Julius Meinl
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International Coffee Day: Celebrating Sustainability
Every cup of coffee tells a story, from farmers in the fields to the moments you enjoy. At Julius Meinl, we are committed to sustainability at every step. Here’s how we build a coffee sector that can thrive for generations to come.
Shaping the future, one bean at a time
Coffee connects people across continents, creating a bridge between those who grow it and those who enjoy it.
From the 12.5 million coffee farmers in countries like Colombia, Uganda, Vietnam, Honduras and Brazil who dedicate their lives to cultivating the beans, to the teams in our roasteries and offices who carefully craft and deliver every blend, countless hands and passions shape each cup.
By working closely with our partners along the value chain, we strive to strengthen farming communities, protect biodiversity, and reduce our environmental impact. In doing so, we ensure that coffee continues to bring joy, connection and opportunity, not just today but for generations to come.
Responsibly Selected Coffee Initiative
We are committed to sourcing all our green coffee responsibly.
By the end of 2025, 100% of the coffee roasted at our production sites in Vienna and Vicenza will come from supply chains that pursue clear environmental, social and economic sustainability criteria for green coffee without compromising on the flavour or variety of our coffee. Responsibly selected coffee means that coffee has been purchased through sustainability schemes that are aligned with the Global Coffee Platform’s Coffee Sustainability Reference Code.
The Generations Programme
Very close to the heart of everyone at Julius Meinl is our Generations Programme. Currently active in Colombia and Uganda, with a new project just having launched in Honduras, and another one underway, our Generations Programme provides tailored support to coffee farmers to improve their livelihoods and protect the environment, helping farming communities build resilient sustainable coffee businesses for future generations.
The trainings, technical assistance and equipment investments we provide in our projects are ultimately designed to enhance farmers’ income through improved production efficiency and income diversification and to promote good agricultural practices for better soil health, protecting biodiversity, reducing pollution and mitigating climate change.
Take a moment to hear directly from the farmers in our projects in Colombia and Uganda, and discover their stories first-hand: Julius Meinl Generations Programme - YouTube
Our climate impact
Colleagues across all departments and offices are continuously working on reducing our carbon footprint in our own operations.
In our roasting plants, catalytic converters are installed to cut emissions, while we power our production sites with renewable electricity from our own photovoltaic panels as well as green electricity from the grid. We have also started to transition our fleet towards electrification, to further decrease greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.
And our Responsibly Selected Coffee Initiative ensures that measures around biodiversity protection, reduced water use and climate change mitigation are implemented in our coffee supply chains, therefore tackling climate impacts not only within our own operations but also throughout the entire value chain.
Building engagement among our employees
At Julius Meinl, we believe everything starts with people.
Our employees are the driving force behind our success, and this is reflected in the core values that shape our culture, guide our actions, and inspire our vision for the future. Employee engagement is key to ensuring the long-term success of our business. Therefore, we actively track engagement levels, have set ambitious goals to further increase them in the coming years, and implement a wide range of initiatives across our global offices to create workplaces where individuals and teams can thrive. Among these are our Moment Makers and Sustainability Ambassador network, who bring our values to life and help embed our sustainability strategy into everyday operations.
Enjoy your coffee and celebrate sustainability
We invite you on this International Coffee Day, to celebrate not only the coffee in your cup but also the people and stories behind it, from farmers in the fields to colleagues in our roasteries, from partners across the supply chain to our teams around the world. Every step contributes to making coffee what it is today, and together we can ensure it remains a source of enjoyment, connection, and livelihoods for generations to come.