CafeSmart is a campaign built on the energy and commitment of the coffee industry around Australia. Campos Coffee have been a CafeSmart Roasting Partner for six years, and have taken out our Coffee Roaster Award for the last three.
With this year’s campaign rounding the bend, I caught up with Campos Director Rafael Bartowski about what CaféSmart means for their business.
“Social good is a collective responsibility. Every business must play a part in making a better community. If everyone worked on that same principle, we would live in a very different world today.”
Campos support a number of impact initiatives in all of their growing countries – and Raf explains that when local impact is your goal, the rest comes together.
“Participating in CaféSmart makes complete sense to us. We see this as an investment in our community – we need to make sure that we are a force for positive social change.”
Campos flagship cafes are also on the CaféSmart mission– and the efforts and funds raised by their cafés has been directed into initiatives in their local neighbourhoods.
Their Melbourne café has supported some great programs, including the HoMie, the Social Studio and St Marys House of Welcome. In NSW, their Newtown café has helped to fund the local neighbourhood house and The Big Issue.
“The traceability and the localised impact is such an important part of CaféSmart. We can inform our staff and customers about the outcomes, and about the projects that their donations have supported.”
With the coveted honour of Top Roaster for three years running, Rafael is not feeling the pressure.
“We want to raise more awareness, and to raise more money, so that we make more of difference.
For us it’s not about taking the prize – we want to bring people along for the cause, and engage people with the issue of homelessness.
One single cup of coffee can change lives if it’s done well.”
You can #HelpYourHood this #CafeSmart campaign by signing up your café, or looking for your local this August 4.
