The Emancipation of Women in the Coffee Industry
Photo Courtesy of Cafe Femenino Foundation
Coffee, the most valuable traded commodity functions within an intricate and expansive supply chain network comprising coffee farmers, traders, roasters, distributors, retailers and finally the end consumer. Within this web of transactions and business exchanges, owners of Organic Products Trading Company, Garth and Gay Smith, identified an urgent cause that required global recognition and tremendous support.
To celebrate International Women’s Day 2015, we are very pleased to highlight an incredible cause that is changing not only the coffee industry, but also the socio-economic outlook of the communities affected by it.
Photo Courtesy of Cafe Femenino Foundation
It was during their travels sourcing organic and Fair Trade coffees from around the world, that Garth and Gay Smith discovered a pattern of unfortunate conditions under which women existed in these regions and attributed the problem to the underdevelopment of the communities in which they lived. They wanted to make a change.
Founded in 2004 when there was a great need for change and gender equality in the coffee industry, the Café Femenino Foundation is now a thriving not for profit organization that operates on a purely volunteer basis and is dedicated to bettering the lives of women and their communities through health, water, sanitation, training and nutrition projects. The development of these communities through educational and infrastructural progress is slowly elevating the status of women and creating equal opportunities for growth and success.
Coffee beans procured from the regions supported by the Café Femenino Foundation are eponymously branded. We at Home & Office Coffee Solutions are very proud that we are able to play a role in this tremendous effort by featuring the Planet Bean Peruvian Café Femenino coffee beans through both our retail and office solution business channels. For us, this is just one more step towards building a truly sustainable company – by selecting and offering all of our clients the very best in ethical coffee and tea selections.
To all the women across the world, to all of the organizations and companies that support them, and to the founders and volunteers of the Cafe Femenino Foundation - we salute you!
Happy International Women’s Day!