A small habit, such as enjoying a coffee at the bar, can have a great positive impact on the planet and on people: Lavazza, a Turin-based coffee producer founded in 1895, has been demonstrating this for quite some time now, through a number of environmental and social projects. On the occasion of the third National observatory on sustainable lifestyles produced by LifeGate in collaboration with Eumetra Monterosa, of which Lavazza was a partner, we asked Mario Cerutti, Chief sustainability officer at Lavazza, to tell us about them.

Sustainability is very important to Lavazza: what activities does the company carry out to promote environmental sustainability?
Lavazza has always adopted a systemic model in which sustainability is an integral part of the business and, cutting across every area, involves every stage of the production chain, from raw material to finished product. The ability to reconcile profit with social, environmental and cultural awareness in the producing countries is embedded in Lavazza's very DNA and has been passed down for over 120 years.

Through the Fondazione Giuseppe e Pericle Lavazza onlus, officially established in 2004, the company aims to put into practice in the field the sustainability principles it has always stood for, working with institutions, non-profit organisations and other companies alike, for the benefit of local coffee-producing communities.

The Foundation promotes and coordinates social and environmental sustainability activities aimed at improving living and working conditions in coffee-producing countries. Over 13 years of activity, the Foundation has carried out dozens of projects, which can be grouped into three broad areas. The first includes the ¡Tierra! project, conceived and managed directly by the Foundation, which provides for local implementation through the development of strategic partnerships; the second includes projects carried out with International coffee partners (ICP) to improve coffee production techniques, develop the entrepreneurial skills of small producers and share good agricultural practices; in addition to all these initiatives, "Coffee & Climate" is another important project that the Foundation has been supporting for several years, with the aim of studying the influence of climate change on coffee cultivation and promoting agricultural techniques that can help small producers counter its negative effects.

How did the Lavazza Alteco project come about and why?
Alteco organic premium blend is a fine blend dedicated to the bar, hotel and restaurant channel, created in response to the growing demand from consumers for organic products, as people become increasingly attentive to the sustainability of what they buy. The beans in the Alteco blend come from plantations where organic farming is practised and environmental sustainability principles are observed in accordance with Utz standards. This means efficient use of organic matter, no use of chemicals or GMOs, and supply chain monitoring from plantation to distribution. A 100 per cent organic blend that embodies Lavazza's values of environmental sustainability and quality, and that meets the global trend towards organic.

Lavazza is collaborating with LifeGate on the LifeGate Café project: can you tell us why you chose to collaborate and what your objective is? Do you think a more "green" attitude in consumers can be sparked by a simple cup of coffee?
LifeGate Café is in line with the sustainability and quality values that Lavazza has been championing for more than 120 years. Among the project's objectives is the creation of a select network of venues that share an ideal of quality of life and work with respect for the environment, reducing waste in their operations.

A small step towards a sustainable lifestyle can also begin with a cup of coffee.
We believe that, if one wants to adopt a greener attitude and create shared development today, it is impossible to do so without a sustainable approach that holds together economic, social and environmental aspects. These three areas must be integrated into a systemic approach in which each element gains strength and is enriched by the others.

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