Composting at the office

Step into the fascinating journey of Servomax, where passion and dedication have fuelled our growth for more than two decades by prioritizing employee well-being at work. How did we accomplish this feat, you might wonder? By diligently crafting inviting spaces for collaboration and nurturing our team’s creative spirit.

Yet, our commitment doesn’t stop there. We also prioritize and value the well-being of our team, coffee producers, and, of course, the planet. The latter goal is essential. But how can we achieve this?

As a distributor, it’s easy to believe that our actions have a limited impact on the environment, but by focusing on areas within our control, such as coffee residue, we have successfully implemented a groundbreaking project. We recognize that even seemingly small elements hold immense potential for positive change.

As a team, we asked:  how can we make the most out of our coffee grounds? What initially seemed like a challenge soon became an opportunity to forge meaningful connections within our community by repurposing coffee grounds.

Inspired by our partnerships with local coffee roasters who care not only about the production methods of coffee but also about how it is being sent, we initiated the pilot project “Life after grounds“! This new initiative not only mobilizes our team but also adds value to a high-quality product while serving a greater purpose.

 

 

Compost is a natural process of transforming organic materials, such as leaves or leftover food, into valuable fertilizers. In fact, adding coffee grounds to the soil will make it potent. It improves soil structure and serves as an excellent source of nitrogen, a fundamental element for plant development. Some crops love it, especially mushrooms. Moreover,  if you decide to grow the same plants found in your compost, you have a winning recipe.

“Life After Grounds” is a multipurpose project. Besides leveraging coffee throughout its lifecycle, it allows us to show value toward our team by involving them in a project they truly support. At Servomax, we firmly believe that every action counts, even the smallest ones. Together, we have the power to make a difference.

 

 

Here are three reasons why you should compost at work:

1. Boosting Motivation at the Office

Most employees care about the environment. Seeing the efforts and initiatives taken by the company they work for will increase employee engagement as they will be happy to see you share the same values.

2. Diverting Organic Waste from Landfills

80% of what we throw away can be reused, recycled, or composted. Landfills are filling up, leaving less space for waste. Composting helps divert certain materials.

3. Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Food waste has a carbon footprint of 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent and produces methane in the anaerobic environment of landfills. Composting helps avoid methane production and extends the lifespan of landfills.

But wait, there’s more! We’ve teamed up with Serre de Verdun to take our coffee ground adventures to the next level. Together we have found a way to breathe new life into over 400 kg of coffee grounds annually, approximately, nurturing the growth of plants and our planet simultaneously.

 

 

La Serre de Verdun, a community-owned space, serves as a haven for passionate cultivators to bring their projects to life. Our partner is a talented tropical plant grower who embraced our initiative wholeheartedly. During our recent visit, we immersed ourselves in a world of enchanting gardenias, luscious pomelos, fragrant jasmines, and even coffee plants. It was a surreal experience that helped us reconnect with our core product: coffee.