Responsibility

---

We love diversity

We enjoy exploring the different coffee varietals, processing styles and flavour profiles. That’s why, instead of buying large quantities from fewer origins, we source multiple small lots from small-scale producers worldwide.

Our work builds upon the coffee’s existing features

Every coffee has unique characteristics defined by its genetics, terroir and processing method. Our role at the end of the journey takes place right at the end—roasting, packing, brewing and serving. Our purpose is to highlight the exceptional properties of each lot, honouring the hard work of those at the beginning of the chain.

The journey matters as much as the outcome

We pay attention to the little details in our sourcing, production and service. It all adds up to the final experience.

Anyone can feel the joy of drinking delicious coffee

The ritual of brewing and drinking an excellent coffee is something anyone can experience, whether in a cafe or at home. For us, coffee should be an approachable and accessible product; that’s why we put a lot of thought into the experience we build around it.

Collapse ↗︎

---

Our communications are realistic and data-driven

We love sharing our progress, milestones and challenges. We avoid claiming statements without providing further evidence. We are accountable for our actions. We admit we are not perfect and have work to do.

We publish an annual report

We take the time to measure, analyse and compile meaningful metrics and stories about what each financial year has looked like for us. We hope that, further than knowing us for our product, you learn more about how we work behind the scenes.

Read our report for FY 23/24 ⇣
Read our report for FY 22/23 ⇣
Read our report for FY 21/22 ⇣
Read our report for FY 20/21 ⇣
Read our report for FY 19/20 ⇣
Read our report for FY 18/19 ⇣
Read our report for FY 17/18 ⇣

We are a certified B Corporation

We became a certified B Corporation in April 2019 and re-certified in 2022. The ‘B Corp’ Certification conveys that a business meets high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.

Learn more about what it means to be a certified B Corporation.

We share the little things

While the annual reports are comprehensive and detailed, we use our communication channels (newsletter, Instagram, journal) to share meaningful milestones and actions on a quicker, less formal note.

We use our marketing with care

We believe that attention and time are valuable assets. Our marketing efforts and communications will be driven by honesty and generosity, providing genuine value and information about our brand and products.
Our marketing and communications the ethics and commitments laid out by professional media firm (and B Corporation) JB Media Group

Collapse ↗︎

---

Respect, diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities for all

We work to create an atmosphere and opportunities where everyone—staff, customers, suppliers and the broader community—feels safe, valued and supported, regardless of background, gender, age, religion, identity and experience. What matters is the passion for coffee, proactivity and respect.

We use our business to support a responsible local economy

We source our coffee through trusted importers who find high-quality lots and invest time and resources in supporting the local economy and environment at origin.

The rest of our products and services are sourced preferentially via local, independent and like-minded ethical businesses. This approach extends to our wholesale partners—we love to work with people who care more than the bottom line.

Only traceable coffees

All the coffees we buy are high-quality and traceable, including those we use for our blends. We share all the information we receive from the importers on each origin/blend’s dedicated page.

We’re considering ways to include sensitive (but relevant) information about price transparency; until we get there, we share a summary of key indicators in our annual reports.

We take care of our staff, truly

We can’t expect to give an awesome product and service if the people who make it happen don’t feel valued. We appreciate our workers as much as the farmers; they all make Sample Coffee possible. Caring about our staff starts by paying fair, legit and transparent wages, offering as many stable shifts as possible and being flexible and supportive.

Collapse ↗︎

---

Not a sustainable brand

Sustainability is ‘the ability to exist constantly’. We acknowledge that the coffee industry is complex and based on deeply rooted practices that often take more than the planet can give; similarly, it is not equally fair to all workers in the supply chain. The global coffee industry, and we as a tiny fraction of it, can’t be called sustainable.

However, we believe there’s room for change. We promise to be part of a paradigm shift that puts social and environmental outcomes at the same level as financial success, building an economy (and planet) that can exist over time and eventually does not generate irreversible harm.

We are not a sustainable brand—but sustainability is our primary driver.

Emissions offsetting—work in progress

The topic of net zero, carbon neutrality and certifications has been an ongoing puzzle in our headquarters for years. And we’re still trying to figure out how to approach it. Measuring emissions is costly, but we understand it’s necessary.

At the same time, we’ve found the world of certifications and offsets grey, confusing, pricey and, in many cases, unethical. Until more trust and transparency exist, we’ll keep reducing externalities and offering financial support to organisations that work in forest preservation and regeneration.

Our electricity is 100% GreenPower

Our roastery and cafes buy 100% GreenPower for the electricity supply. It’s an electricity scheme that feeds to the grid the equivalent of our total consumption using power from renewable sources.

Gas: We still depend on it, but we’re more efficient with Loring

The core of our business—roasting—still relies on gas, a fossil fuel. With our latest switch to a Loring machine, we expect to optimise our consumption due to a more efficient design. According to the manufacturer, there are “Up to 80% fuel savings and reduction of greenhouse gases in every roast compared to conventional roasters.”

However, we’re still dependent on gas, and we will probably be for a good number of years until electric roasters are more available and match the quality—or until gas is unavailable altogether.

We’ll keep an eye on them and also on electric vans for our local deliveries.

Towards a shift in takeaway culture

The best possible solution to cutting waste from takeaway cups is not offering them. But the habit of grabbing a coffee in a single-use cup is ingrained in our community. Who should take the initiative: the cafes not offering cups or the customers not asking for them? It’s a thought always on our minds.

For now, we incentivise using BYO cups through a 20-cent discount per coffee (or a 20-cent tax on disposable). Still, about 60% of the coffees we serve each year are in disposable cups. What else could we do as a small business and community to instil change? We’re open to ideas.

We’re transitioning into compostable packaging and stationery

We are actively looking for vegetable-based and home-compostable packaging and stationary elements. This is where we’re at:

Coffee bean bags: vegetable-based (pending the ABA Home Compostable Verification).
Drip and steeped bag sachets: home compostable (OK Compost Home TUV Austria certified)
Drip and steeped bag sachets: commercially/industrially compostable
Takeaway cups and lids: commercially/industrially compostable
Shipping boxes: recyclable
Labels: recyclable
Postcards: recyclable
Valves: general waste
Tape: recyclable
Stickers: recyclable

Circularity: It’s a start

Our local wholesale blend deliveries are made in reusable containers that get picked up each week after use. We also offer some of our blends in Returnr tins for homebrewing customers.

Our kitchen pushes for lower waste

Much of the environmental impact comes through the food and drinks we serve through our bar and kitchens. We wrote a journal post on how our kitchen staff deliberately designs our menu and servings for zero waste, prioritising local and seasonal.

We prioritise ethical business partners

Whenever we need a new product or service, first we think twice about it: “Do we really need to print that?” Then, we research its materials, process and life after use: “How is it made? How will it behave after the customers or we use it?”

We are critical of our actions and those of the companies or services we hire. We prioritise those who strive for high quality and care for more than the bottom line.

We share our profits and give back

Each of our retail coffee bag sales donates 20 cents to social and environmental causes.

Other little things

We use Ecosia as our main search engine.
Most of our team lives within 30km.
Our coffee sacks and schaff get used and composted in local gardens.

Collapse ↗︎

---

The Sample Coffee Library: sharing is caring

The evolution of our Sample Coffee Library is the Pro Shop library—a space full of coffee books and magazines that customers can come and read anytime.

Bringing people together through events and workshops

We love interacting with our community, whether that is in person or digitally. We do this through brewing workshops, tasting experiences, competitions and parties that bring us together with those who love coffee and hospitality.

Some events we enjoyed are the Tea Craft tea tastings, the brewing courses with James Perry, the Ball fundraiser roaster competition and party, the AeroPress Games and the Beyond The Bar events.

The bigger picture: coffee and culture shift

We acknowledge that the coffee industry is built on slavery and colonialism, often taking advantage of vulnerable groups and objectifying their image to sell this exotic product.

We’ve created our own guidelines for written and visual communication for the products and services we sell. Acknowledging our past actions, we wish to be part of a broader coffee cultural shift that moves away from exoticism and saviourism.

Sharing our voice, leading to action

We want to use our voice to start conversations about topics that matter. Always from respect and compassion, we also talk about important issues (other than coffee-related) that may impact the community that drinks it, building a culture of action and awareness.

Supporting local and emerging artists

Our cafes are open to local artists to showcase their work through temporary shows. And we jump at any opportunity to create original artworks—like our Surry Hills mural by Joel Cameron or our merchandise.

We donate goods, time, space and money

We donate part of our profits, products, space and time to local organisations and social initiatives every year. From beans for school fundraiser raffles and movie sets to sponsoring underdog athletes, showing local artists’ work in our cafes or lending our space for community meetings, we love getting involved to make good things happen. Each year’s money and in-kind donations are summed up in our annual reports.

If you think we could support your cause, whether that’s through beans, funds or our venues, please reach out. We’d love to chat.

Collapse ↗︎