Caffe Inc.’s Week of Triumph: Double Awards for ESG Excellence
In an exceptional week, Caffe Inc. has achieved a double victory that underscores our commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) values. On the 18th of September, Evaluna, our CTO and founder, was honored as one of the “Women of the Future -50 rising stars in ESG“. Soon after, on the 22nd of September, Caffe inc. secured first place in the social impact category in the Innovation Challenges at the 2023 Conference of the European Supplier Diversity Project.
Women of the future 50 rising stars in ESG
To celebrate this honorable nomination, Women of the Future hosted an event at the headquarters of the Financial Times in London, who have been the sponsor of the charity. Led by the founder and chairman Pinky Lilani, “Women in ESG: 50 Stars Changing the World” is an initiative which seeks to celebrate the talented female trailblazers and role models aged 35 and under from around the world who are at the forefront of ESG.
With founder and chairman Pinky Lilani (on the left) and founder and CTO of Caffe inc. Evaluna Marquez
Evaluna was invited as one of the 3 women to talk at the panel discussion. Together with Neha the founder of “Nordic Women in STEM” and Wendy who is an ESG investment Specialist at “Ninety One”.
Watch the full panel discussion video here.
How the journey began
When asked about how each of their projects started, Evaluna mentioned how she grew up in Costa Rica and her memory with her uncle who discussed the negative environmental impacts affecting the surrounding nature as a coffee farmer. After completing her studies in chemistry, she wanted to utilize her expertise while remembering what her uncle had told her. When discovering that drinking a cup of coffee wastes 99% of the coffee bean, she embarked on a mission to change this.
Evaluna at the Panel discussion
Why ESG is important.
Evaluna pointed out the urgent need for action, emphasizing the increasing interest in waste management and sustainability. Larger companies are now showing interest in ESG, driven in part by increased funding, the growing demands of end consumers, and government pressure. Evaluna stressed that while change takes patience, the momentum towards a more sustainable future is undeniable.
Women in STEM and Higher business positions
Neha highlighted how harmful stereotypes discourage young girls from pursuing a study in STEM even in regions like the Nordics where there is relatively higher gender equality. Evaluna highlighted that it is positive to see more women, especially in the Netherlands, who are working in the field of sustainability.
Watch the full panel discussion video here.
In a beautiful event with other inspirational women, the ‘Women of the Future: Rising Stars of ESG’ showcased the formidable talent and vision driving the future of environmental and social projects.
Category winner of the 2023 Innovation challenges
The first ESDP (European Supplier Diversity Project) Conference ‘23 was hosted in Amsterdam sponsored by META and EY. Caffe inc. became the 2023 winner in the Social Impact category.
At the two day event hosted in Amsterdam, the finalists, including Evaluna, had to deliver a pitch to win their title. These finalists were selected amoung 160 entries. The pitch was judged based on 6 factors by the official judges and the audience judges. The 6 factors include:
- Problem – is the problem real?
- Solution – does the solution truly address the problem?
- Business Model – how thorough is the Business model?
- Traction – is there evidence to support a future in the venture?
- Prize Money – how will the prize money be put to use?
- Pitch – was the pitch clear and engaging?
Evaluna delivering her Pitch at the ESDP Conference ’23 in Amsterdam
Caffe inc. addresses these points by being the first in the Netherlands to process coffee waste into not only a sustainable new resource, but a product that is valuable. This ensures that the coffee beans that are shipped all the way from another continent are not wasted, not only from an environmental perspective but also economically. Caffe inc. tackles the true problem by actively reducing waste that ends up in the landfill, while replacing energy/land/water intensive alternative products. The prize money will help us diverge into R&D and innovation in a new area of product which can be further developed: our coffee dyes and inks. In the future we hope to fully utilize three different products from coffee waste. Caffe inc. is also growing rapidly by gaining attention from clients around Europe.
At Caffe Inc., we invite you to join us in our mission to create a more sustainable and equitable world. Evaluna’s inspiring journey is a reminder that change starts with a vision and the determination to make it a reality.
Stay tuned for more updates on our initiatives and innovations that are shaping the future of coffee and ESG values. Together, we can brew a better world—one cup of coffee at a time.
