Germany: DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG, Strong in Regional Sustainability
Attaining the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal of Sustainable Cities and Communities
ISBN: 978-1-80455-839-3, eISBN: 978-1-80455-836-2
Publication date: 29 August 2023
Citation
Pillmayer, M. (2023), "Germany: DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG, Strong in Regional Sustainability", Birdthistle, N. and Hales, R. (Ed.) Attaining the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal of Sustainable Cities and Communities (Family Businesses on a Mission), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 37-53. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80455-836-220231004
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2024 Markus Pillmayer. Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. These works are published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of these works (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode.
License
These works are published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of these works (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode.
DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG, Strong in Regional Sustainability: Coffee Enjoyment at the Highest Quality Level, Supported by an Intergenerationally Understood Sustainability Claim
Introduction
DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG 1 is a Bavarian family business with its headquarters in Irschenberg (located south of Munich). DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG specialises in the roasting and distribution of premium coffee and tea and the distribution of high-quality coffee machines.
As a coffee roasting business, DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG is dependent on green coffee as a preliminary product from the countries of the so-called coffee belt. 2 Coffee grows in countries that lie between the 25th parallel north and the 25th parallel south around the equator. These are primarily developing countries, which are often characterised by low social security and political instability. This also means long transport routes to the coffee roasting plant in Bavaria. Last but not least, roasting coffee requires a not insignificant amount of energy. As a business with a sustainable and high-quality understanding of its product, DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG is committed to coffee farmers and the sustainable cultivation of green coffee.
In 1998, the Richter family acquired the DINZLER coffee roasting business from Klaus Dinzler in Bischofswiesen, a small town near the German–Austrian Border. At that time, no one could have guessed the quantum leap the business would make in the next few years. After a temporary move to Rosenheim (a town south-east of Munich), DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG has been based at Irschenberg in the municipality of the same name in the Bavarian Alpine foothills since 2011.
Sustainable action has always been a central principle at DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG, alongside the quality of the product. Sustainability is not a trend or marketing concept in the business, but is firmly anchored in the business behaviour. Throughout the entire value chain, every effort is made to translate sustainable action into measurable results under the premise of the best possible quality by aligning production with sustainability and supporting social projects from the countries of origin of the green coffees to regional projects around Irschenberg.
Vision and Mission
Every coffee moment should be a moment of pleasure. To fulfil this vision, DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG has relied on craftsmanship, precision and dedication for decades. For the business, it is a great honour that customers appreciate this promise. As a family-run coffee roasting business, the quality of its products has always been close to the business's heart. Therefore, the mission is to align all production steps from the coffee plantation to the coffee cup with one goal: perfect coffee enjoyment.
Products and/or Services Offered by DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG
“As a family-run business, passing on our values from generation to generation is particularly important to us. Only by acting sustainably will we and future generations have the opportunity to continue pursuing our passion in the future. That is why sustainability is not a trend or marketing concept for us at DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG but is firmly anchored in our behaviour. Throughout the entire value chain, we do our utmost to operate and work as sustainably as possible. In addition, we support social projects out of conviction, from the countries of origin of our green coffees to regional projects and around Irschenberg”. (Franz Richter)
The following offers are available to customers at DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG:
- 1.
High-quality coffee blends and single-origin coffees and espressos, climate-neutral roasting
- 2.
Seminars and events in state-of-the-art buildings
- 3.
Professional coffee machines for business and private customers
- 4.
Large restaurant and coffee bar space
- 5.
Vinotheque with a wide range of wines from Germany, Austria and Italy
Background to DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG
The DINZLER coffee roasting business was founded in Bischofswiesen in 1950 by Otto Dinzler, who opened a grocery shop there and also roasted coffee. In 1970, the business was taken over by his son Klaus Dinzler. Klaus Dinzler concentrated exclusively on the coffee roasting business.
In 1980, Franz Richter was selling coffee machines throughout Germany and was searching intensively for a suitable high-quality product for his machines. Finally, he found the right partner in Klaus Dinzler. Klaus Dinzler and Franz Richter both had the same understanding of quality – together they then developed the so-called Bistro Blend, which is a special feature that works both in the fully automatic machine and in the espresso machine.
For some period of time, Klaus Dinzler was looking for a successor. The love of coffee and the fascination for the product then prompted members of the Richter family to buy the then small coffee roastery from Klaus Dinzler. Thanks to his decades of experience as a coffee machine dealer, Franz Richter had the knowledge and connections to quickly expand the roastery and adapt the range of products and services to the needs of the customers. Franz Richter's guiding principle was ‘We can do it better!’
‘We Can Do It Better’
It was quickly realised that by establishing direct supplier relationships, the highest quality could be obtained on the one hand, and on the other hand, the coffee farmers could be directly supported through a higher price for their product. DINZLER Kaffeerösterei has established partnerships with coffee farmers in Panama, Colombia, Tanzania and Kenya, among other countries, and is convinced of the quality of the cultivation either through its own visits or through trusted local partners. This special coffee is marketed under its own label ‘DINZLER Direkt gehandelt’, which translates to ‘DINZLER directly traded’ (see Fig. 1). In addition to the highest possible quality of the product, the clear focus of the local coffee farmers is on gentle and sustainable cultivation, preferably in mixed cultivation and under shady trees that also allow for a broad fauna.
In 2000, the coffee roasting plant moved from Bischofswiesen to Rosenheim, which enabled the concept of coffee roasting to be experienced by the customer. This was achieved by installing the roasting plant in a former stonemason's workshop where guests could watch the roasting master at work while they enjoy freshly roasted coffee and homemade cakes from Isolde Richter, Franz Richter's wife. Afterwards, a packet of coffee could be bought in the bean shop. In 2004, however, the spatial capacities were exhausted. The historic industrial building ‘Kunstmühle’ in Rosenheim offered new possibilities: the coffee roasting shop, café and restaurant were optimised and enlarged and rooms for events were established.
In 2008, the business, which until then had been run as a GmbH 3 , became an AG.
The new building of the DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG at Irschenberg, which today serves as the business's headquarters, was built in 2009.
‘Coffee Is Not Drunk to Quench Thirst or Satisfy Hunger. Coffee Is Something to Be Enjoyed’.
In 2011, DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG moved again and opened its headquarters at Irschenberg to concentrate all activities in one place. Today, an architecturally award-winning building houses the coffee roasting plant, a classic coffee bar, a restaurant with kitchen and confectionery, seminar rooms and the business's own crèche on an area of 6,500 m2 (see Fig. 2).
In 2014, the business was handed over to the next generation. Franz Richter handed over the business to his children Katrin and Matthias and his nephew Rolf Fischer. However, he remains active in the business as Chairman of the Board. In the context of sustainable measures, the involvement of businesses in urban development is becoming increasingly important. Businesses are increasingly recognising the importance of their regional and local environment for their success. Those businesses that are solely focused on maximising shareholder benefit no longer meet the current challenges and expectations of business. Sustainable development goals such as sustainable consumption and production, climate protection measures, affordable energy, etc. can be achieved if the responsibility for sustainable development is not delegated exclusively to politics and/or consumers, but if businesses also actively participate in being part of the solution. At the local level, on site, businesses are in an interrelationship with their region. Due to their resources, capacities and competences, businesses have a great potential to engage effectively for their region by getting involved in solving social or ecological problems and thus contributing to a positive regional development (Basco, 2015; Mayer et al., 2016; Pike et al., 2016). The entrepreneurial family identifies with this and with the region to a high degree.
In 2018, the business headquarters were expanded with the addition of the ‘Otto’ building, doubling the space once again. ‘Otto’ houses a coffee warehouse (storage space for roasted coffee), seminar rooms for customers and guests, an event space, a confectionery and ice cream laboratory 4 , as well as a vinotheque (a shop that sells wine and wine tasting is possible) with a daytime bar, a coffee machine exhibition and a coffee machine shop.
Since 2020, the production of DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG has been completely climate neutral. Although emissions are produced during the roasting of coffee because the roasting machines are fired with natural gas, these are offset by high-quality emission certificates. These are made climate-neutral by means of high-quality emission certificates. The Pacajaj REDD project 5 in the coffee-growing country of Brazil is supported for this purpose. The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) 6 certified project provides measurable benefits to the global climate by protecting valuable primary rainforest and biodiversity and improving the sustainable agricultural use of the forest ecosystem.
Table 1 reflects the key milestones of DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG:
DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG Key Milestones.
| 1950 | Founding of the DINZLER Coffee Roasting Plant by Otto Dinzler in Bischofswiesen |
| 1980 | Franz Richter distributes coffee machines throughout Germany |
| 1998 | Klaus Dinzler finds no successor, takeover of the business by the Richter family |
| 2000 | Relocation of the coffee roasting plant from Bischofswiesen to Rosenheim |
| 2004 | Relocation to the historic industrial building ‘Kunstmühle’ in Rosenheim |
| 2008 | Change of the business's legal from a GmbH to an AG |
| 2009 | New construction of the DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG at Irschenberg |
| 2011 | Relocation to and opening of the new business headquarters at Irschenberg |
| 2014 | Handover to the children Katrin and Matthias and the nephew Rolf Fischer |
| 2018 | Extension ‘Otto’ |
| 2019 | Expansion of the product range to include organic teas |
| 2020 | Conversion to climate-neutral production |
DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG employs around 200 people in all areas of the business in 2022. This includes the roastery, gastronomy, the bean shop and vinotheque as well as sales, administration and customer service.
Today, the business is managed by Franz Richter, his children Katrin and Matthias, his nephew Rolf Fischer and – as the longest serving DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG employee – Thomas Steinke (see Fig. 3).
SDG#11 Sustainable Cities and Communities and DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG
DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG Promotes Regional Uniqueness, Stands for Waste Avoidance and Promotes Inclusion
The diverse challenges of our modern society also affect DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG, and therefore creative and pragmatic solutions are found for many of the goals of SDG#11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Of the sub-goals of SDG#11, the following are considered particularly relevant for DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG:
since housing is scarce around Irschenberg, DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG actively supports its employees in their search for accommodation (posts on internet forums, Facebook, etc.), guarantees landlords for employees or acts directly as a tenant (SDG#11.1).
commissions regional craftsmen where possible (SDG#11.4).
By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management (SDG#11.6). The roasting process is climate-neutral, and the waste from the roasting plant is separated and recycled optimally by the local waste management business.
Although DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG is not located in the urban area of Bavaria's state capital Munich, it is integrated into village structures in the Bavarian foothills of the Alps, the SDG goals and their implications for entrepreneurial action are also highly relevant for DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG.
Packaging and waste: Packaging usually means waste in the medium term and is often avoidable, even if not entirely. Since coffee has special requirements for a barrier against environmental influences, effective protection against excessive temperature, light, oxygen and moisture must be provided to ensure the long-term shelf life of this natural product. DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG has succeeded in achieving all these requirements with a minimum of packaging made of PE 7 film and a thin barrier layer, while at the same time ensuring problem-free recycling of the material used. The PE used is 100% recyclable and is collected in Germany via the Dual System. 8 In accordance with SDG#11, the goal in the area of waste is to increase the separate collection rate and to reduce the volume of waste in general. For packaging, the aim is to use as few resources as possible coupled with a high recycling rate. A deposit system has already been established for major customers, for example.
A returnable system has been developed for major customers. Here, the products are delivered in food-safe reusable containers that can be used many times and meet all hygienic standards through thorough cleaning after each use. The use of packaging films is completely eliminated here.
Emissions: Within SDG#11, emission-related environmental impacts are addressed through the indicator particulate matter in SDG#11.6. Since 2020, the entire production process at DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG at Irschenberg has been calculated to be climate neutral. To achieve the most energy-saving roasting possible, all roasting machines were exchanged and replaced with maximum-efficiency roasters that enable significant energy savings compared to the previous models by optimising the burner settings. Thus, an actual reduction in natural gas consumption of 17% per kg of roasted coffee was achieved. In addition, the entire business exclusively purchases green electricity to achieve the goal of a resource-saving supply chain in the energy sector as well. DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG sends orders climate neutrally with DHL GoGreen (DHL is a German logistics business offering courier, parcel delivery and express mail services). This means that the transport-related CO2 emissions of the parcel quantities shipped are offset.
Our cities are growing: The number of inhabitants is increasing and vacant land is being built on more and more. A major problem here is air pollution and the associated impact on climate change. The reduction of air pollution is seen as a solution, and at the same time a challenge, in the sense of SDG#11. A roasting plant is also affected by this. To further reduce emissions for the neighbourhood of the roasting plant and to avoid odour pollution, investments were made in the plant's exhaust air purification system. To prevent odour nuisance to the neighbours, there is biological filtration of the roasting gases. The smelly smoke is pressed into a stainless steel container that is a good two metres in size. Inside it is bark mulch, i.e. crushed, unfermented tree bark. Bacteria live there and decompose the odour particles. The smoke that ultimately rises into the air is largely odourless (see Fig. 4).
Business Model and SDG#11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
The preservation of biodiversity is particularly important for a business that sources and processes natural products. Not only does it further secure the coffee roasting business's business model, it also ensures a liveable environment in the countries where the coffee bean is produced as well as at the business's location in Irschenberg.
In the countries of origin of the coffee plant, DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG supports the cultivation of coffee on natural farms with a wide range of flora and fauna through its ‘DINZLER Direkt gehandelt’ coffees.
On site at Irschenberg, the possibilities are somewhat more limited, but it is still possible, for example, by only partially mowing the spacious guest garden (see Fig. 1) in summer, to leave a mixed natural meadow where bee colonies are established. The honey produced is used in the in-house gastronomy and complements the wide range of regionally produced and sourced food and goods.
Networks and Awards Regarding SDG#11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG's commitment to sustainability is also reflected in the large number of awards it has received:
2011
Award for the new building in ‘Europe's 1,000 most important works of architecture’.
Leaders Club Germany: Silver Palm for the overall gastronomic concept. To promote innovation in the industry, Leaders Club Germany has presented the annual Leaders Club Award since 2002 for new gastronomic concepts that have the potential to become industry trends.
2013
Bavarian State Prize for Equal Opportunities in the World of Work: The Bavarian State Government awards businesses that are committed to more equal opportunities in the world of work. The prize is awarded to one small, one medium-sized and one large business. They are looking for businesses that offer their employees a family-friendly working environment, e.g. by supporting childcare through a business childcare facility, financial subsidies or cooperation with childminders.
Miesbach District Business Award: By awarding the Business Award, SMG Standortmarketing-Gesellschaft Landkreis Miesbach mbH 9 recognises the great commitment and dedication of the entrepreneurs who are responsible for the economic success of the businesses in the district.
2014
Winner of the Coffeeshop Award: Since 2006, Coffee Business magazine (a German-language, supra-regional trade magazine for the coffee industry) has presented the Coffeeshop Award, an entrepreneur and innovation prize for the coffee industry. With the Coffeeshop Award, the jury recognises businesses that are economically sound and operate an innovative concept in the coffee industry.
2016
Hospitality HR Award, 1st place – ‘Employee Retention’ category: The Hospitality HR Award is the first and only award for human resources management in the hotel and catering industry, presented by the German Hotel Academy (GHA). The award recognises innovative strategies in the categories of training, recruiting and employee retention/development as well as the most convincing comprehensive overall HR strategies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
2019
Falstaff selects DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG as Bavaria's ‘most popular coffee bar & roastery’: Falstaff is an Austrian wine and gourmet magazine. It is the oldest and most widely circulated wine magazine in Austria and is published in German-speaking countries.
2020
Award as ‘Blooming Business’ from the Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection (see below).
2021
Recommended by ‘Gusto – der kulinarische Reiseführer’ (culinary travel guide) – The best restaurants and country inns in Germany 2021: a nationally acclaimed gourmet guide for restaurant and gourmet criticism.
Hospitality HR Award (education) (see above).
2022
2nd rank for Katrin Richter as Bavarian Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG also has the following seals:
‘DINZLER Direkt gehandelt’: in-house seal for small farmers who produce high-quality coffee for DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG.
Fairtrade: Fairtrade connects consumers, businesses and producer organisations and changes trade and commerce through better prices for smallholder families, as well as humane working conditions for employees on plantations in developing and emerging countries.
EU organic label: The label identifies products that originate from organic farming and whose producers or processors comply with the criteria for organic farming as defined by EU law.
Climate-neutral roasting: in-house seal (see Fig. 5) to draw attention to the fact that all DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG coffees are produced with the lowest possible CO2 emissions. Any remaining emissions that can no longer be reduced are compensated for with high-quality CO2 certificates (see above).
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities and DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG
“The DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG coffee roasting plant attaches great importance to ensuring that both guests and employees feel comfortable. This also includes a responsible approach to the surrounding nature”. (Katrin Richter, member of the board)
Green and open spaces, which are reflected in SDG#11.7, have a proven positive effect on air quality and the climate. They serve local recreation, health care and are not least an important water reservoir and habitat for animals and plants. In addition, urban greenery makes our cities more resilient to heat waves and heavy rainfall events – this is important in view of climate change. Within the framework of the ‘Blühpakt Bayern’ (Bavarian Flowering Pact), the Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection would like to encourage businesses to make their areas flower- and bee-friendly (Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz, 2022a). This not only helps wild bees, but also the entire biodiversity of Bavaria. The term ‘blooming business’ is deliberately very broad, so that in addition to businesses, for example, authorities or other public institutions should also feel encouraged to apply (Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz, 2022b).
Award ‘Blühender Betrieb’ (=Flowering Business)
Businesses that meet the following criteria are eligible for the award:
At least 20% of the open spaces on the business's premises are designed to be close to nature. This means in particular – continuous flowering from spring to autumn, different habitats of native wildflowers, perennials, shrubs and woody plants. Green roofs are counted as part of the semi-natural open space.
No extensive use of chemical pesticides.
The flowering areas remain unmown over the winter (preservation of reproduction and overwintering sites for insects).
No use of peaty substrates in the design and maintenance of open spaces.
‘Flowering Business’ Award for DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG
When designing the open spaces of the DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG at Irschenberg, great attention was paid to a near-natural, varied design. The peripheral areas of the grounds are characterised by species-rich flower meadows and wild hedges made of native woody plants. The flower meadows were planted with autochthonous seeds on a low-nutrient, gravelly substrate and are mown only once a year, in late summer. During the extensive earthmoving, the exposed raw soil in slope areas was deliberately left to natural succession. In addition, gravel fills and dead wood were introduced. An extensive orchard and a cherry grove form the transition to the terraces near the buildings. In the shade of the trees are two bee colonies, which are looked after by a local beekeeper. The grounds are freely accessible. Flowering areas in the sense of SDG#11a are therefore so important, because the cultural landscape in Bavaria is significantly shaped by agriculture. However, the cultivated landscape, which has evolved over many millennia, has changed considerably in the meantime. The food supply for flower-seeking insects is becoming increasingly scarce, especially from June onwards, when the early flowers are gone. Flowering areas provide nectar and pollen for flower-seeking insects and offer structure, cover and food for wildlife in open fields. Species-rich flowering areas provide a diverse habitat in every respect.
In 2020, this commitment was recognised with the corresponding award from the Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection. The efforts of the DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG in the context of SDG#11 are reflected, among other things, in the DNK Declaration 2020, which must be submitted for the German Sustainability Code. 10
Reporting and Measurement
DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG documents its actions in the context of sustainability in the so-called DNK declaration (last time in 2020). 11 The DNK declaration is submitted by companies at regular intervals as part of the German Sustainability Code (GSC). This code provides a framework for reporting non-financial performance that can be used by organisations and companies of all sizes and legal forms, including internationally. It was adopted by the German Council for Sustainable Development in 2011 following a stakeholder process. The Sustainability Code makes corporate sustainability performance visible and more comparable through standardisation. It thus broadens the basis for assessing sustainability and describes minimum requirements for reporting companies and organisations. In order to comply with the GSC, users prepare a declaration on 20 GSC criteria 12 on strategy, process management, environmental concerns, employee concerns and society as well as corporate governance. In addition, they report or declare selected performance indicators of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies (EFFAS). The 28 GRI or 16 EFFAS performance indicators are either reported (comply) or the deviation is explained (explain). This is possible, for example, if data is not yet collected or the required information is not material for the business case. As a result, users describe the core of corporate sustainability in their specific business case. In addition, they receive new impulses for the integration of sustainability into the core business and thus gain a competitive advantage in the long term. The companies' declarations of conformity are published in a database on the DNK website (German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE), 2022a).
Challenges of Working With SDG#11
In a region with a high quality of life and high economic prosperity, there are challenges that are also found in urban areas. These include the high cost of living, scarce housing and the increasing difficulty of recruiting qualified workforce. In addition, there are the challenges of rural areas, such as longer transport routes, a sparse network of public transport and thus a high dependence on cars.
These challenges can only be compensated for to a very limited extent by DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG. This makes it possible for employees from abroad, in particular, to take up employment that would otherwise not be possible due to the difficulty of finding a place to live. There is competition for skilled workers, so employers need to position themselves attractively. In terms of SDG#11.1, this also includes affordable housing and a reasonable cost of living, which DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG tries to assist through being a guarantor for staff in their applications for rental accommodation.
Business and Greater Good
As a responsible employer and regional entrepreneur, DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG is committed in various ways:
Crèche for employees as a basic service in sense of SDG#11.1, enabling a quick return to working life.
Annual election of ‘Employee of the Year’ and awarding of the Golden Coffee Bean (prize: trip to the country of origin of coffee). The award is presented in three categories, including social competence.
Cooperation with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (development of training programmes and further training opportunities).
Annual election of the Coffee and Espresso of the Year by customers.
Regular exchange with suppliers: here the product is discussed, but also the plantation. They also talk about new developments, innovations and projects.
Staff appraisals take place at least once a year. Among other things, these discussions focus on the goals and wishes of the employees.
Support for the election and formation of a works council.
Regular offers of free health care for the employees.
Typical factors that contribute to the strengthening of the local community are the financial donations of local businesses. In addition to donations to local associations (volunteer fire brigade, cycling club, ski club, etc.), the coffee roasting business has turned a necessity into a virtue to activate charitable commitment for support associations, hospices, hospitals, etc. The coffee roasting business has also made a contribution to the community. Since coffee beans of high quality are packed in jute sacks in the country of production, which are no longer used after roasting but are very popular with visitors to the roastery, e.g. as decorative objects or winter protection for plants, the idea was born to sell the sacks for one euro and to donate the entire proceeds to charitable projects. This way, recycling or upcycling of already existing and processed raw materials is achieved and social cohesion is strengthened at the same time. In 2020, the revenue was used to support the following institutions in the region, among others: Gemeinnützige Lebenshilfe – Villa Kunterbunt Miesbach (association of parents, relatives and friends of mentally and multiply disabled people), RSV Irschenberg e.V. – Jugendsportförderung (promotion of youth sports), Behandlungszentrum der Kinderklinik Aschau (children's hospital), Bahnhofsmission München Obdachlosenverpflegung (catering for the homeless), etc.
DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG has also been associated with cycling for years. DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG has supported the ‘Maloja Pushbiker Futurestars’ and the ‘Oliver Blas Youngsters’, two local cycling teams.
Cohesion is and has been called for again and again in the past. At DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG, it was quickly understood that people who came to the region in need can and must be helped through meaningful activity, and that inclusion counteracts a possible social divide. Thus, from the beginning of the (European) refugee influx in the mid-2010s, the business has been committed to helping refugees get a work permit, organising housing and carpooling for the business, and making work possible for numerous refugees. Here, too, DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG is committed to SDG#11.1 and SDG#11.5, in particular, to providing socially disadvantaged people with access to adequate, safe and affordable housing and to supporting people who have had to leave their homes due to disasters.
What Next for DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG and SDG#11
Based on the challenges described, it is an important goal for DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG to secure high-quality and sustainable housing options for its employees and, if necessary, to build them by themselves. This is to avoid long travel times for employees and to create attractive housing options for families and individuals in the sense of SDG#11.1.
A further expansion of direct trade relations with coffee farmers is particularly important due to the high impact on producers and families in the producing countries. The resulting incentive to switch to a diversified cultivation method through higher purchase prices, instead of practising intensive agriculture under cost and revenue pressure, sustainably improves the living conditions in the growing countries. DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG places the highest value on this. For example, in the sense of SDG#11c, DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG sources its green coffee from the Vohora family in Tanzania, who have been running the farm there for three generations. For over 90 years, the family has been striving to obtain the best green coffee from the fertile soil. In addition to growing Arabica coffee, one of the farm manager’s goals (Mr Francis Mutavi) is to preserve and promote biodiversity: In addition to coffee trees and shrubs, beehives are also cultivated on the plantations. 13
According to German law, a public limited company (AG) is a trading company with its own legal personality (legal entity); only the company's assets are liable to its creditors for its debts. The partners (shareholders) usually have a share in the share capital through contributions. The AG has an important role in today's German economy.
The term ‘coffee belt’ refers to the symbolic ‘belt around the world’ in whose area coffee plants grow. The total area under coffee cultivation is around 10 million hectares. Among the tropical-equatorial countries of the ‘coffee belt’, Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Honduras, India, Uganda, Mexico and Guatemala are among the top 10 largest green coffee producing countries.
The limited liability company, abbreviated to GmbH or Gesellschaft mbH, is a legal form under German law for a legal entity under private law that belongs to the category of corporations. The German GmbH was one of the world's first forms of limited liability corporations. Similar corporate forms now exist in most countries of the world. The GmbH is by far the most common corporate form for corporations in Germany.
The production room in which all the steps of ice cream production take place is called an ice cream laboratory. The comparison with a laboratory is obvious because anyone who makes and sells ice cream by hand has to comply with the strictest hygiene requirements.
The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), or Verra, formerly the Voluntary Carbon Standard, is a standard for certifying carbon emissions reductions.
The basic material for polyethylene – PE – is the crude petrol produced during the refining of crude oil. By splitting this intermediate product, a non-toxic, gaseous compound of carbon and hydrogen is produced: ethylene. PE films are produced without chlorine or sulphur and do not contain any plasticisers or heavy metals. They are groundwater-neutral and burn without toxic emissions.
The Dual System refers to the household collection and disposal of used sales packaging in Germany. It follows the requirements of the German Packaging Act. The name ‘Dual’ is due to the fact that the privately organised company was introduced as a second system alongside the already existing public disposal system.
Regional organisation for economic development.
The German Sustainability Code is a cross-sector transparency standard for reporting corporate sustainability performance and can be used by businesses and organisations of all sizes and legal forms. It was developed in 2011 by the German Council for Sustainable Development in a stakeholder process and has since been revised several times (last revision August 2017).
The declaration can be downloaded from the following address (in German): https://www.dinzler.de/downloads/DNK_2020_Dinzler%20Kaffeer%C3%B6sterei%20AG.pdf?1657609574.
The criteria cover the following 20 areas: strategy, materiality, objectives, depth of the value chain, responsibility, rules and processes, control, incentive schemes, stakeholder engagement, innovation and product management, usage of natural resources, resource management, climate-relevant emissions, employee rights, equal opportunities, qualifications, human rights, corporate citizenship, political influence and conduct that complies with the law and policy (German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE), 2022b).
References
Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz, 2022a Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz. (2022a). Blühpakt Bayern. https://www.bluehpakt.bayern.de/. Accessed on December 27, 2022.
Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz, 2022b Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz. (2022b). Auszeichung Blühender Betrieb. https://www.bluehpakt.bayern.de/betriebe/auszeichnung.htm. Accessed on December 27, 2022.
Basco, 2015 Basco, R. (2015). Family business and regional development—A theoretical model of regional familiness. Journal of Family Business Strategy, 6(4), 259–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfbs.2015.04.004
German Council for Sustainable Development, 2022a German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) . (2022a). The German Sustainability Code. https://www.deutscher-nachhaltigkeitskodex.de/en-gb/. Accessed on December 27, 2022.
German Council for Sustainable Development, 2022b German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) . (2022b). Sustainability Code Criteria. https://www.deutscher-nachhaltigkeitskodex.de/en-gb/Home/DNK/Criteria. Accessed on December 27, 2022.
Mayer et al., 2016 Mayer, H. , Habersetzer, A. , & Meili, R. (2016). Rural–urban linkages and sustainable regional development: The role of entrepreneurs in linking peripheries and centers. Sustainability, 8(8), 745. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8080745
Pike et al., 2016 Pike, A. , Rodriguez-Pose, A. , & Tomaney, J. (2016). Local and regional development. Routledge.
- Prelims
- Chapter 1 The Sustainable Development Goals – SDG#11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Chapter 2 What It Means to Be a Family Business Today
- Chapter 3 IQUTECH – Ireland's Largest Returns Management Company
- Chapter 4 Germany: DINZLER Kaffeerösterei AG, Strong in Regional Sustainability
- Chapter 5 USA: Wolf Connection and Inclusive, Safe Spaces for All
- Chapter 6 United Arab Emirates: The Family Business of the Shehada Brothers
- Chapter 7 Hickinbotham Group and Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Index