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Taking Action beyond the owner and that’s why we
decided to get HR certified. Glitter Cat
In order to make the coffee industry will be launching an HR cohort soon and
more inclusive, it is important for businesses that group will work on developing universal
to take action. This needs to happen across the whole documents that smaller coffee businesses can use to
coffee supply chain. We cannot talk about inclusivity and diver- help develop specific HR policies.”
sity and focus only on one part of the industry, e.g. coffee shops. This is just one example of how businesses can take
There are many parts of the coffee industry, and each one needs action to make the coffee industry more inclusive. There are
to do their part in order to create lasting change. At the farm many other things that businesses can do, and it is important
level, this potentially translates to market access for smallholder to find what works for them. However, a great first step would
farmers, transparency in pricing and contracts, as well as gender be to accept that unconscious bias exists and just because a
and racial equity programs. business might diversify its staff, it doesn’t mean that they
At the roasting level, this could mean ensuring that your are being inclusive. Businesses need to create an environment
green coffee buyers are sourcing from a socially conscious and where everyone feels welcome, appreciated and respected.
equitable supply chain. As a coffee shop owner, this might Otherwise micro-aggressions and discrimination will con-
look like ensuring that your staff is representative of the tinue to exist, and the coffee industry will not be truly inclu-
community you serve, providing comprehensive training on sive. And at the end of the day, being inclusive and diverse is
inclusivity and diversity, and creating an environment that is also smart business. For businesses to thrive, they need to
safe for everyone. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but it reflect the communities they serve and not remain stuck in
is important for businesses to start somewhere. the past or a comfort zone.
In their article, Humans Are Coffee’s Greatest Resource I personally think that change is inevitable, albeit a
(5THWAVE Magazine, 2022), Eric J. Grimm, Director of bit slow. I wish to conclude by saying that writing this
Positive Outcomes at Glitter Cat Barista, explain, “Coffee article has not been easy. Among other things, it has forced
shop owners should be asking themselves where they are me to confront my own privilege as a white, cisgender,
situated, who they are serving and who they are trying to heterosexual woman. It has also made me realize how much
serve. Without acknowledging the community, it is impos- I still have to learn. At some point I even doubted if I should
sible to do the work of diversity, equity and inclusion. Lis- be the one writing it. There are not enough resources and
tening to how communities want to identify and be treated voices out there that represent the experiences of margin-
means exposing yourself to people you may not have en- alized groups from a first-hand perspective. But at least
countered before. Only then is it possible to pinpoint the that’s starting to change as well.
roadblocks that have been put up against individuals in the In all honesty, I also feel like I have just captured
workplace and overcome them.” the tip of the iceberg in this article. What about those
In their role as a Director of Positive Outcomes, Eric works nations with policies that illegalize what some of us
to support marginalized workers in the coffee industry, including consider basic human rights? What about anti-blackness
the LGBTQIA+ community, people of color, neurodivergent and or anti-LGBTQIA+ in other parts of the world? But like
disabled people and people of marginalized gender. For the past Phyllis said, you need to start where you are. And I feel
two years, they have been working with coffee businesses to like that’s what I’m doing. I hope this article has given Creating change starts
establish anti-racist policies and practices. They explain that one you some food for thought and I encourage you to start
of the key areas that businesses need to focus on is human re- your own journey of becoming an ally to those who need with revealing to ourselves
sources (HR), “We recognise that it’s difficult for smaller busi- it. Remember, we all have a role to play in making the
nesses with fewer than 100 employees to have a HR function coffee industry a more inclusive place for everyone. what it is we can do.

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