Community Impact Fund
In our 2023-2024 Impact Report we announced the creation of our brand-new Community Impact Fund, supporting charitable causes aligned with our values as a B Corp™ Certified company.
From this year, 10% of our annual net profit (with a minimum commitment of £5000) will be divided between three key areas: Coffee, Community, and Environment, representing the different strands of positive impact we want to support as a business.
COFFEE
The COFFEE area covers donations to charities and NGOs that exist to improve the lives of communities where our coffee grows.
Currently, this takes the form of ringfenced premiums on top of the price agreed for the coffee itself, which is sent directly to the organisation.
COMMUNITY
Our COMMUNITY section covers a wider range of possible impact areas, not necessarily focussing on directly coffee-related charities.
Ad hoc donations to local causes come under this banner - every year we give away tickets to our popular Roastery Tours, merch, and coffee that would otherwise go to waste, to local charities in London and the South East.
Environment
Donations from our ENVIRONMENT area go directly to charities that help our natural world to thrive, ensuring it can be enjoyed by future generations just as much today.
This includes groups that take direct action to conserve our local area, alongside those who invest in research and long-term projects to improve the health of our ecosystems.
“Since creating Chimney Fire Coffee, one of my principal goals has been to find a way to give something back to the communities that make our business possible, in addition to our commitments to responsible sourcing.
Our first charity partnership started in 2020 with Re-Cycle, who refurbish bikes and send them to rural areas of Africa - in particular Ghana, a country close to my heart and one I called home for three years.
Today, our charitable giving extends not only to Africa, but to regions where our coffee grows, and the area in which we all live and work. In creating our Community Impact Fund, we are making a long-term commitment to projects that make a positive impact to both our natural world, and disadvantaged communities within it.”
Dan Webber, Founder
CriaCarmo | COFFEE
CriaCarmo is a philanthropic project run by CarmoCoffees, our largest producer partner. It focuses on school monitoring, learning, and sports practices, for children aged 7-17 years old from the Carmo de Minas region of Eastern Brazil.
At CriaCarmo, young people learn swimming, futsal, chess, and English, helping develop their cognitive skills, logical thinking, reasoning, creativity, and concentration.
The skills are reflected in the classroom - a spirit of healthy competitiveness and respect for others.
Re-Cycle | COMMUNITY
Re-Cycle is a small charity that ships used bicycles and components from their Essex warehouse to rural communities in rural Africa. Partners from Zambia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Ghana employ local people to refurbish and distribute them, learning valuable maintenance skills along the way to ensure the bikes are kept in good condition.
So far, Re-Cycle has donated over 112,000 bikes to Africa, helping increase school attendance by 30% in areas who have benefited from the scheme - with 98% still operational after 3 years.
Horatio’s Garden | COMMUNITY
Horatio’s Garden nurtures the wellbeing of people after spinal injury in beautiful, vibrant sanctuaries within the heart of NHS spinal injury centres. Leading designers create the accessible gardens where the charity’s team, alongside volunteers and creatives, care for people and plants alike.
The profoundly positive impact of a Horatio’s Garden is clear for people with spinal injuries, their families and friends, and hospital staff. Research shows that 100% of people with spinal injuries see an improvement in their wellbeing, with 95% reporting that the gardens have improved their mental health.
Surrey Wildlife Trust | ENVIRONMENT
Surrey Wildlife Trust cares for over 5000 hectares of land across 60 reserves in the South East of England.
They work with organisations and landowners to extend, protect, and connect habitats for wildlife across the county and to inspire local communities and young people to care for nature where they live. The reserves they manage for wildlife are sanctuaries for many species, playing a significant role in protecting local wildlife. However, these isolated sites alone are not enough to protect nature.
Royal Entomological Society | ENVIRONMENT
Founded in 1833, the Royal Entomological Society is devoted to the understanding and development of insect science. They support international collaboration, research and publication, aiming to show every person how remarkable and valuable insects are.
With the support of over 60 partner organisations, the society promotes Insect Week, an annual initiative to engage the public with the importance of insects and entomology, through hundreds of events and activities across the UK.
