Sustainability
When you’re as committed to amazing coffee as we are, you do everything you can to protect the resources that will make it abundant for the long haul
Learn more about the causes and initiatives that are close to the heart of our organization. From supporting programs at origin to our efforts towards a healthy workplace and greener manufacturing, we keep our sustainable values both global and local. Read our 2023 Sustainability Report.
Consciously chemical free
Swiss Water® Process was designed as an alternative to using Methylene Chloride as a decaffeination solvent. We are fully committed to quality coffee, and we are committed to never using chemicals to remove caffeine. We proudly keep Methylene Chloride and Ethyl Acetate out of our facility and away from your coffee.
Swiss Water® Process — 100% chemical free coffee decaffeination.
Sustainable coffee options
Certifications help ensure sustainable farming practices are maintained, fair wages are supported, and transparency in the supply chain is achieved. In short, they’re good for coffee. And we’re all about standing behind anything that’s good for our favorite beverage. That’s why Swiss Water® Process maintains key coffee certifications as an important part of our sustainability efforts.
Healthy women, healthy harvests
Through our close relationship with Grounds for Health, we’re committed to influencing direct and positive impact on the health, empowerment and dignity of women and families in coffee-growing communities. By supporting the sustainability of the family, we can support the sustainability of the farms. In addition to our annual corporate contribution, Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee employees regularly contribute personally as well as sponsor many fundraising initiatives throughout the year.
Grounds for Health provides a single visit approach to screening and treating cervical cancer, the number-one cause of cancer deaths in women in poor countries. Screening is important because it means catching cancer early when it’s treatable. In week-long campaigns, GFH screens hundreds of women in communities and provides immediate treatment so that families remain intact and healthy. During the pandemic, they successfully launched a program for women to self-test within their own local communities, a health advance that will revolutionize access to testing for years to come.
Since 1996, the program has been successfully established in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and Tanzania. Today, they are working actively in Ethiopia and Kenya. In total, Grounds for Health has provided screening for more than 100,000 women and continues to grow every year. These are numbers we’re proud to support because it directly impacts the families in countries we buy coffee from.
To learn more about Grounds for Health, visit their website www.groundsforhealth.org.
Safeguarding the future of coffee
The future of the planet and the future of coffee are inextricably linked. Through supporting the work being done by World Coffee Research (WCR), we hope to ensure a bright, sustainable future for the next generation of coffee. Current projects underway by WCR are working to address the effects of climate change, coffee leaf rust and pests, low yield issues, and other factors that impact the survival of this important—and potentially endangered—crop. The organization is also on the vanguard of genetics research in coffee, setting quality standards, and supporting farmers in their efforts to thrive financially as well as agriculturally.
Swiss Water donates directly to this vital research each year, a gift which comprises corporate donations as well as funds raised as part of the World Coffee Research Checkoff Program, which enables roasters to donate a set amount per pound of green coffee purchased directly to WCR.
Read more about World Coffee Research and its current projects.
Because Water Matters
We're proud to partner with the Pacific Salmon Foundation, whose efforts towards conservation and restoration of local salmon promote a healthier ecosystem for all.
Salmon tell the story of water—their health is a reflection of the health of the water and climate in which they live, and here in British Columbia, more than 9,000 species of salmon make our waters home. Of course, water is particularly meaningful to us as a central element in our process and as immediate neighbours of BC's Fraser river—the largest salmon bearing watershed in the territory.
We contribute directly to projects led by First Nations groups, who've known this land the longest, as part of PSF’s Community Salmon Programs. Their projects range from habitat restoration to hatchery upgrades to education and beyond. We're inspired by this work and eager to help make a difference by supporting First-Nations-led projects so close to home.
Read more about where the Pacific Salmon Foundation is making an impact..
