Initiatives for Environmental Protection

Reducing CO₂ Emissions

For years coffee husk has been burned on the dry mill open patio after the hulling process discharging CO₂. As part of the environment protection, CISA Exportadora is developing different initiatives in order to reduce CO₂ emissions with the use of the husk produced in the hulling process of green coffee in CISA Exportadora dry mills.

Making Alliances to Reduce CO₂: CEMEX Program

CISA Exportadora sells 30% of the coffee husk produced in the dry mills to a cement company in Nicaragua called CEMEX. This means that CISA has decreased 30% of emission produced for the burning of coffee husk. At the same time, CEMEX uses this product as a substitute of bunker, reducing CO₂ emissions.

Since 2005, CISA Exportadora has helped ADIC, a local NGO in Matagalpa, with its ecological kitchen program at the northern part of Nicaragua.  The program promotes the use of kitchens that use coffee husk as material for combustion which generate less emission than regular kitchens used in the communities. These kitchens have been distributed in the surrounding communities of CISA coffee dry mill in Matagalpa and among associates of the dry mill.  Besides reducing burning of the husk, we are also reducing deforestation in the area; since people is using less firewood as energy source.  Another component of the program is the development of environmental fairs at our dry mill to promote the use of these kitchens and other issues related to environmental protection.

Vegetal Paper from Cascarilla (coffee husk)

In 2008, CISA Exportadora won an important contest promoted by Ded (German Cooperation) and UNIRSE; organizations that promote CSR in Nicaragua.  This contest consisted in the presentation of inclusive projects from private companies. CISA Exportadora project was one of the five selected.  Now, CISA combining efforts with DED & UNIRSE will lead a project which consists in the organization of a group of women that will be trained to process husk from raw material to vegetal paper in oder to sell it to a local paper company.

One of the objectives of this project is the empowerment of women by the developing of leadership skills, the reduction of emissions (having another use for the husk) and the creation of new competences.  The workshop of the project will be done at CISA dry mill and it includes training on the production process and business management techniques.

This project is scheduled to start in March 2009.

In the Process of the Coffee Mill

A great percentage of the husk produced in the dry mill is used to dry coffee. The husk is burned in furnaces and the heat generated is used for the drying process of coffee. With this process CISA Exportadora reduces emissions.

Pellets Project

CISA Exportadora is developing a project for the production of pellets from the husk.  The husk is compressed into pellets; which can be used as biofuel to produce energy.   A feasibility study has been done and the company is working with a local NGO to develop the project.  The idea is to produce the pellets and sell them to different companies that could use them as biofuel.

Recycling Programs

Another issue in caring for  the environment is recycling. In CISA Exportadora, we have implemented recycling programs with the paper used in the offices of the company and with some suppliers.

An approximate of 2000 pounds of paper is recollected annually in the offices.  This paper is donated to a Non for Profit Organization called, Los Pipitos, which work with children with disabilities.

Another initiative is done with the plastic and sack suppliers.  CISA Exportadora collects the used plastic and sacks at the dry mills and sells them back to the suppliers, which use this as recycling material to produce more plastic and sacks.

School Program

Since 2000, CISA Exportadora has the program called “Adopt a School Program” that supports 16 schools benefiting close to 7,000 students in different coffee regions of Nicaragua.  A major part of this program is the promotion of the preservation of the environment.  An annual campaign is organized in all schools to promote the right management of waste and the preservation of the natural resources in the regions where coffee is produced.  These activities involve not only students, teachers and parents of the centers; but the local communities.