Eco-business / Social Venture

December 4, 2005

 

UCC Launches Sales of Coffee Certified by Rainforest Alliance

Keywords: Eco-business / Social Venture Manufacturing industry NGO / Citizen 

UCC Ueshima Coffee Co. (UCC), a major Japanese coffee company, has released a regular ground coffee for household use named "UCC Super Aroma Rainforest Alliance VP240g" nationwide since September 1, 2005. Beans of the new brand are 100-percent certified by the Rainforest Alliance (RA), a New York-based non-governmental organization working for environmental conservation. UCC launched a partnership arrangement with the RA in June 2005.

The coffee industry has been faced with issues of conservation of the global environment in the context of coffee cultivation and working conditions for farm workers. The RA-certified coffees have been attracting attention worldwide because their certification system supports coffee growers who give adequate attention to global environmental conservation.

Recognizing the RA's approaches to ecological activities, UCC started selling RA-certified coffee in February 2004 and sales have increased over that time. Encouraged by this sales performance, UCC has released this new brand for home consumption as the first product in the new partnership. UCC and RA intend to work together in promoting, establishing, and expanding the market for RA-certified products in Japan.

Only products from coffee beans grown in RA-certified plantations that meet strict standards are certified, as indicated by the symbol of a frog affixed to the packaging. The RA selected a frog as its symbol because frogs are very sensitive to environmental changes. The RA standards cover a wide range of protective measures, protection of ecosystems in and around plantations, regulations on chemical fertilizers and agriculture, treatment and disposal of waste and organic materials, control of water pollution, improvement of working conditions for farm workers, and other items.

http://www.ucc.co.jp/eng/index.html
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/news/2005/japan.html

Posted: 2005/12/04 10:39:21 AM
Japanese version

 

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