As Earth Day events kicked off around the world this month, Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee and the reforestation not-for-profit organization One Tree Planted announced a partnership to fight the devastating impact of climate change in the countries where Mother Parkers sources tea leaves and coffee beans.
One Million New Trees to Be Planted
The new program will result in one million new trees planted in a number of different origin countries over the next five years, beginning with Honduras and India. A total of 100,000 trees will be planted in each country in 2021, helping to support reforestation and ensure the long-term viability of coffee and tea farms that support the livelihoods of millions of small farmers, farm workers and local communities.
Other coffee and tea-producing countries that will benefit from the program include Guatemala, Kenya and Colombia.
In many of the regions that Mother Parkers will target for reforestation, the company is also working with the Rainforest Alliance, an international non-profit organization that’s working in more than 70 countries at the intersection of business, agriculture and forests.
Rainforest Alliance is specifically creating a more sustainable world by using social and market forces to protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities. Closer to home, Mother Parkers’ program will also include tree planting initiatives in the North American region where the company operates.
“As one of North America’s leading coffee and tea companies and a family-owned business for more than a century, we continue to find new ways to support our partners at origin,” explained Shannon Higgins, director of corporate sustainability for Mother Parkers.
Higgins added, “This partnership with One Tree Planted is one of the ways that Mother Parkers is delivering on its Corporate Sustainability Plan and living up to the commitments made by previous generations to support the coffee and tea farms that make it possible for us to provide exceptional quality products. We look forward to engaging our customers and consumers in this important initiative as we expand to more regions around the globe.”
Making an Impact
According to Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee, planting trees in countries where coffee and tea are grown will not only help to clean the world’s air by absorbing harmful pollutants and releasing clean oxygen, it will also help reduce the devastating impacts of climate change on local farms and communities that are experiencing increased challenges from droughts, floods, and soil erosion caused by the earth’s rising temperatures.
“Quality reforestation projects are intricately connected to the local communities in which the trees will grow,” said Diana Chaplin, canopy director at One Tree Planted. “We all rely on healthy ecosystems for agriculture, and this initiative ensures that we’re replenishing the planet through meaningful partnerships that value nature, people, and biodiversity.”
Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee provides private label solutions for some of the world’s largest retailers and foodservice companies. It also manufactures its own brands, including Higgins & Burke Tea and Martinson Coffee, as well as partner brands like Marley Coffee, all in multiple formats.
To learn more about Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee, visit Mother-Parkers.com.
For info on One Tree Planted and Rainforest Alliance, visit OneTreePlanted.org and Rainforest-Alliance.org.