We Are A B Corp

WHAT IS A B CORP? 

Certified B Corporations™ (B Corps™) are for-profit companies that use the power of business to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy. They meet the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. Certified B Corporations amend their governance so that, by law, they make decisions and implement practices that consider not just shareholder value, but the impact on all stakeholders — employees, customers, society, and the environment.

WHY DID SCC BECOME A B CORP? 

Since the founding of Stone Creek Coffee our corporate name has been “Giri.” The word “Giri” comes from a Japanese code of honor called “Bushido.” In brief, it means that we all live with an obligation to those around us. Joining the B Corp community aligns with that idea and gives us accountability, community, and framework as we continue to be a force for good in our communities, both local and global.

HOW DOES THIS IMPACT OUR OPERATIONS? 

While customers may not notice a pronounced change in our day-to-day operations, the shared priorities of the B Corp community will guide our investments and decision-making as we work toward reduced inequality, lower levels of poverty, a healthier environment, stronger communities, and the creation of high-quality jobs with dignity and purpose.

As a B Corporation, we publish an annual Impact Report recapping our progress as a company in alignment with the priorities above. Here is our 2023 Impact Report. Stay tuned as we continue to release these each year.

HOW WE SERVE OUR COMMUNITY? 

As a mission-driven company, at Stone Creek Coffee, we believe in serving and enhancing the local communities we live and work in.

We believe that the socially responsible practices we apply daily in our internal operations can proliferate with the involvement of our stakeholders, customers, and communities. In each community where our employees work and live, we — as Stone Creek Coffee and individual members of the community — actively create opportunities to play a positive role through various initiatives. These initiatives include support of important charitable organizations through monetary and/or material donations, promoting volunteerism, and more. In line with our mission to be socially responsible, we also commit to:

1) Local Serving - We commit to serving at least 75% local and independent clients or customers.

2) Local Hiring - As a company that is committed to its local community, at Stone Creek Coffee, we are also committed to local hiring.

3Local Suppliers - We are committed to using local suppliers when possible.

WHAT IS OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT?

At Stone Creek Coffee, social responsibility is a foundational element of our identity. We believe that a commitment to the environment must coexist with other elements of social responsibility for a holistic approach to doing our best for the world and others.

Stone Creek Coffee will regularly audit and identify areas of environmental strength and weakness within the overall operations of the organization.  We will attempt to reduce any negative impacts on air, surface water, groundwater, public health, community quality of life, and employee health while producing coffee that is sweet, clean, and juicy. Stone Creek Coffee will strive for continual improvement in pollution prevention while meeting or exceeding all regulations.

WHAT IS OUR SUPPLIER CODE OF CONDUCT?

At Stone Creek Coffee, social responsibility is a foundational aspect of our identity. As such, we expect our partners and suppliers to conduct themselves and their business in an ethical, legal, and socially responsible manner, including, but not limited to, their commitment to the environment, their employees, and the community. 

Legal Requirements
We expect that all suppliers know and follow the laws that apply to them and their business, as well as to treat the law as the minimum standard. 

Ethical Requirements - Integrity
At Stone Creek Coffee, we believe in conducting business with integrity and as a force for good. We expect our suppliers to operate fairly and ethically. Bribes, kickbacks, inappropriate gifts or hospitality, or other improper incentives in connection with Stone Creek Coffee are not tolerated. Suppliers are expected to avoid any conflict of interest relating to financial interests or other arrangements with our employees that may be considered inappropriate and are to work with their own suppliers to promote business conduct consistent with the principles in this Code.

Labor Requirements 
Child Labor and Slavery - We do not tolerate child labor or slavery in our supply chain. Consistent with the United Nations Global Compact principles, suppliers should avoid any sort of child labor in their business operations. 

Identification of Concerns - Suppliers are required to provide means for their employees to report concerns or potentially unlawful activities in the workplace. Any report should be treated in a confidential manner. Suppliers will investigate such reports and take corrective action if needed.

Wages and Working Conditions
Working Hours, Wages, and Benefits - Working hours for suppliers’ employees will not exceed the maximum set by the applicable national law. Compensation paid to employees will comply with applicable national wage laws and ensure an adequate standard of living. Suppliers are expected to provide their employees with fair and competitive compensation and benefits. Compensation and benefits should aim at providing an adequate standard of living for employees and their families. Suppliers’ employees will be paid in a timely manner. It is recommended that suppliers offer their employees ample training and educational opportunities.

Diversity and Inclusion - Fair and equal treatment of all employees is expected to be a fundamental principle of all of our supplier’s corporate policies. Typical discriminatory treatment takes into consideration – consciously or unconsciously – irrelevant characteristics of an employee such as race, national origin, gender, age, physical characteristics, social origin, disability, religion, family status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or any unlawful criterion under applicable law. Suppliers will ensure that their employees are not harassed in any way. Stone Creek Coffee encourages its suppliers to provide an inclusive and supportive working environment while exercising diversity when it comes to their employees as well as in their decisions to select subcontractors.

Health, Safety, Quality, and Security
Health and Safety - In order to provide dignity and respect, we expect all of our suppliers to protect workers’ rights and provide safe and healthy working conditions. We encourage our supplier partners to foster an environment that is inclusive, and free of harassment and discrimination. 

Emergency Preparedness, Risk Information, and Training - Suppliers will make available safety information on identified workplace risks and suppliers’ employees will be correspondingly trained to ensure they are adequately protected. Suppliers will identify and assess likely and potential emergency situations in the workplace and minimize their impact by implementing emergency plans and response procedures.

Quality and Security - Suppliers are expected to have good security practices across their supply chains. Suppliers will maintain processes and standards that are designed to assure the integrity of each shipment to Stone Creek Coffee from its origin through to its destination and all points in between. Suppliers are expected to implement the necessary and appropriate measures in their area of responsibility to ensure that Stone Creek Coffee products, their workable components or raw materials as well as the corresponding know-how do not end up in the hands of counterfeiters or third parties and do not leave the legal supply chain.

Environmental Awareness 
Waste and Emissions - Suppliers will have systems in place to ensure the safe handling, movement, storage, recycling, reuse, and management of waste, air emissions, and wastewater discharges. Any of these activities that have the potential to adversely impact human or environmental health will be appropriately managed, measured, controlled, and handled prior to the release of any substance into the environment. Suppliers will have systems in place to prevent or mitigate accidental spills and releases into the environment.

Resource Conservation and Climate Protection - Suppliers are expected to use natural resources (e.g., water, sources of energy, and raw materials) in an economical way. Negative impacts on the environment and climate will be minimized or eliminated at their source or by practices such as the modification of production, maintenance, and facility processes, material substitution, conservation, recycling, and material reutilization. Suppliers will engage in the development and use of climate-friendly products and processes to reduce power consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Preference to Purchase from Local Suppliers and Suppliers with Ownership from Underrepresented Populations - At Stone Creek Coffee, we are committed to our community and the environment. As such, we have a preference to purchase from local suppliers when possible, as well as to purchase from suppliers who support other local suppliers. We also give preferences to suppliers with ownership from underrepresented populations.

Supplier Audits and Record-Keeping - In order to make responsible, well-informed business decisions and disclose truthful and timely information to our stakeholders, we expect our supplier partners to maintain accurate and honest records.  In line with this, we expect our supplier partners to do the following: maintain books and records that reflect all transactions in an accurate, honest, and timely way; employ appropriate quality audit and compliance processes for matters such as product and food safety, worker health and safety, and labor and employment; to enable traceability, disclose the location of facilities and known origins of materials upon request/audit.

When screening potential suppliers, we screen for the following:

1) Compliance with all local laws and regulations, including those related to social and environmental performance

2) Good governance, including policies related to ethics and corruption, as well as diversity and inclusion

3) Positive practices beyond what is required by regulations (e.g., environmentally-friendly manufacturing process, excellent labor practices, performance to the Core Commitments, etc.)

4) Third-party certifications related to positive social and/or environmental performance (B Corp certification, Bird Friendly, etc.)

5) Local suppliers should be given preference (within 250 miles of the Factory)

6) Suppliers owned by underrepresented populations should be given preference

Here is a list of our suppliers:

• ASSOCIATED BAG
• ATLANTIC SPECIALTY COFFEE INC
• AZAHAR COFFEE COMPANY
• BADGER BOILED HAM
• BADGER DISTRIBUTING OF MILWAUKEE, LLC
• BEECHWOOD SALES AND SERVICES, INC
• BEER CAPITOL DISTRIBUTING, LLC
• BERNHARD ROTHFOS INTERCAFE
• BOELTER COMPANIES, LLC
• BRITEVISION MEDIA
• BUNN-O-MATIC CORPORATION
• CADENCE COLD BREW
• CARAVELA
• CHEFS' WAREHOUSE
• CHEMEX
• CHROMATIC WINE COMPANY LLC
• CLOVER DISTRIBUTION
• COFINET LLC
• COLLABORATIVE COFFEE SOURCE NORTH AMERICA
• COVOYA SPECIALTY COFFEE
• CROP TO CUP COFFEE IMPORTERS
• DWC SPECIALTIES
• ENGELHARDT DAIRY OF WI, LLC
• FETCO
• FLAIR FLEXIBLE PACKAGING CORP
• FOREST COFFEE
• FURST COFFEE COMPANY SAS
• GH GRINDING & BREWING SOLUTIONS INC
• GOODBOI
• GORDON FOOD SERVICE
• GREEN BAY PACKAGING INC
• GREEN POWER TRADE, INC
• HALO SOAP, LLC
• JACKSON'S FOOD COMPANY
• JURA INC
• KALLAS HONEY FARM, INC
• LA MARZOCCO USA
• MAGELLAN PROMOTIONS
• MAPLE VALLEY COOPERATIVE
• MIDDLETON'S PRESERVES
• MILWAUKEE CANDLE CO.
• NOTNEUTRAL
• OCCHETTI FOODS
• OMANHENE COCOA BEAN COMPANY
• ORCHARD STREET PRESS
• PBFY FLEXIBLE PACKAGING
• PREMIUM WATERS INC
• PRODIGAL COFFEE LLC
• QRG FORMERLY ASCENTIVES
• RANCILIO
• RED FOX COFFEE MERCHANTS
• REGAL WARE INC
• RISHI TEA
• ROCKLINE
• ROYAL COFFEE
• SAY WHEN BEVERAGES INC.
• SOUL BREW KOMBUCHA
• STEEPED, INC.
• STOKEBRIDGE BRANDS
• SYSCO
• TABAL CHOCOLATE
• TAPPED MAPLE SYRUP
• TONY MACHI FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
• TRABOCCA
• ULINE
• UNFI
• V. MARCHESE INC.
• VALLEY BAKERS ASSOCIATION
• VENTOLA COFFEE
• VERN'S CHEESE
• WELLY, LLC