Women in the coffee industry: the exhibition ‘More Than Us’ at the United Nations

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Women in coffee and their commitment to improving the quality of their own lives and those of their families and communities through projects developed by the Lavazza Foundation: these are the central themes of the March 11 event, on the occasion of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, that saw us take the 2024 Lavazza Calendar ‘More than Us’ to the headquarters of the United Nations in New York, representing a unique opportunity to take stock of the condition of women around the world. Alongside the institutional presence of the UN, the Ambassadors and the delegates, the event was attended by Lavazza Group Board Member Francesca Lavazza and Veronica Rossi, Group Senior Sustainability Manager and Lavazza Foundation Director, who shared a message with delegates from Sheila Ampumuza, Sawa project representative and director, in which she highlighted the importance for many young women in Uganda of fostering education and technology.

The backdrop to the event was provided by the exhibition at the UN Delegates Entrance of the photographs featured in the 2024 Lavazza Calendar, which celebrate Africa, its people and its landscapes, with a special emphasis on empowering women and fostering entrepreneurship.

The Ujana Coffee project in Uganda

The Lavazza Foundation, in conjunction with NGO Sawa World, has launched the “Ujana Coffee” project to support young growers in Uganda, providing them with resources and promoting opportunities for change. In three years, the project has led to the creation of 343 micro-enterprises in which about 40% of the participants are women – a very significant percentage considering the socio-economic context of the project area – who have successfully managed to create a virtuous cycle in which recognising the value of women’s contribution to coffee production triggers profound social change in their communities.

“Every Lavazza Foundation project involves activities that focus specifically on fostering women’s entrepreneurship. This is crucial if women are to have the role they deserve in this industry: while 70% of the workforce is female, only 30% of coffee-growing land is owned or managed by a woman. As a Foundation, we want to work to bridge this gap by partnering with local NGOs and associations that share this goal,” said Veronica Rossi.

The Lavazza Foundation

The Lavazza Foundation, set up in 2004 and celebrating 20 years of activity this year, now has 33 active projects in 21 countries across 3 continents, benefiting nearly 200,000 coffee growers. Women’s empowerment is one of the key pillars of Lavazza Foundation projects. By providing access to education, training, and resources, the Foundation is helping to break down barriers and empower women to take on leadership roles within their communities. This not only benefits individual women but the entire coffee-growing community, while strengthening the coffee supply chain as a whole.