Pact Coffee is to source 100% of its core coffee range from women growers and gender-equity groups throughout March.
The initiative – which coincides with International Women’s Day on 8 March – was designed to spotlight the fact that that while women make up an estimated 70% of the global coffee workforce, just 20% of coffee farms are owned or run by women, Pact said.
Women producers faced “significantly reduced access to land ownership, finance and training compared to men”, it noted.
“Closing the gender gap in the coffee industry isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s vital if we want better quality coffee and a more sustainable coffee industry,” said Pact CCO Sophie Reid. “If the coffee industry addresses this imbalance, it results in long-term social and economic benefits, more diverse ideas to tackle climate challenges, and a thriving meritocracy that values all contributors.”
Between April 2024 and April 2025, 60% of the Pact’s total coffee was sourced from women growers or gender-equity groups. Since 2025, the roaster has committed to maintaining a minimum threshold of 50%.
As well as sourcing an estimated 45 tonnes of coffee grown by women in March, Pact intends to spotlight the work of 20 women producers across Brazil, Colombia, Honduras and Rwanda through its subscription service and online store.
The move is part of its Equal Ground Project, which focuses on long-term relationships with women-led farms and co-operatives producing speciality-grade coffee.
“The opportunity exists to create real change in the coffee industry,” said Reid. “We’re passionate about using our position to tackle this imbalance directly, and showing the industry and our customers what’s possible when sourcing decisions are intentional and relationships with growers are personal.”
Pact Coffee sells speciality grade coffee in whole bean, ground and pod formats via DTC as well as in Waitrose stores and on Ocado.
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