Coffee Platform (GCP).
The Coffee SR Code sets a shared baseline for sustainability in coffee production, built around three dimensions – economic, social and environmental – and twelve principles.
‘An important step’
“Reaching 100% Responsibly Selected Coffee in our own roasteries marks an important step in our sustainability journey,” commented Nicolas Charmillot, director, green coffee sourcing, Julius Meinl.
“It reflects years of close collaboration with our partners and our commitment to making a real, positive impact across our supply chain, from the farms where coffee is grown to the cups enjoyed every day.”
Through the Global Coffee Platform’s Equivalence Mechanism, sustainability initiatives and certifications that align with the Coffee SR Code, such as Fairtrade, can be recognised as equivalent, reducing complexity and shifting the focus towards supporting meaningful improvements at farm level.
To track progress and compliance, Julius Meinl works with Enveritas, a non-profit organisation that conducts regular farm and supply chain assessments. Insights gained from this process are shared and discussed with suppliers to identify and implement meaningful improvements on the ground.
“Through our Responsibly Selected Coffee Initiative, we give coffee lovers confidence that every bean roasted in Vienna and Vicenza is sourced with respect for people, communities, and the environment,” Charmillot added.
Next steps
Building on this milestone, the company has set the target of ensuring that all externally produced Julius Meinl-branded coffee products will be ‘responsibly selected’ by the end of 2028, and will continue to work with partners across the supply chain to reinforce this goal.
Julius Meinl was founded in Vienna in 1862, and is one of the oldest coffee roasters in the world still in operation. Today the firm supplies coffee and tea to more than 50,000 hotels, coffee houses and restaurants in 70 countries, as well as retail outlets. Read more here.
