Lavazza In Top Ten On Reputation Institute's 2019 Global Corporate Responsibility List

NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Renowned Italian coffee company Lavazza is the top food & beverage brand on the largest Corporate Responsibility report, ranked ninth amongst all companies. Conducted annually by the leading provider of reputation measurement and management services, the results showcase the top 100 companies that are most successfully driving corporate responsibility initiatives worldwide. The ninth placement is a testament to Lavazza's growing commitment to global sustainability initiatives, as the brand previously owned the 32^nd ranking in 2018.

At Lavazza, acting with responsibility is synonymous to being an engine of change. The brand places a high level of focus on accountability toward its consumers, while also recognizing and acting on its responsibility to the planet and all the coffee growing communities in which people operate. This mentality drives Lavazza's commitment to innovation as the company continues to seek cutting-edge inspirations and solutions for a cleaner, more sustainable future.

"At Lavazza, we are committed to the development of a sustainable future and are charting a course to provide actionable solutions that tackle the sustainability challenges of today while also looking ahead toward the challenges that may be present tomorrow," said Davide Riboni, CEO of Lavazza North America. "For us, the most important part of this process is actively engaging with and providing support to the individuals in local coffee growing communities."

Lavazza's commitment to sustainability comes to life through the Lavazza Foundation, which promotes and implements economic, social, and environmental sustainability projects in coffee producing communities across the globe. The Foundation caters to the needs of coffee producers, improving the yield and quality of their products by providing trainings and resources that encourage the development of entrepreneurial skills. More than 94,000 coffee producers have benefited from Lavazza Foundation activity, through 25 projects in 17 countries.

The ¡Tierra! Project is a Lavazza Foundation initiative, which has boosted economic growth, combated environmental damages caused by deforestation and climate change, and helped producers develop programs that align with the criteria for sustainable agricultural practices set forth by the Rainforest Alliance. Lavazza's ¡Tierra! Portfolio features a seal of certification from the Rainforest Alliance, signifying its support of biodiversity conservation and its promotion of the rights and healthy living conditions of farm workers and their families. The newest product to receive the Rainforest Alliance's official stamp of approval, ¡Tierra! Bio-Organic, will be available in retailers in the US and Canada starting in early 2020. Further, Lavazza's upcoming Alteco Organic Premium Blend, launching to food service professionals this November, will be certified 100% organic. The unique blend will be processed, packed and shipped completely apart from non-organic products to maintain purity according to UTZ standards on organic blends.

In addition to its work with the ¡Tierra! Project, Lavazza is one of the founding members of Coffee&Climate, an initiative that aims to study the effects of climate change on coffee and provide growers with the technical tools they need to respond effectively to it. Lavazza's role in the initiative extended in addition to closing the gap between gender and climate change in coffee production. Strengthening women's rights, supporting their participation in household decision-making, empowering their knowledge and enhancing the adaptation of climate-resilient practices becomes one of the most impactful ways to promote sustainable development.

To learn more about Lavazza's current and future sustainability initiatives, visit https://www.lavazza.com/en/sustainability.html.

About Lavazza Group

Established in 1895 in Turin, the Italian coffee company has been owned by the Lavazza family for four generations. Among the world's most important roasters, the Group currently operates in more than 90 countries through subsidiaries and distributors, with 64% of revenues coming from markets outside of Italy. Lavazza employs a total of over 4,000 people with a turnover of € 1.87 billion in 2018. [In its financial statements at 31/12/2018, for the first time Lavazza Group has stated its income and equity values according to international accounting standards (IFRS)].

Lavazza, one of the world's 100 most reputable brands according to the Reputation Institute, is now the ninth business globally for Corporate Responsibility in the 2019 Global CR RepTrak ranking, taking the top spot in the Food & Beverage sector, and the Italian business community. Lavazza created the concept of blending — or in other words the art of combining different types of coffee from different geographic areas — and this continues to be a distinctive feature of most of its products. The company also has 30 years' experience in the production and sale of portioned coffee systems and products. It was the first Italian business to offer capsule espresso systems. Lavazza operates in all business segments: at home, away-from-home and office coffee service, always with a focus on innovation in consumption technologies and systems.

Lavazza has been able to develop its brand awareness through important partnerships perfectly in tune with its brand internationalization strategy, such as those in the world of sport with the Grand Slam tennis tournaments, and those in the fields of art and culture with prestigious museums like New York's Guggenheim Museum, St. Petersburg's Hermitage State Museum and Melbourne's National Gallery of Victoria.

Companies that form part of the Lavazza Group include France's Carte Noire and ESP (acquired in 2016 and 2017 respectively), Denmark's Merrild (2015), North America's Kicking Horse Coffee (2017), Italy's Nims (2017), and the business of Australia's Blue Pod Coffee Co (2018). At the end of 2018, following an acquisition, the Lavazza Professional Business Unit was created, which includes the leading Office Coffee Service (OCS) and Vending systems Flavia and Klix.