Sustainability Competition Between Coffee Giants is Good for Everyone

Starbucks has had a good deal of publicity when it comes to their green efforts.  The company publishes an annual Global Responsibility Report, featuring goals and current progress levels of those goals.  Some examples of Starbucks current objectives to be met by 2015 include: purchasing renewable energy equivalent to 100% of electricity used in stores worldwide, implementing front of store recycling stations to all of their locations, and reducing water consumption by 25%.  In addition to their sustainability efforts, Starbucks promotes ethical sourcing in cooperation with Conservation International and community participation.

With all of the attention Starbucks was giving to corporate responsibility measures, Dunkin' Donuts needed to increase the publicity of their own environmental measures in order to compete.  They have done just that with their new DD Green initiative,"a green building certification framework that recognizes investments in measures such as LED lighting fixtures, water-conserving fixtures and plumbing, recycling and waste management policies, and the use of construction materials and paints containing low levels of volatile organic compounds", (Clancy, Forbes.com.)

photo: Forbes.com, Dunkin' Donuts

The new, more efficient buildings cost Dunkin' Donuts between 1% and 3% more upfront to build, but executives recognize that the benefits, and eventual savings, far outweigh the initial cost.  Not only will the DD Green certified stores save big on utilities annually, the publicity from the green push is attractive to potential customers.  Consumers today care more about sustainability and fair-trade business practices than ever before.  With the competition pushing efficiency measures, there really was no other choice than to advance their own environmental procedures.

This kind of environmental competition is not only occurring among coffee companies, however.  Businesses around the world are touting sustainability practices that continue to push standards of operation further, and consumers are taking notice.  The time of operating inefficiently has passed, don't let your company fall behind on the curve.  Contact one of our energy specialists today to see what your facility can do to increase efficiency, benefiting your customers, the environment, and your operating budget.