on about coffee being ethical, we try and put it beyond reproach. We like to call this "triple certification", and think that it's better than picking and choosing your soap box.

certified contracts guarantee coffee farmers a minimum price for their beans, so their costs of production are covered. The farmers are also paid a premium, which enables them to invest in their communities to improve living and working conditions.
certification means that coffee farmers avoid unnecessary chemicals and pesticides - good news for plant and animal life. Organic certification also means more money to the farmers, over and above the Fairtrade price.
seal means that farms look after the tropical forests where they live and work. Wildlife is protected, rivers kept clean and natural resources conserved.