23 Degrees
Self-reported* Self-reported. 23 Degrees is a small, independent business that says it buys directly from named farms. That usually means better prices for farmers, but it hasn't published what it pays or any independent checks, and there's no way yet to confirm that pay reaches the farm workers who pick the crop. If a labour problem is confirmed, its grade drops to Poor. Why we allow this
23 Degrees is a small, independent business built around buying directly from named farms, which usually means better prices for farmers. It hasn't published what it pays or any independent checks, so this rests on its own word.
Last researched 8 October 2026
Heading in the right direction. Workers are paid enough to live on, or the company is certified as working towards it, and there are no serious warning signs. One piece is still unproven. What this grade means
Good: 1 of 5
- Pays a living wage
- Respects worker rights
- Full supply chain audit, or made only in countries with rigorous labour standards
- No child or forced labour findings
- Publishes where its products are made (supplier list, named farms or its own factories)
Great: 1 of 3
- Pays beyond a living wage
- Finds and fixes problems, or invests directly in workers' communities
- Actively empowers workers
Needs all Good requirements plus two of these.
Red flags: 1
- Hidden or unaudited supply chain (no certification or documentation, or major production in countries with poor worker rights without independent audits)
Where it's made
| Country | Worker rights | Legal wages | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia 20% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Brazil 20% | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Peru 20% | Regular violations | Well below a living wage | Low |
| Ethiopia 20% | Regular violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Kenya 20% | Regular violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Country conditions from the ITUC Global Rights Index, Global Slavery Index and living wage benchmarks. Certifications and audits can raise a company above its countries' baseline.
Why this grade
- Coffee is on the US Department of Labor child or forced labour list for over a dozen countries, and farm-gate prices often fall below a living income. (partly offset by certification or direct sourcing)
- Certified B Corp: Whole-company assessment. Labour is one part of the score, so it is supportive rather than proof.
- Direct trade (self-reported)
- Invests in worker and farming communities
- Built around direct trade with named farms or producers
- Small, independent business built around direct trade with named farms. Graded Almost good on its own word, as it hasn't published prices or independent checks. Any confirmed labour problem would move it to Poor.
23 Degrees is a small, founder-led roaster in Cheltenham, Melbourne, and a Certified B Corp since 2018 (score 106.5, with 18 points for supply chain poverty alleviation). It says close to 40% of its coffee comes directly from women coffee growers and that it pays at least the Fairtrade minimum, but it publishes no prices, buys some coffee through importers such as First Crop, and names only a few farms (for example Fazenda Pinhal in Brazil and the Cafe Femenino programme in Peru). It funds small projects for coffee-growing communities in Peru and Brazil, such as a medical emergency fund and financial literacy training, without publishing amounts.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| B Corp directory | Found | Certified B Corp since 2018 with a 2025 score of 106.5, including 18 points for supply chain poverty alleviation. View ↗ |
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not listed | No Fairtrade licence found; the company does not describe its coffee as Fairtrade certified. View ↗ |
| US Department of Labor goods lists | Found | Coffee from Brazil (child and forced labour), Colombia and Kenya (child labour), all origins it buys from, is on the US DOL list; Ethiopia and Peru are not listed for coffee. View ↗ |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Not listed | A small business well below the A$100m threshold, so it is not required to lodge a modern slavery statement and none is listed. View ↗ |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No allegations against 23 Degrees Coffee Roasters are recorded. View ↗ |
Sources (10)
- 23 Degrees Coffee Roasters - B Corp directory · archived copy · Certified B Corp since October 2018, Victoria, Australia; overall score 106.5 (112.7 in 2022, 104.6 in 2018); Supply Chain Poverty Alleviation 18; focus on fair prices for smallholder and women farmer
- 23 Degrees Coffee Roasters - home page · archived copy · Small-batch roaster in Cheltenham, Melbourne; buys from smallholder, women and family farms 'at fair and ethical prices'; origins include Ethiopia, Kenya and Colombia; funds social projects for women
- Our Impact - 23 Degrees · archived copy · Sources close to 40% of its coffee directly from women coffee growers; 65% from certified organic or wild-grown farms; lists social projects; no prices or amounts published.
- Our Social Projects - 23 Degrees · archived copy · Projects in Peru and Brazil: medical emergency fund, water reservoir, ecosystem recovery, fermentation workshop, income diversification and financial literacy training; no amounts given.
- Corporate Policies - 23 Degrees · archived copy · Supplier code bans child and forced labour; commits to price transparency and a floor of the Fairtrade price, but publishes no figures; no living wage commitment.
- Products - 23 Degrees · archived copy · Coffees from Brazil (Fazenda Pinhal; Donas do Cafe), Colombia (Cauca women growers), Peru (Cafe Femenino), Ethiopia (Halo Beriti), Kenya (Kirinyaga) and Papua New Guinea; most blends do not name farms
- Meet the Coffee Roaster That's All About Empowering Women - Broadsheet (2017) · archived copy · Founded by Tina Wendel; buys Women Coffee Growers Project beans from Cauca, Colombia through green importer First Crop.
- 23 Degrees - Aim2Flourish · archived copy · Melbourne business founded 2016 with 2-10 employees; works with women's coffee grower associations through importer First Crop.
- List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor - US DOL · archived copy · Coffee from Brazil (child and forced labour) and Colombia (child labour) is on the US DOL list.
- List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor - US DOL · archived copy · Coffee from Kenya is listed for child labour.
Last researched 8 October 2026 · details still being verified. Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Represent this company and think something is wrong? A right-of-reply form is coming soon.