Our Commitments to Community and Sustainability

INTRODUCTION

At Café Mam, we are deeply committed to sustainability and supporting our community. We strive to be intentional in everything we do—from our own practices to the partnerships we build. Learn more below about how we’re making a positive impact for both people and the planet.

Climate Change Mitigation Fund

Café Mam initiated a Climate Change Mitigation Fund to be a resource for the farmers who supply our coffee. This is in response to the critical issues coffee farmers in Chiapas are facing as a result of climate change. For every pound of coffee we purchase, we contribute an additional 10¢ to be used by the co-ops to combat climate change. This fund has been used in many productive ways, including:

Large-scale shade and fruit tree planting efforts that help maintain farming microclimates and for carbon sequestration.
Building composting facilities (“bio-fabricas”) to supply compost to farming communities.
Retrofitting cooperative processing and administration buildings to clean solar energy.
Planting ground cover for improved soil health and erosion control.
Funding educational programs for rural farming communities focused on instilling a culture of protection and conservation of natural resources.

We started the fund in 2019, and with this year's crop, it reached over $310,000 in funding. As a company committed to environmental causes, we intend to continue this fund for all of our coffee purchases going forward. Our hope is to be a resource for small parcel farmers and provide them with more opportunities to implement solutions that will work for them in a rapidly changing climate. Climate change is a global problem that needs global participation and teamwork to be addressed.

Intentional Purchases

Café Mam is committed to purchasing 100% organic, fairly traded, Small Producer Certified coffee. These purchases support cooperatives and farmers who have committed to bettering their social and natural environments.

Green badge with 'Shade Grown Bird Friendly' text and tree design on a white background

Shade-Grown and Bird-Friendly

The farmers preserve the jungle canopy by growing in the shade, encouraging a biological diversity of plants and animals vital to migratory bird populations. Farmers also build terraces to conserve rainwater and reduce runoff, which protects paths and creeks and prevents erosion.

Compostable Packaging

We package our coffee in paper Kraft bags that have a glassine or PLA liner (not plastic), which is fully biodegradable and compostable. Our one-pound Eco-Valve Bags are shelf-stable packages featuring a biodegradable degassing valve to keep the coffee fresher on your shelf while reducing landfill waste.

Delivery Practices

We use both electric vehicles and vehicles running on sustainably produced renewable diesel when available. This lessens our dependence on a petroleum-based economy.

Community

Café Mam donates 2% of coffee sales to nonprofits and organizations committed to organic agriculture, social justice, and environmental causes. We have always believed in activism through business — it is our responsibility to be good stewards of the land, provide action and a voice for justice, and be a model for the communities we are a part of.

Since 1990, we have donated over $1.4 million in funds and products to various nonprofits. Café Mam also offers two hours of paid time per week for employees interested in volunteering for worthy causes within their communities.