Numi Organic Tea Offsets Emissions in 2009

OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Continuing a long-term commitment to sustainable and innovative business practices, Oakland-based Numi Organic Tea announced today its latest initiative toward minimizing impact: A partnership with Big Tree Climate Fund on a twofold offsetting program, including the purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs) and carbon offsets.

“I am truly excited to be working with such a progressive company as Numi Organic Tea on their continued commitment to environmental leadership and company excellence”

From its inception ten years ago, Numi Organic Tea has committed to operating a sustainable business through ethical sourcing, ecological packaging and core values focused on protecting the health of people and the planet.

“We are excited today to continue to raise the bar for corporate environmental practices by launching this exciting new initiative,” said Ahmed Rahim, co-founder and CEO of Numi Organic Tea. “We believe it’s the responsibility of all business owners to find new ways to care for people and the planet while maintaining a bottom line. This is really one of the most innovative means to give back while being more conscious of our overall environmental impact.”

Big Tree Climate Fund, founded in 2007 by Frederick Schilling, former CEO of Dagoba Chocolate, provides carbon offsets, renewable energy certificates and tree-planting programs to companies that want to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and lower their environmental impact. These partnerships support projects that help combat climate change while benefiting communities and protecting local environments.

“I am truly excited to be working with such a progressive company as Numi Organic Tea on their continued commitment to environmental leadership and company excellence,” said Schilling. “By offsetting their carbon footprint to the depth they are, it not only solidifies them as an environmental leader in the food and beverage industry, but global industry at large.”

Big Tree assisted Numi in conducting an annual emissions audit through calculations of carbon output in electricity and natural gas usage, employee air travel, use of company car, pounds of landfill use and overall shipping for 2008. Big Tree then sources and supplies the equivalent amount of carbon offsets and renewable energy certificates. These fund high-quality renewable energy and greenhouse gas abatement projects. Numi has purchased enough carbon offsets and Renewable Energy Certificates to offset its total estimated emissions for 2009. The emissions from electricity were offset by buying Renewable Energy Certificates, or RECs, and all other emissions were offset by buying carbon offsets.

Big Tree Climate Fund certifies that Numi Organic Tea has purchased 515 metric tons of CO2 equivalent and 24 Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to offset its emissions for 1 year from May 1, 2009. The REC purchases support the Wilton Wind Energy Center, a wind farm in North Dakota that generates enough electricity to power 15,000 homes. The carbon offset purchases support the Brazilian Methane Avoidance/Clean Water Initiative, which is certified under the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) and has been selected by the Environmental Defense Fund as a model project for global carbon reductions. As a result, treated wastewater from the Irani Brazilian pulp and paper manufacturing company can now be directed to a river without containing harmful organic material, thus maintaining a clean water supply for animals, plants and humans.

Numi’s additional recent sustainable initiatives include a recently implemented social 401K program and a European-based distribution facility, allowing for Numi to reduce environmental impact by providing manufacturing and distribution closer to the end buyer. Both Numi Organic Tea and Big Tree Climate Fund are certified B Corporations, representing a high bar of corporate social and environmental responsibility.

Numi Organic Tea, founded in 1999 by brother-and-sister duo Ahmed and Reem Rahim, holds a prominent place in the specialty tea category for its premium-quality Organic and Fair Trade Certified teas and herbs. Numi is committed to sourcing directly from the farmers to deliver the best taste and highest quality. Numi Organic products contain 100 percent real ingredients for a pure taste, without the use of any oils or “natural” flavorings. Numi is a leader in sustainability and produces a healthy product that benefits people and the planet. www.numitea.com.

Big Tree Climate Fund is a vertically integrated provider of carbon offsets, renewable energy certificates and tree-planting programs. The first B Corporation in its sector, Big Tree works with companies that want to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and lower their environmental impact. These partnerships support projects that help combat climate change while benefiting communities and protecting local environments. As a developer, Big Tree designs its projects to go beyond greenhouse gas reductions by also showing improvements in a variety of social and environmental metrics. The offsets generated from these projects are called Fair Carbon™ and 10% of their proceeds support Big Tree’s Community Fund to further benefit local communities. www.bigtreeclimatefund.com.