Veneziano Coffee Roasters, through parent company Nomad Coffee Group, has officially been certified as a Climate Active Organisation and is carbon neutral.
“This is a momentous achievement for the business and one we are extremely proud of,” says Nick Percy, Sustainability Manager for Nomad Coffee Group. “It is a step in the right direction, but we also know that our work is not done yet.”
Veneziano Coffee Roaster’s environmental journey started in 2020 with the creation of an internal sustainability committee to bring together ideas from all departments, with climate change identified as one of the key concerns and areas to address.
With a long list of things the company wanted to achieve, it became apparent a dedicated resource was needed to design and manage the sustainability strategy. This led to the appointment of the company’s first Sustainability Manager in Nick Percy.
The first priority was to become carbon neutral and have a greater awareness of the company’s impact on climate change. As such, Nomad Coffee Group engaged the team at Ndevr, a climate change and human rights advisory firm, to help measure and understand the company’s carbon footprint.
“The initiative addressed the company’s operational control and emissions footprint rather than just a product focus. Our emissions were traced from the moment we take delivery of coffee at origin or in country through to its delivery to the end consumer,” says Nick.
Nomad Coffee Group’s largest emission sources were identified as freight, power usage and natural gas.
The company then addressed the biggest opportunities for change, including long-term waste reduction strategies, such as diverting 75 per cent of Nomad Coffee Group’s waste from general waste, shifting its facilities’ dependence on electricity to 100 per cent GreenPower, and establishing a purpose-built contract roasting facility.
“The goal is for our new roasting facility to become the most sustainable roastery in Australia,” Nick says.
Already, the company’s Australian operations have seen an estimated 13 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2022, with more than 455 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent saved compared to its 2020 baseline.
The remaining 3171 tonnes of carbon emissions have now been offset through investments. This includes a renewable energy project called Winds of Change in India, one of the world’s largest emitters and the origin of beans supplied in Veneziano’s number-one-selling coffee, the Crave blend.
“Between now and 2030, Nomad Coffee Group will continue to make positive changes in its business to bring down our overall footprint and reduce our reliance on carbon offsetting,” Nick says.
“It’s taken 10 months to get to this stage, and Nomad Coffee Group is now the largest coffee company certified carbon neutral by Climate Active. It’s a big financial and time investment, but it’s something we’re passionate about, and hopefully we can set an example for others in the industry to follow.
“Today’s announcement is an important recognition of where we’re act in our climate change action plan. It’s an endorsement of our commitment to a more sustainable future of coffee.”
Nomad Coffee Group’s next steps include establishing a long-term carbon emissions reduction strategy, optimising its packaging standards, taking a deep dive into supply chain issues, and promotion of its REDcycle-compliant products. All Veneziano Coffee retail coffee bags can be returned to affiliated Coles or Woolworths supermarkets for soft plastics recycling.
“We’ve taken the first steps in our sustainable journey, but there’s many more to take in our ongoing sustainability journey,” says Nick.
For more information, visit venezianocoffee.com.au
