Climpson & Sons Q&A
Q1: How did Climpson & Sons get involved in London to Monaco?
It was a fortuitous meeting at Somerset House between SJ and I. Blue had done one iteration of L2M by the time we met and SJ was looking at ways to evolve it with a coffee partnership like no other. A really great part for the riders is to have ‘real’ espresso made-to-order along the journey. We’ve made coffee on riverways, canals, villages, town squares and some glorious mountains like Mont Ventoux and Col du Grand St Bernard.
Q2: How and why do you support London to Monaco?
Climpson & Sons got involved in L2M because sustainability is important to us and the opportunity to support such an incredible cause is brilliant. Since we started, the charity has raised millions of pounds and have projects all over the world.
We support L2M by providing our specialty coffee to fuel the cyclists. Coffee and cycling go pretty hand in hand, but the oceans have a huge part to play for the coffee industry in general. We joined forces with Blue because the future of our very industry is at risk with climate change. Our rainwater, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food, and even the oxygen in the air we breathe, are all ultimately provided and regulated by the sea. All the things that go into producing coffee. The ocean sustains us, creating over half the air we breathe and a healthy ocean full of marine life can buffer the impacts of climate change. Like so many of the coffee farms we work with, the healthy populations of wildlife have a better chance of withstanding rapid environmental changes. For us, this is a real opportunity to help with a cause that is bigger than ourselves and bigger than just our industry.
Q3: What can riders expect in L2M2024?
In L2M2024, participants can expect even greater emphasis on sustainable practices and an unforgettable cycling experience promoting environmental awareness. We are exploring different ways to fuel the cycle and bring the most delicious coffee to the riders.
Q4: What’s new at Climpson & Sons?
We couldn't be happier to announce that Climpson & Sons is now officially B Corp certified. Achieving a score of 110.4 in our ‘B Impact Assessment’, we far exceeded the minimum score of 80 required to certify, and sit well above the global average of 50.9. Whilst this isn't the 'be-all and end all’ when it comes to sustainability, the process of working towards these credentials has shone a light on our internal workings as a business, helping us to measure our impact and explore the ways we can continue to improve. Here’s what that certification means, with particular relevance to us and our place in the specialty coffee industry.
B Corp certification means being a business that meets the highest standards of social and environmental performance. This accreditation is achieved after thorough evaluation by B Lab across five impact areas – governance, workers, community, environment and customers.
Most crucial here is an awareness of both environmental and social impact. This means as well as considering environmental sustainability in our purchasing and decision making, we take into account the wider social role we play as a business. In terms of sourcing, we make the active choice to partner with producers who not only invest in biodiversity and carbon reducing technologies but who also work towards bettering the economic conditions for their employees and therefore communities as a whole. This view of the environmental and social working hand in hand sits at the core of our vision of sustainability.
We are transparent in the business we operate and are fully accountable for the impact this business has on others right across the supply chain, from our producers across the world to our employees at home. We value personal development in our team and operate a career pathway programme to help our baristas develop skills suited to other roles in the company, from roasting to account management, equipment servicing or digital marketing. This all forms part of our long-term vision of sustainability.
We are aware of our interdependence and the impact our decision making plays on others. We seek to improve the lives of others, and work in collaboration with partners who share our values. As a specialty coffee roaster our work is truly global and part of a force for positive change
Our partnership with coffee producers means that 90% of our coffees are from the same people, year after year. We've worked with Daterra and DRWakefield for around 13 years and counting, but our average partnership is 5 years.
Over 50% of our team are female or female identifying.
We created a career pathway from the cafe to other areas of the business, with an internship style opportunity for team members to learn skills for roles in the business, like Tech and Account Management.
Calculating our carbon emissions in 2021 across the business - with 2022 and 2023 currently being completed.
Supported charities such as the Blue Marine Foundation, raised funds for Hackney Foodbank, Kelly's Cause, ran the Hackney half for Shelter and spent time at Queensbridge School creating an outdoor sensory and art display.