Opération Enfant Soleil thanks Berendo

Opération Enfant Soleil thanks Berendo for their constant support to this important cause.

Berendo, proud donator to the foundation Opération Enfant Soleil

Berendo being a proud donator to the foundation Opération Enfant Soleil, we invite you to read the following new French article from the association:

Le tirage de la Maison Enfant Soleil 2011 fait des heureux

Le 6 juillet dernier a eu lieu le tirage de la Maison Enfant Soleil en direct de l’émission Salut, Bonjour! diffusée sur les ondes du Réseau TVA. Sara-Maude Lussier, Enfant Soleil ambassadrice du projet, a eu le plaisir d’effectuer le tirage en compagnie de M. Éric Lapointe, porte-parole du projet, et d’Annie Brocoli, membre de l’équipe d’animation d’Opération Enfant Soleil… Click on the picture to keep reading.

Source: http://l.berendos.com/oes01

Berendo continues to support Operation Enfant Soleil

Operation Enfant Soleil awarded more than $6.7 millions to major paediatric university hospitals. Berendo continues to contribute to Operation Enfant Soleil thoughout the year, we are proud of the small part we do for the children.

On April 5th, Operation Enfant Soleil was the CHU Sainte-Justine for their annual press conference were they awarded more than $6,747.050 to the Montreal Children’s Hospital of the McGill Univeristy Health Centre (MUHC) and the CHU Sainte-Justine, as well as to 11 organizations across the administrative region of Montreal.

For additionnal information, we invite you to read their press release below.

Press release

We invite you also to participate to their 24th annual telethon, on June 4 and 5 at ExpoCité’s Pavillon de la Jeunesse in Quebec.

Source : Press release, April 5th, 2011. Anne Hudon, Director fo Communications and Public Relations, Operation Enfant Soleil.

Rainforest Alliance Certified

More than 25 million people in the tropics depend on coffee, a crop that is the economic backbone of many countries and the world’s second most traded commodity after oil. A decade ago, the Rainforest Alliance and its partner groups in the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) demonstrated that traditional, forested coffee farms are havens for wildlife. Now, coffee lovers everywhere can support farmers who maintain these rainforest refuges simply by buying beans stamped with the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal of approval.

Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee is grown on farms where forests are protected, rivers, soils and wildlife conserved; workers are treated with respect, paid decent wages, properly equipped and given access to education and medical care. The Rainforest Alliance seal ensures that experienced inspectors have verified that the farms meet demanding social and environmental standards, and are on a path toward true sustainability.

The certification program is managed by the SAN, a coalition of leading conservation groups in Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and the United States. Thousands of farms and cooperatives have been certified in 19 countries, benefiting tens of thousands of farmers and workers and ensuring that 597,901 hectares (1,475,219 acres) of tropical farmland is managed to conserve natural resources and protect wildlife.

The SAN also works with banana producers. About 15 percent of all the bananas in the international marketplace come from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms.

With growing worldwide interest in agriculture that is easy on the Earth and socially responsible, the demand for sustainably certified coffee is booming. Specialty coffee companies led the way, and mainstream roasters and supermarkets are increasingly supporting sustainability.

Supporting Farmers and Farmworkers

Rainforest Alliance certification helps farmers bear the erratic swings in the global market by giving them the keys to improved farm management, negotiating leverage and access to premium markets. By implementing the SAN sustainable farm-management system, farmers can control costs, gain efficiencies and improve crop quality.

The Birds and the Beans

For more than 150 years, coffee was widely grown under the leafy canopy of native rainforest trees. In the 1970s, agronomists began promoting a new farm system where the sheltering forest is cleared, and coffee bushes are packed in dense hedgerows and doused with agrochemicals. These monoculture farms produce more beans, but at a tremendous environmental cost. The traditional, agroforestry system is good wildlife habitat. The new monocultures have little habitat, accelerate soil erosion and pollute streams.

Biologists in the SAN have shown that certified, forested coffee farms can be bio-rich buffer zones for parks, protect watersheds and serve as wildlife corridors. These “coffee forests” are also important sources of firewood, construction materials, medicinal plants, fruits, flowers, honey and other goods. Many farms in the certification program protect native forest reserves and community water supplies. Certified farmers in ecosystems that are not naturally forested, such as the “cerrado” in Brazil, are required to conserve the native habitat.

The biodiversity on coffee farms can be awesome. One certified cooperative in El Salvador holds more than 100 tree species. SAN biologists have spotted dozens of species of rare birds, wild cats such as ocelots, postcard-size butterflies, Technicolor frogs, seldom-seen orchids, monkeys and (once) an endangered giant anteater. Certification is one way to guarantee that coffee farms maintain wildlife habitat and other environmental benefits.

Saving the “Coffee Park”

How much tropical forest can be saved in the coffeelands? Coffee is farmed on about 12 million hectares (30 million acres) worldwide, an area larger than Portugal and nearly the size of England. Most of the farms are in areas regarded as high priorities for conservation. Our goal is give farmers economic incentives to save wildlife habitat on their lands and to restore ecosystems and reforest where possible.

Everybody Wins

Certification guides and rewards continual improvements on the farms, links sustainable farm management with coffee quality, and connects responsible producers and traders with responsible buyers and better markets. Savoring a cup of certified sustainable coffee can improve livelihoods for farm families and conserve tropical ecosystems — a rare “win-win” opportunity.

Growing Sustainably

The Rainforest Alliance and associated NGOs in the SAN began talking to farmers about sustainable farming practices more than 15 years ago. Our biologists proved that traditional, forested coffee farms were refuges for wildlife. We developed guidelines for managing farms in ways that are good for farmers, workers and wildlife.

Coffee farming is a grand and noble tradition that is deeply ingrained into the cultures, economies and politics of most producing countries. Millions of families have depended on coffee for generations. Like any farming, growing coffee is risky business. Coffee farmers face difficult challenges: over-supply and low prices, inclement weather, pests and diseases, rising costs and sometimes unhelpful government policies. There is a lot of tradition, passion and pride in coffee farming; producers in the Rainforest Alliance sustainable coffee program want to add profitability and environmental and social responsibility to the blend.

The trend toward “modernized” coffee farming, which began in the 1970s, increased supply and also marked a departure from the historic, eco-friendly traditions of farming in harmony with nature. The new methodologies put more beans into an already overstocked market and converted coffee farms from self-sustaining sanctuaries into stark and lifeless monocultures. Wildlife disappeared, soils washed downhill, streams choked on silt and agrochemicals.

Many farmers sought a balance between the traditions they learned from their grandfathers and the new, high-production, high-cost and high-impact techniques coming out of the agronomy schools. The Rainforest Alliance and its allies worked for years with these forward-thinking farmers, scientists, agronomists, environmentalists and others to develop farm-management guidelines that maintain the eco-friendly traditions, add a growing awareness of social responsibility, and ensure economic sustainability.

A Sustainable Response

The complex challenges facing today’s coffee producers require a comprehensive response. The Rainforest Alliance offers a positive, science-based and market-driven solution: Certification of sustainable production. This includes:

• Developing sustainable farm management guidelines with input from farmers, scientists, industry experts and others.
• Helping farmers meet social and environmental standards while increasing production and quality.
• Training local specialists to review farms according to the standards and “certifying” those that comply.
• Applying the Rainforest Alliance Certified green seal of approval to coffee from outstanding farms. This gives producers leverage in the marketplace and offers consumers a way to support sustainable agriculture.

Guaranteed Change

The Rainforest Alliance is now certifying coffee farms in Mexico, Central America, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Ethiopia through its partner groups in the SAN. Markets for Rainforest Alliance Certified sustainable coffee are growing steadily in the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan. Setting standards, evaluating farms, applying the seal of approval and developing market linkages are integral parts of a comprehensive program that are linked together by the certification process.

Certification is an excellent tool for:

• Guiding and rewarding continual improvements on farms.
• Monitoring, documenting and guaranteeing change.
• Linking sustainable farm management with coffee quality.
• Connecting responsible producers and traders with responsible buyers and premium markets.

Many Benefits of Certified Sustainable Coffee

Environmental benefits:

• Special efforts to protect wildlife and endangered species
• Integration of farms and farmers into conservation initiatives
• Pollution control
• Soil conservation
• Streams are protected; water is used wisely
• Control and reduction of agrochemical use
• Waste management
• Reduced vulnerability to flooding, landslides and weather

Social benefits:

• Improved conditions, equitable treatment and assured wages for workers
• Workers informed of their rights
• Cooperative production, processing and marketing
• Certified farms benefit the whole community
• Certified farms join in the conservation and management of shared resources, such as streams, watersheds and woodlots
• Well-managed farms have a reduced “environmental footprint” and are good neighbors to communities and wildlands
• Training and environmental education for farmers and farm workers
• Forested farms serve as a “corner store” for farm workers and neighbors, providing firewood, fruits, fibers, medicinal plants and other needs.
• Certified farms are refuges for wildlife and scenic sanctuaries for people, which are important to residents and also attract ecotourists.

Benefits for farmers, traders and roasters:

• Certified farms have management plans and controlled operating costs.
• The ecolabel gives negotiating leverage.
• Certified products command better terms of trade, including price.
• Improved access to technical assistance and favorable credit.
• Potential for direct market linkages.
• Credibility in promotion; third-party verification of claims.
• Risk reduction and management.
• Collaborative marketing.
• Diversification on the farm and in the market.
• Stability and sustainability.
• Chain of custody assurance, traceability — verification of origin.

There is no simple answer to the economic, social and environmental challenges in the coffee lands. We must respond with solutions that combine the economics of good farm production and better trading practices, improved livelihoods for farm families and environmental conservation. These are the three pillars of sustainability: Economics, Ethics and Environment. Sustainable certification is a way to help farmers, conserve wildlife and rainforest habitats, protect farm workers and give consumers an easy and tasty way to contribute to eco-friendly farming.

Source: http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/

Berendo and “Operation Enfant Soleil”

Following our post of May 7th regarding our involvement with “Operation Enfant Soleil”, here is the certificate we received stating our contribution for the year 2009-2010.

Berendo at the summit of Mount Everest with Gabriel whose goal was achieved…

In our April news release, we told you of Gabriel’s goal to climb the North face of Everest hoping to be the second Canadian and the only Quebecer to have conquered both sides of Everest.  We are pleased to share with you that on May 24th, 2010 Gabriel reached his goal. He made it to the top of the world by the North face (Tibet) of Everest.  He had climbed the summit from the South side in 2005.

We are proud to have contributed to Gabriel’s two–month expedition. We supplied the Berendo Espresso and the Northern Delights Herbal Teas as well as the Berendo Organic Sugar.  Gabriel was able to enjoy his cup of Berendo Espresso every morning and during his afternoon break, called “Berendo Break”. Gabriel made sure at the beginning of his expedition to show his cook helper Itchi how to prepare an excellent espresso. Even Richard, from Peru who tagged along with Gabriel on this expedition rapidly adopted the “Berendo Break” and left his own coffee in his bag and used only the Berendo.

(Gabriel with Itchi, his cook helper while making the Berendo Espresso for the “Berendo Break”. Gabriel was at ABC – Advanced Base Camp, 21,000 feet).

Gabriel had also reached the goal of helping children with juvenile arthritis. The initial objective of raising  $40,000 was exceeded. Gabriel became the spokes-person  of the Arthritis Society in 2010. A total amount of $44,050 was raised and will help those children with juvenile arthritis.

We had the honour also to have Berendo beans sprinkled at the summit of Everest by Gabriel so we too left our mark on the top of the world! Who knows if one day a coffee tree will grow at the summit.  Gabriel was able to bring us back some Berendo beans that went to the summit with him and we are going to keep those precious beans forever.

On his return, Gabriel gave us a framed picture of him with Itchi, his cook helper while making an espresso. He also put some Berendo beans that went to the summit with him in the frame (See in picture below). What a souvenir for us, thank you Gabriel!

 

Others pictures of Gabriel’s expedition will be available soon in our Facebook page Berendo.

Berendo recognized for its involvement with Operation Enfant Soleil

Berendo, as sponsor of the organization, was invited to assist at the press conference held in Montreal on April 13^th.

Berendo is proud to contribute annually to Operation Enfant Soleil. Operation Enfant Soleil helps sick children in need. Claudie Harvey, Montreal’s Enfant Soleil was present at the press conference; Claudie made us realize why we want to continue to contribute to this organization.

An Operation Enfant Soleil team travelled across Quebec in March and April distributing more than 90 grants to hospitals and organizations throughout the province. Operation Enfant Soleil has given more than 6.5 millions dollars to the Montreal Children’s Hospital of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and the CHU Sainte-Justine, as well as to 18 organizations across the administrative region of Montreal.

The Operation Enfant Soleil ‘s telethon of June 2009 reached a total amount donated of over 16.5 millions dollars for the well being of our children. The 23^rd telethon will be held on June 5 and 6, and you are invited to contribute to this cause.

www.operationenfantsoleil.ca

Source: Press release of Operation Enfant Soleil, Mrs Anne Hudon, Director of Communication and Public Relations

Berendo supports and sponsors Gabriel on his ascent up Mount Everest !

Berendo is proud to sponsor Gabriel on his expedition on Everest and the goal is to raise funds against Juvenile Arthritis.

On March 30^th, Gabriel left Montreal for his 5^th expedition on Everest and plans to do his final ascent around May 17^th, weather conditions permitting.

(Picture taken of Berendo’s products by Gabriel upon his arrival in Kathmandu, Nepal)

During the two months of his expedition, Gabriel will enjoy his LE Berendo’s espresso and Berendo sugar, two products that are fair trade and organic and will also enjoy the fine Inuit herbal teas Northern Deligths and Berendo’s hot chocolate.

This time around Gabriel is planning to climb the North Face of Everest, hoping to be the first Canadian to have climbed both sides of Everest. At the same time, Gabriel is raising funds for Juvenile Arthritis in order to allow children who have this disease to participate in a one week summer camp. Gabriel is bringing a photo of Kamille with him to the summit.  Kamille is the child with Juvenile Arthritis who is inspiring Gabriel on his trek.

We invite you to play the video and hear for yourself what motivates Gabriel on this current expedition.

Gabriel and Kamille (only in French at the present time)

The fund raiser will generate one cent per meter walked.  Everest is 8,847 meters in altitude. If you wish to donate to this cause, Berendo invites you to go to the following link and follow Gabriel’s progress for this fund raiser.

Contribution to Juvenile Athritis

At the same time, you may wish to follow Gabriel’s expedition directly from his website: www.gabrielfilippi.com

Good luck Gabriel, we are following your expedition meter by meter  !

To follow Berendo’s news, register on our website or become a fan of Berendo on Facebook

Berendo’s First Expedition with Gabriel

On January 3^rd, 2010 Gabriel set off to Morocco as an expedition leader for a new pilot series of the Reality Show “seVen”.  The objective of this show is to illustrate that people from different Arab countries can unite together and realize great things such as climb the highest peak on each of the seven continents, known as the “Crown of the Seven Summits”. Gabriel was enthusiastic about taking Berendo’s expresso along with a Gnali Zani expresso maker.

The team “seVen” climbed to the summit of Mount Jbel Toubka, an altitude of 4167 meters.  Mount Jbel Toubka is the highest mountain of the Atlas chain in North Africa.

The following is what Gabriel sent us while on the expedition and after the expedition:

“The Berendo espresso was tested earlier, it is as good here as it is in Montreal! Gnali (our espresso maker) is much appreciated by the production team! Talking about the production team, we have a meeting in two minutes.  I just served them double espressos; no one will sleep at this meeting!”

“The espresso was really good for the team. It was a moment truly appreciated by all when I took out the machine. They were impressed by the quality.”

“The Gnali Zani and the LE Berendo espresso passed the test and will be part of future expeditions.”

Here is a picture taken at 3200 meters, at the base camp between Imlil (1700 m) and the summit.

A picture of the team at the summit.

We invite you to follow Gabriel’s expeditions: www.gabrielfilippi.com and follow the next events of the team “seVen” on facebook:http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=218184735821&ref=mf

Berendo and Gabriel Filippi : Sustainable Development

We are very proud to be associated with Gabriel, alpinist-conference speaker, as we share the same social values and passion for the environment!

Gabriel is devoted to humanitarian causes, mainly the ones who reach children as Berendo is with “Operation Enfant Soleil”. We truly believe that helping children in need in various capacities is giving these children hope for their own future. Gabriel is also the spokesperson for the program AthroAction of the Arthritis Society.

Furthermore, we share the same environmental values, to help preserve as much as possible the environment we live in. By doing so, we contribute in keeping our planet greener and a better place for our children’s future.

Last but not least, both Gabriel and Berendo constantly look for new ways to improve the day-to-day activities, which has an impact on keeping our planet green.

Berendo is proud to sponsor the fair trade and organic espresso LE Berendo during Gabriel’s expeditions throughout the world. Who knows where Berendo will go with Gabriel?

We invite you to follow Gabriel’s upcoming expeditions and  conferences and see where it brings you.

www.gabrielfilippi.com

Next Page »