Corporate responsibility

The Costa Foundation

The Costa Foundation was set up in 2006 to give something back to coffee-growing communities by providing children with access to education.

Costa recognises that coffee farmers are an integral part of the brand's success and the Foundation's focus on education is in direct response to requests from coffee-growing communities.

The work of the Foundation is funded through a direct annual donation from Costa, match-funding by the Whitbread Charitable Trust, store fundraising activities and individual team members' fundraising. Every penny donated to the Costa Foundation is spent directly on school building projects as all running costs for the Foundation are funded by Costa. This ensures Costa is able to maximise funds to the benefit of coffee-growing communities.

As a result, in addition to the four new schools built in Colombia, Uganda and Ethiopia in 2007, a further seven new projects were started during 2008 in Colombia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Guatemala and Costa Rica and will all be completed during 2009.

This means that by 2010 the Costa Foundation will have:

• Built 11 new schools with a total of 56 fully furnished classrooms;
• Provided jobs for 123 teachers; and, most importantly
• Given access to education to more than 4,500 children a year.

The Costa Foundation sets out to provide the best possible learning environment within its benefiting communities and as a result has provided fresh water, new sanitation, electricity, kindergarten facilities, child nutrition programmes and has part-funded a social worker for adult training where required. All new schools are fully furnished to local education authority standards.

Current projects include

La Esperanza Primary School in Chonte Grande, Colombia where seven new classrooms, four science laboratories, a cafeteria, library and playground will be provided for 228 children and 13 teachers. Estimated completion - October 2009.

Paraiso de Changuena High School in Puntarenas, Costa Rica will have two new classrooms, new sanitation, electricity and computers provided for 70 children and two teachers. Estimated completion - July 2009.

Dimtu Hambela High School, Hambela Warana, Ethiopia where an eight-classroom school with new sanitation will give high school education for 970 children from 29 teachers for the very first time. Estimated completion - November 2009.

Santa Teresa High School, Tucuru, Guatemala is providing six classrooms, new sanitation and a community centre for 240 children and eight teachers. This will be Tucuru's first ever access to a high school education. Estimated completion - August 2009.

Yupiltepeque Region, Guatemala has seen three new schools built at Las Brisas, Pueblo Viejo and El Sillon, providing nearly 800 children and their teachers with a total of seven new classrooms, new sanitation and community centre space. Estimated completion - May 2009.

Mushasha Primary School, Ntungamo, Uganda was a successful Costa Foundation project carried out in 2007/08 but, as a result of increased numbers of pupils, the school is being provided with an additional two classrooms and a Headmaster's office. Estimated completion - May 2009.

Further information can be found on www.costa.co.uk