We’re B Corp Certified
From the very first coffee we served in 1998, sustainability has always been important to us. It started as a goal to create great coffee experiences with our community, and along the way, has also become an opportunity to champion and protect the people & places that make great coffee possible.
We’ve talked a lot over the years about what it means to do things right, and now you don’t have just take our word for it. In September 2022, we reached a big milestone by becoming B Corp certified. It’s our way of committing to looking after the planet and its people for the long-term, and making sure we leave this world a little better than when we came.
B Corps use business as a force for good. They’re companies that meet high standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability, and make a long-term promise to balance profit and purpose. We’re proud to join the global B Corp movement, and to share more about our journey so far and where we’re going next.
How We Got Here
Why B Corp
Becoming a B Corp was a natural next step in demonstrating our commitment to being a business for better. More than a stamp of approval, our B Corp certification means we’re legally bound to consider our impact on our community, partners, team and the environment. It’s an awesome responsibility, and we’re ready for the challenge.
We're still the same Ozone, with the same great coffee and good vibes, but it now means that you’re also making a positive impact by choosing us. That B Corp logo lets you quickly and easily spot a business that’s helping to make the world a better place.
The B Corp certification process was one of the toughest things we’ve done. Two lengthy years after we first started our application, we’ve undergone a rigorous, independent assessment that measured our performance in five impact areas: Governance, Workers, Customers, Community and Environment. Our passing score is not only a marker of intent, but a testament to the hard work that brought us here. Most importantly, it’s a benchmark for how we’ll improve.
Sourcing & Roasting
We forge long-term, direct relationships with responsible coffee growers, sourcing the very best coffee in the very best way. Direct connections ensure we build respectful and fair relationships, enable our partners to invest in more sustainable farming practises and create more financial security for their employees and families. For our shared livelihoods in coffee and the land it grows on, we believe genuine, meaningful relationships are key to supporting coffee communities and facing the challenges of the future together.
After we source the finest coffee out there, we roast responsibly (and deliciously) too. Our roastery operates on green electricity, and we're serious about only roasting what we need to reduce waste. Coffee chaff and old coffee sacks from our roastery are picked up by café regulars to use in their gardens, or sent to local schools to use for various activities. Our orders are packed with shredded, recycled waste paper and FSC-certified cardboard to keep them safe.
Our Eateries
Our philosophy around food is pretty simple: we believe great food should also be good for the planet and its people. Our chefs bring this to life with each dish, sourcing seasonal, local ingredients prepared in creative, waste-reducing ways.
Our kitchens create less than 3% of food waste (and even that gets composted!), and our electricity comes from 100% renewable sources. Through a more thoughtful approach to menu design, we’re always finding new ways to get us close to 0% waste. We ferment, pickle and smoke whenever possible to enhance flavours and get the most from ingredients, use waste barista milk from our coffee bars to make ricotta and mill leftover sourdough back into flour. We also choose second selection produce and source meat and fish from local partners who invest in sustainable fishing and regenerative farming.
People & Community
We wouldn’t be Ozone without all the people who make us, well, us. Our team, partners and our community have inspired us to continue raising the bar for what it means to be a coffee brand that’s doing things right. And B Corp is a testament to those relationships.
We have committed to Living Wage rates for all our employees, and we're thoughtful about creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where our team can do great work they love. We value long-term careers in coffee and hospitality, and offer training and professional development to support our team and connect us all to our shared passions in coffee.
We also partner with like-minded brands and suppliers who share our vision and purpose, working with partners who commit to progressing similar sustainability agendas and care about their long-term impact.
Our Score
To become a B Corp, businesses must score at least 80 out of 200 points on the B Impact Assessment—a rigorous evaluation that measures five impact areas: Governance, Workers, Customers, Community and Environment.
Our journey to B Corp started over two years ago, and we’re thrilled to finally be here with a verified score of 83.4. Our score is not only a marker of intent, but a testament to the hard work that brought us here. Most importantly, it’s a benchmark for how we’ll improve.
Read our B Corp Impact Report FY23
We’ve long aligned with B Corp’s mission to use business as a force for good, and always thought of it as somewhat of a north star in our sustainability journey. Now that we’re here, we’ve realised it’s just another step and not the final destination. It's a lifelong promise to do our part to look after the planet and its people, and inspire our community and others in the coffee industry to do their part too.
We’re now among 5,000 (and counting) global businesses that are leading the B Corp movement for an inclusive, fair and regenerative economy.
Discover more about sustainability in our business and community.
