This week ZeroMission organized the breakfast seminar "How can carbon offsetting drive business? How Arvid Nordquist did it!" We took the opportunity to ask three short questions to Marketing Manager Erica Bertilsson who attended the seminar.

Arvid Nordquist has been carbon offsetting all coffee from a life cycle perspective since 2011. How is it that you do this?

- When we made the decision more than 6 years ago, the reason was to achieve increased differentiation in the market, then carbon offsetting became a catalyst for our own sustainability work. When our work was well received, it was also easier to make decisions about further sustainability investments. Arvid Nordquist has been around for over 130 years, when we do something we take a long-term view. Today, carbon offsetting is part of the values that our brand delivers, an asset for us and our customers.  

Why did you choose Plan Vivo and tree planting projects? 

- For us, it was an easy choice. Many tree planting projects are in coffee growing countries, countries that we already have a relationship with and visit regularly. Coffee is largely grown by vulnerable smallholders, so for us it is natural to focus on projects that provide both environmental benefits and improved living conditions.

What are your top tips for other companies working to link sustainability strategy to business?

- Make it part of your brand communication and gather your staff to become your ambassadors. Now I am lucky to work with coffee, many people are also privately interested in talking about coffee with me, but the interest is always even sharper when I get into sustainability issues. Companies can use this if you sell a little more "boring" products & services!

Erica Bertilsson, Marketing Manager at Arvid Nordquist. 

In 2011, Arvid Nordquist began carbon offsetting all coffee from a life cycle perspective with the help of U&We and ZeroMission. The initiative became a catalyst for a broader and dedicated sustainability work that has been a rewarding boost for the company - and not least the business! The graph shows the development of Arvid Nordquist market shares since 2005! 

Thank you Erica and Arvid Nordquist for the great cooperation we all wish!

Want more inspiration on how sustainability and business can go hand in hand? Read our previous interview with Kaj Török from Max Hamburgare here.