In entering the NSW Business Awards for Ethical Business and Sustainability, we had the chance to reflect on our targets and achievements in the past year - we're pretty pleased with what we found. So we want to share it with you.

Our sustainability targets include:

• 100% recycling target for waste cardboard, recyclable plastics, glass and cans
• 100% recycling target for waste coffee grounds which we will use in our community garden and we sell to our customers
• 100% rainwater will feed our community garden from our rainwater collection.
• 90% recyclable packaging target for all takeaway packaging used in our business

Over the last 12 months, we have:

• recycled over 6240kg of cardboard
• recycled over 52 tonnes of co-mingled recycling
• reduced our landfill waste by over 80 tonnes a year
• reduced our Co2 emissions by 14,125 tonnes
• educated our staff and customers about the environmental and social benefits of eating local, GMO free, free-range, sustainably fished and nitrate free foods
• supported local providores and local farmers to grow and produce food in a sustainable way
• supported local sustainable fisheries
• purchased over 9,000 local free range eggs
• purchased over 780kg hand smoked, nitrate free, free range and hormone free bacon
• made over 54,000 fair trade coffees for you
   

Here's what some of our staff say:

"I feel proud and passionate to represent Jasmine Greens in my local community. Since working here I have been educated in business ethics and corporate social responsibility and seen our business significantly benefit the local community. I'm proud to be a part of Jasmine Greens' latest initiative of donating soup as a fundraiser for Room to Read. I'm looking forward to being involved in training troubled youth in our free community barista training." Dale Walker, Head Barista for the past 2 years, age 20.

"I feel confident in serving food to our customers as I'm aware of the positive impact we're having within our local community, through our food, our packaging and our ethical and local food suppliers." Barista and waitress, Kathryn Graham, age 25.

 "I was a vegetarian before I started working at Jasmine Greens, but working here, I've gained a lot more knowledge about my diet choice and I've become more confident in my decision to be vegetarian. Working here encourages me to stand up for my ethics in saying no to factory farming of animals and choosing chemical free, hormone free and sustainable food. I love to share my knowledge with customers and even enlighten meat eaters about healthier and more sustainable meat production techniques like our hormone free, free-range and nitrate free bacon. I love our fair trade coffee that tastes good, is ethically sourced and spreads the love across from South America to our cafe in Umina." Mia McCarthy, Head waitress and barista for the past year and a half, age 18.