At a time when it can be difficult to discern whether companies are practicing what they preach, we focus on making a difference through transparency. Being transparent about our efforts towards sustainability is a way for us to strive for real, measurable change. Here are the main sustainability principles which shape our our roadmap to green development:

Our sustainability principles

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Sustainable coffee production 

The coffee industry holds its fair share of the blame for the environmental challenges we face today. Conventional coffee farming uses monocultural practices that reduce the areas for nature and wildlife to exist. The frequent use of pesticides and fertilizer contaminates both groundwater and soil on coffee farms. 

At ØNSK, we want to set a positive example in the industry through supporting environmentally friendly coffee production. This means buying exclusively from organic farms and prioritizing coffee plantations which use shade trees to promote biodiversity. We also support farmers who strive for water-free coffee processing and optimize practices for water treatment and residual waste. 
As of 2022, we will start compensating for emissions through carbon insetting. We will plant shade trees on coffee plantations as a means to directly reduce emissions in the coffee supply chain. Planting shade trees promotes more diverse agriculture and animal life and is an important step for us towards becoming carbon neutral.

Packaging-free and fossil-free delivery  

We are constantly looking to minimize our use of the planet’s resources. One way of doing so is to minimize our packaging consumption: our coffee is packaged in bags made out of cornstalk that are 100% biodegradable. Our capsules are also biodegradable, plant-based and approved for industrial composting, and the cardboard boxes that we use for shipping are FSC certified. 

We are also implementing circular packaging in the greater Copenhagen area. Our customers can pick up package-free coffee at our office on Esromgade 15, and we will soon start delivering coffee to businesses in reusable coffee containers which we will pick up and reuse when they are empty. All of our deliveries are made in an electric van to further reduce emissions.

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Kaffebær - ØNSK kaffe - specialkaffe

1% for green development 

At ØNSK, sustainability is not just about reducing our carbon footprint: it is also about establishing and maintaining a sustainable and direct trading relationship with our coffee farmers. In addition to ensuring that farmers are paid fairly for their work, we dedicate 1% of our revenue to green development projects at the farms where our coffee is cultivated. 

These development projects are a way to make coffee production more sustainable on each farm where we source our coffee from. Since these methods are hugely influenced by the surrounding environment and resources available to the farmers, no two solutions are the same. That’s why constant communication and open dialogue with our partners is key. 

Through development, we also hope to  improve the quality of the coffee. Improving the quality of coffee has a trickle-down effect for both our own business and that of the coffee farmers, since it establishes a sustainable and more resistant product. Win-win.

Certified B Corporation

ØNSK became a B Corp certified business in November 2021. Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability. The B Corp certification process assesses not just the product, but the overall positive impact that a company leaves on its workers, customers, community, and environment.  
ØNSK was founded with the mission to leave a positive impact on the coffee industry: since day one, sustainability and transparency have been integral to our company DNA. Attaining the B Corp certification is a huge milestone in our continuous process of not just claiming, but also documenting and verifying our impact. To learn more about B Corps, click here.
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Sustainability report

Want to learn more about our sustainability principles? Our roadmap to green development, as well as our sustainability principles, are written out in full detail in our annual sustainability report.

The report also indicates exactly how we source and price our coffee, as well as our code of conduct, energy consumption and waste management as a business.