LEADING COFFEE CHAINS FALL SHORT ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
Caffe Nero and Costa Coffee have been failing to achieve a basic standard of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting, according to a new report.
CSR analysts CleanAnalysis have carried out the research and scrutinised the sustainability credentials of three coffee chains, Caffe Nero, Starbucks and Costa Coffee, in areas like waste and recycling.
Starbucks gave the most information however, it just fell short by failing to provide a UK breakdown in its CSR global report.
Caffe Nero was found not to provide any CSR information, either on its website or within its corporate reports. CleanAnalysis also said that Caffe Nero denied its requests for CSR information.
The report found Costa Coffee fared better in its operations but also failed to reply to requests for key information.
Costa Coffee is regarded as the least sustainable of the three. A consumer survey conducted for the report, which covered only one hundred and two respondents, asked participants which brand they found was most sustainable. Fifty people voted for Starbucks, twenty eight chose Caffe Nero and twenty four people opted for Costa Coffee.
The report found that Starbucks did not report absolute figures for its carbon dioxide emissions, it instead highlighted a programme it runs linking farmers to carbon markets. Starbucks supports Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy, a group that promotes stronger climate change legislation in the US.
Costa Coffee failed to disclose specific data for its carbon footprint, parent company Whitbread instead reported its environmental data. The Whitbread group’s CO2 emissions increased in absolute terms by 6% in 2008/2009.
Caffe Nero did not disclose any specific data on its carbon emissions.
Dan Ilett, senior analyst for CleanAnalysis, said of the new report findings:
“It is clear that Starbucks scores better than Costa and Caffe Nero,
not because its operations are more sustainable (we don’t know this – we were unable to measure this due to a lack of of data and blurred lines around responsibility of sustainable operations), but because it has influenced consumers, tried harder with marketing and made some data on sustainability available to the public.”
He later went on to say that:
“Starbucks has clearly spent more money on this than the other two. Our report makes some clear recommendation of ways that the coffee industry can benchmark and report on its sustainability efforts in order to draw a much clearer link between brands and their achievements.”
Starbucks’ said the company was proud of its accomplishments in reducing its environmental impacts but also noted that they can still go further to develop their responsibilities.
Starbucks’ vice-president of marketing and category, UK & Ireland, Brian Waring said:
“Our responsibility begins in coffee growing communities, through our ground breaking work with Conservation International to ensure adherence to responsible farming practices so that natural habitats are protected, thereby reducing deforestation and carbon emissions.
We are also working closely with our suppliers to develop more environmentally friendly packaging and we’re committed to serving 25% of our drinks in reusable cups by 2015.”
Waring also pointed to reduced energy and water use in the new UK store design and set out four specific goals;
Achieving a 25% reduction in energy consumption by the end of 2010
Deriving 50% of energy from renewable sources by the end of 2010
Working to deliver green (LEED®) certification for new stores beginning later this year
Serving 25% of our drinks in reusable cups by 2015.
The report highlights Starbucks break away from Costa Coffee and Cafe Nero in terms of how seriously it takes its social responsibilities, with Waring indicating clear targets for the future.
To visit the Starbucks website and find out more about their global responsibility click here.
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