COFFEE’S BIGGEST SUSTAINABILITY BLIND SPOT. Is the SCA, WOC & WCC really sustainable?
I’m not asking to provoke. I work inside this system, and I think the question deserves an honest answer.
Credit where it’s due: the SCA has a Sustainable Coffee Agenda (2020), joined the Doughnut Economics Action Lab (2023), runs Sustainability Awards, and now encourages competitors to embed sustainability into their routines. The intent is real.
But intent isn’t impact.
1. The milk math. Every WBC competitor serves 4 espressos, 4 milk drinks and 4 signature beverages in 15 minutes. Multiply that by months of daily practice and 50+ national competitions. Thousands of litres of milk are used, judged for seconds, then discarded.
2. The travel footprint. More than 50 Competition Bodies converge in one city. In 2026: Dubai, San Diego, Bangkok, Brussels and Panama. Hundreds of long-haul flights, yet no public event footprint.
3. Equipment turnover. Espresso machines, grinders and water systems are renewed every sponsorship cycle. That’s difficult to call circular.
4. The equity paradox. The SCA promotes equitable value distribution, yet success still depends on months of training, coaching and travel that many cannot afford.
So the question isn’t whether this is hypocrisy. It’s whether the SCA applies to its flagship events the same sustainability standards it asks of producers.
Today, not really.
The solution isn’t to cancel competitions. It’s to measure them: publish the carbon footprint, adopt zero-waste practice fluids (30 ml can replace 20 L of milk), extend equipment life, and reduce barriers to entry.
If we ask producers to become climate-smart, our biggest stage should lead, not lecture.
I’d also question the number of World of Coffee events each year, and rethink how latte art and milk-based competitions can reduce waste.
What would you change first?