Dutch Bros
Business Overview: Fast-growing publicly held quick-serve coffee chain with nearly 800 locations across 15 states
Role: Director of Sustainability
Brewing sustainability from crop to cup
You know the feeling you get when you tap into your purpose? It can be deeply rewarding and energizing. In 2019 I was overflowing with a longing to take my sustainability work to the next level; I wanted to build a holistic sustainability program from the ground up for a fun-loving brand. I had the good fortune to do so as the Director of Sustainability at Dutch Bros Coffee.
As the first sustainability professional at the company, I helped lay the foundation for a top-notch sustainability program - everything that laid the groundwork for a strong IPO and our inaugural ESG report. I established our annual GHG inventory and water footprint, worked cross-functionally to set our first sustainability goals, and acted as the subject matter expert for our climate risk and materiality assessment.
I worked with cross-functional teams to prioritize opportunities based on highest impact, ease of implementation, and where we could create stoke with employees. I built sustainability programs in shop operations in our focus areas of waste, water, energy, and green building; provided thought leadership on the development of a responsible coffee supply chain, leading to the achievement of 100% Responsibly Sourced Coffee per the Enveritas Standard; prepared the company for regulatory compliance; and navigated the complexities of organizational change management.
Some of my accomplishments include:
Established the business case and facilitated alignment with the C-suite
Instituted annual GHG inventory and water footprint
Worked cross-functionally to set KPIs and goals in energy, waste, and water
Led the development of data management and goal-tracking systems to increase the accuracy and efficiency of data gathering, planning, and reporting
Initiated shop-level recycle & compost program that increased landfill diversion by 15%
Negotiated 100% renewable energy through high-quality RECs
Persuaded Development Team to test 5 energy efficiency initiatives in shops, prioritize a project that projected a 20% reduction in shop average water use, and develop a green building standard
Spearheaded carbon reduction as a top business initiative and led Sustainability Analyst to develop a modeling tool to analyze pathways for decarbonization
Provided thought leadership in the development of a sustainable coffee supply chain that resulted in achieving 100% Responsibly Sourced Coffee per Enveritas’ Standards
Secured a 5-year sustainable coffee project in partnership with a Brazil-based coffee coop to quantify the carbon balance of climate-smart/regenerative agriculture practices with 50 farmers
Drove decision-making utilizing LCA research for plant-based milk, coffee packaging, apparel packaging, and plastic cups
TESTIMONIALS
“Lindsey is one of those few teammates who falls into my “best of the best” category. Among Lindsey’s strengths is the ability to move both technical processes and human understanding and enrollment in those processes forward. Perhaps best of all, she does this work while being a fun, funny, and thoughtful teammate.”
“Lindsey is a powerhouse of collaboration. As my director at Dutch Bros Coffee, I watched her lead sustainability sessions between experts, novices, and everyone in between. She’s someone you can count on to always ask insightful questions, get the right people to the table, and grow sustainability from an idea to a full-blown business strategy. Simply put, Lindsey is awesome and highly effective!”
“You are a talented, accomplished, and dedicated sustainability leader, as we have seen you in action, and you’re a star! I can speak for our entire team that we are truly appreciative of your collaborative, fun, and curious spirit. ”