That’s why Bornem Municipality serves Oxfam coffee

The local authorities in Bornem are always on the lookout for sustainable choices in everything they do. And of course fair trade is part of that. Oxfam coffee machines recently began brightening up the municipality’s break rooms and the cultural centre corridors. Mayor Kristof Joos explains this choice. Municipal employees – and empirical experts! – Bart Maerivoet and Ivan Verbiest give their opinion.

Mayor Kristof Joos: “Bornem has been a Fair Trade Municipality since 2007 and our cultural centre has teamed up with Oxfam-Wereldwinkel. This is how fair-trade products find their way to culture aficionados and the students from the academy located there. We participate in Fair Trade Week every year so we can contribute to raising people’s awareness of the importance of fair trade. And coffee is of course an easy way to do that.”

A delicious cup of coffee for every colleague, quick smart

Bart Maerivoet, theatre technician in cultural centre Ter Dilft, can only agree. “Your conscience can rest easy with your cuppa java. It’s yummy coffee and fair to boot. I am particularly fond of our new machine’s espresso function. Freshly ground coffee always tastes just that little bit better. My colleagues appreciate other alternatives the machine has, like hot chocolate.”

“The machine is also super fast. You come in in the morning, place your cup and… there’s your coffee. That’s really handy if you only have a short break. That sure used to be different, when we made coffee in a gas thermos,” adds Ivan Verbiest. He is the department coordinator; his team is responsible for lending out the material, signage and support at events.

Sustainable cultural centre

CC Ter Dilft is going for a completely green approach. For example, water reservoirs were installed during a recent renovation so that toilets now use rainwater, They also installed triple glazing and extra insulation. “And next week a cooperative energy supplier is coming to install solar panels on the roof. All steps to make the building as energy neutral as possible,” says Bart.

“Fair trade really isn’t that new for us. I’ve been working here for 18 years and have seen many Oxfam products here the whole time. For all sorts of occasions: the catering for artists, gifts for employees, sugar, tea and coffee … I myself am a real coffee lover. So I’m over the moon that we now have a fantastic espresso machine for that fair coffee,” laughs Bart. #happyemployees