Equator Coffees
Our Impact
Guided by our values of good coffee, kind people & better planet, Equator has never wavered on what matters: exceptional coffee, sourced with care, shared with intention. Explore how we furthered that mission in 2024.
Our 2024 Impact Report
Equator was founded on the idea that what we do and how we do it matters. It’s been co-founders Helen Russell and Brooke McDonnell’s life work and passion to apply that philosophy to coffee, to provide greater transparency into the coffee production process, as well as establish more equitable and sustainable practices in support of a better international coffee economy.
As a B Corp certified organization, we remain dedicated to continuous improvement and accountability, striving to set the standard for excellence within our industry. We choose to publish our annual impact report as a check-in with our community, and as a dialogue to share what we’re doing, what’s working, and where we hope to improve.
Coffee Origin
We make a 5% giveback pledge on every seasonal blend campaign. Supporting causes at origin is central to our mission, which is why the producers behind the core coffee in each seasonal blend in 2024 were always the direct beneficiaries of our giveback efforts:
COMUCAP | $5,570 Giveback
Campaign: Golden Hour Blend
These went towards training and technical assistance for the youth of COMUCAP, providing training and necessary materials, such as vegetable seeds, water storage tanks for irrigation, irrigation tape, and other inputs.
Suke Quto | $5,114 Giveback
Campaign: Holiday Blend
These funds helped provide desks for the Suke Quto School Project, which focuses on enhancing the local schools. With the purchase of blackboards and 100 desks, each accommodating three students, this contribution benefited 300 students in total.
Women of Turihamwe | $4,621 Giveback
Campaign: Super Bloom Blend
The Women of Turihamwe made a collective decision to invest these funds into building a soap factory, providing both a vital source of income and a platform for a small entrepreneurial group of women.
Fazenda California | $3,417 Giveback
Campaign: North Star Blend
Fazenda California used these funds to host a field day where they welcomed children from a local school in Ourinhos for an immersive farm tour, including a workshop on composting and its practical applications.
Roastery
Our coffee team remains at the forefront of both coffee culture and sustainability initiatives. They continuously explore innovative practices, ensuring we lead the way in delivering ethically sourced and environmentally conscious coffee. Here are some of our sustainable roasting highlights from 2024:
Roasting Smarter with Loring
By investing in energy-efficient Loring Smart Roasters, we reduce our natural gas usage by 80% compared to traditional drum roasters. We roast 50 hours per week, 3 batches per hour, which means that how we roast matters.
An early adopter of Loring Smart Roast technology, we’re able to roast high volumes while maintaining consistency and reducing our environmental impact by keeping hundreds of thousands of pounds of CO2 out of the environment each year.
363,404
Lbs of CO2 kept out of the environment by our Loring Peregrine & Kestrel Roasters
880
Lbs of upcycled coffee
2,132
Lbs of GrainPro® bags kept out of landfills
9,821
Lbs of burlap bags recycled
Community
Equator believes coffee is a powerful connector that brings people together and sparks meaningful moments. We take pride in being active participants and organizers in the communities our cafes call home, making donations throughout 2024 through programs like Cup for a Cause and our Chefs Collection:
Ment'or BKB Foundation | $19,834 Giveback
Nonprofit foundation aiming to educate and inspire excellence, creativity, and diversity in young culinary professionals.
Lyric | $6,356 Giveback
San Francisco-based organization that builds community and inspire positive social change with LGBTQQ youth
OLE Health Foundation | $3,293 Giveback
Network of seven health centers focusing on serving the most vulnerable communities in Napa and Solano Counties.
Cut Fruit Collective | $2,024 Giveback
SF Bay Area grassroots nonprofit organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander community care, supporting artists and amplifying voices.
Additional beneficiaries in 2024
CERTIFIED B CORP SINCE 2011
B Corporation certification signifies that a business meets the highest standards of social and environmental impact. In 2011, Equator was the first coffee roaster in California to be certified as a B Corporation, marking a pivotal moment in our dedication to sustainable business practices.
This certification underscores our unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and positive impact across our entire company, from our supply chain to our employees to the wider community and environment. Being a B Corp affirms our belief in using business and coffee as forces for good.
A B Corp score is dynamic, reflecting an ongoing journey of improvement fueled by a steadfast dedication to industry-leading practices. The median score for businesses who complete the B Corp assessment is currently 50.9. Based on the B Impact assessment, Equator’s current B Corp score is 85.2.
In 2025, we’re partnering with Greenly, a carbon accounting company that allows us to track our carbon footprint and explore ways to accomplish our goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.