Trieste, 14 April 2021 – illycaffè is the first Italian coffee company to obtain the B Corp certification which identifies companies meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and responsibility; these companies operate so as to optimize their positive impact on employees, their communities and the environment. Using companies as a positive force, to regenerate society and the environment is currently becoming a priority for many corporations. B corps are company leaders in translating this concept into practice on the basis of a strict overall measurement of the value they create and their commitment to continuous improvement.

Ethics and sustainability are part of illycaffè DNA since its incorporation. Francesco Illy founded the company in 1933 on the basis of these principles. In 2019 illy raised the bar as stakeholder company to improve the quality of life of its stakeholders, adopting the status of Benefit Company and adding this commitment into its articles of associations. Sustainability has always been part of the daily business of illycaffè and it is applied all along its supply chain, confirming its determination to building on responsibility, transparency and sustainability for its relevant communities. illycaffè sustainable supply chain is based on a system of direct relations with suppliers on the basis of four pillars: selecting and working directly with the best Arabica growers; transferring them the expertise, training them to achieve a quality production while respecting the environment with the Coffee University and the daily work on the field with specialised agronomists; rewarding them for the quality they produce, paying premium prices higher than the market average, fostering continuous improvement and making productions sustainable; creating a community of growers meeting virtually in their platform, Circolo illy. These are some of the main assets resulting into the certification as B Corporation: the supply chain, the attention for the environmental impact and the valorisation of resources.

“We work every day to implement out principles and reconcile economics with ethics – said Massimiliano Pogliani, illycaffè CEO- We launched the B Corp certification procedure to underline our commitment to keep generating a positive impact on society and on the planet, joining a network of companies which, like us, promote business models based on a strategy creating sustainable value in the long term”.

With B Corp certification, achieved with the support of Nativa – Regenerative Innovation Company, supporting businesses in their evolution toward a regenerative and sustainable economic paradigm – illy confirms its determination to reach its sustainable targets to create durable and shared value. This is a remarkable achievement, considering that B Corp certification is based on strictest standards in the world: out of 100.000 companies that have been evaluated so far, 3% only met the excellence criteria set by B Lab, the international certifying entity.

“This outstanding achievement by illycaffè – said Eric Ezechieli, co-founder of Nativa, Regenerative Innovation Company, and country partner for Italy of B Lab – shows that in the coffee sector too we can act generatively. Today all companies must necessarily evolve in this direction and we believe that illy success will inspire many others, in Italy and globally, to accelerate along this path”.

illycaffè

illycaffè is an Italian family-owned company, founded in Trieste in  1933. Its mission has always been to offer the best coffee in the world. illycaffè produces a unique 100% Arabica blend, combining 9 of the best varieties in the world, selected by illycaffè: every day 8 million cups of illy coffee are served in over 140 countries around the globe, in the best cafés, restaurants and hotels, in single-brand cafés and shops and, of course, at home. As a result of its innovations, illycaffè contributes to the coffee technology progress at global level. In 1991, the “Ernesto Illy Award” was launched in Brazil for quality espresso coffee. illy has contributed to the sharing of the know-how, paying growers a premium price for the best quality selected by illycaffè and partnerships based on the principles of sustainable development.  The Company also founded the University of Coffee, which has the objective of sharing culture at all levels, offering a comprehensive and practical training to growers, baristas and coffee lovers and providing insights on every aspect of the product. Everything that is “made in illy” is about beauty and art, the founding principles of the brand, starting from its logo, designed by artist James Rosenquist, up to illy Art Collection cups, decorated by over 100 international artists. In 2019, the Company had 1250 employees and a turnover of € 520,5 million. There are 269 illy single-brand shops in over 40 countries all over the world.

Per ulteriori informazioni

www.illy.com

illycaffè: Christine Pascolo – Giulia Zanini Tel. 0403890111

Ufficio stampa illy: always communication – Manuela Mesco Tel. 3427336015 e-mail: m.mesco@alwayscommunication.it