We believe that by acting in an environmentally, socially, and economically responsible manner, we can meet the needs of today while protecting the needs of our future. We operate our business under the following sustainability principles:
- Safe products and packaging. This maximizes the use of renewable and/or recycled material, while other recommendations are presented to optimize the packaging-to-product ratio.
- Long-term relationships. Especially with producers who consistently produce the best-quality product possible. The stability of these relationships gives producers the opportunity to reinvest in their own infrastructure, technology and communities.
- Conserving energy and materials. We achieve this by reducing, recycling or eliminating waste and ecologically incompatible by-products.
- Safe working environments that encourage total employee wellness.
- Respected communities and their environment. We ensure they’re enhanced economically, socially, culturally and physically.
Water Wise Coffee®
Ultimately, our success depends on the success of the industry in delivering improved livelihoods for workers in countries of origin where our ingredients grow. As such, we are active participants in a number of industry sustainability initiatives, like Water Wise Coffee®.
Coffee farming and processing is difficult and time-consuming, but it’s a process many Ethiopians are proud to be a part of. The Water Wise Coffee® project is helping coffee producers in Ethiopia tackle the waste generated by wet mills by cleaning up the rivers that so many local people love and rely on. We do it in a sustainable, innovative way, using Vetiver grass and composting practices.
Water Wise Coffee® is our commitment to improving lives, ecology and economies at origin through projects that address water related issues. Following the success of our first project in Ethiopia, Water Wise Coffee® is developing sustainability projects in Brazil in 2017.
Water Wise Coffee® is a program of TechnoServe, Inc. a non-profit organization headquartered at 1120 19th Street NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20036 that works with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee Inc. is not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by TechnoServe, Inc.
EcoCup™ Capsules
When we set out to launch our single serve RealCup® capsules, the goal was to address the two biggest complaints consumers had about plastic capsule single-serve coffee: Taste and Waste. From the beginning, our proprietary Flavor Max™ filter provided superior taste, but we knew that consumers were still uncomfortable with the waste from the single-serve brewing process.
With a leap forward in sustainable design, we launched the EcoCup® capsule that generates less waste than conventional, non-recyclable capsules. Available with all of our coffee, tea and allied products, you can simply snap, separate and sort the components, compost the grinds and recycle the outer plastic cup*.
We are constantly learning and improving the material and packaging choices for our RealCup® capsules and EcoCup® capsule formats because, just like our larger sustainability vision, we are in this for the long term.
*Cup is made of #6 plastic but such recycling facilities may not exist in your area. Appropriate composting facilities may not exist in your area.