About Bio-Bean
We’ve written about Bio Bean’s previous B-Corp award and its innovative approach to coffee recycling. Last week, the company announce their first impact report, delivered graphically here, and also in a downloadable PDF. In summary, Bio Bean is:
- The world’s largest recycler of coffee grounds.
- About creating change: at scale, with longevity and with real impact.
- A team of tenacious problem-solvers, driving impact and behaviour change through action at scale.
- B Corp certified and puts sustainability at the heart of everything they do.
What they Stand For
- Certifying as a B Corporation™ 2 years ago was a significant and hugely proud moment for the company
- They support their colleagues to enable them to achieve their best.
- Bio Bean ensures systems, processes and procedures are put in place
- In this, their first impact report, they set out our progress made against this commitment.
Sustainable Products
Inficaf
- Inficaf is the circular economy in action. It’s a sustainable raw material for innovative product design and development. It’s also their newest product, launched in July 2021.
- Inficaf effectively displaces conventional, carbon-heavy virgin and synthetic materials.
Natural flavours
- Spent coffee grounds retain up to a third of the volatile aroma and flavour compounds contained in freshly roasted beans. These compounds make up the taste.
- Bio Bean extracts these compounds to produce natural flavouring products. These can be used to displace extracts from virgin coffee beans.
Coffee Logs & Pellets
- Planet-friendly fire logs for home wood burners and multi-fuel stoves burn 20% hotter than kiln-dried wood.
- Not to mention they reduce greenhouse gas emissions by just over 130%.
B Corp
- In October 2020, the company became a Certified B Corporation TM with an overall impact score of 99.1.
- Initially, they saw the B Lab standards as an excellent benchmark for environmental and social sustainability.
- Following on from this -and knowing how much the B Corp movement aligns with the direction they wanted to take the business, the company decided to apply for full certification.
- Staff are now given one paid volunteer day per year.
- All staff have access to an employee assistance programme for help with mental health, financial and legal matters.
- Began scheduling regular sponsored social activities to build connections amongst our team.
- They implemented a working-from-home policy.
- In 2023 they plan to go through the B Corp recertification process, aiming for a score of above 110.
Environmental Impact
- Their recycling solution is two times better than even the best alternative disposal method. We save up to 17 times more in greenhouse gas emissions.
Summary of Achievements from the Plan
- Clarified our office recycling streams and created guidance on proper waste disposal.
- Switched to a stronger pallet wrap for Coffee Logs, reducing plastic use by 31%.
- Changed their emergency lighting to LED bulbs, which use 30% less electricity.
- Switched to more eco-friendly cleaning & hygiene products
- Bio Bean is aiming to increase our average annual processing volume to 10,000+ tonnes.
- They also plan to onboard two more nationwide coffee outlet chains.
