(Yicai) Dec. 18 -- Luckin Coffee, which beat Starbucks to become China's biggest coffee chain last year, has been recognized by Yicai for its efforts in sustainable practices, including developing a green supply chain, promoting the conservation of biodiversity, and building an eco-friendly infrastructure.

In the 2024 China Corporate Social Responsibility Rankings compiled by Yicai, Luckin Coffee was handed the Environmental Contribution Award, recognizing it efforts in environmental, social, and governance practices, green supply chain development, and conservation of biodiversity.

The Xiamen-based company has consistently balanced quality and environmental sustainability in its operations, striving to build a green value chain and support the transformation of China’s coffee industry toward a greener and low-carbon future.

It has set up several key production bases in China, such as a bean processing plant in Baoshan, Yunnan province, which not only achieves zero industrial wastewater discharge but also offers biodiversity conservation initiatives and regenerative agriculture training to local coffee farmers and businesses, helping to safeguard the coffee-growing ecosystem.

Luckin Coffee's roasting facilities in Kunshan, Jiangsu province, and Pingnan, Fujian province, meet China’s three-star Green Building Evaluation Standards and platinum-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design v4 certification for building design and construction for warehouses and distribution centers.

The Kunshan and Pingnan facilities generate solar power and use heat recovery systems to reduce their carbon emissions. Luckin Coffee is also constructing an innovation center in Qingdao that follows three-star green building standards.

The firm has extended its environmental commitment to its retail operations. Its flagship store in Beijing's Zhongguancun high-tech center exemplifies green retail design and is built to LEED ID+C v4 platinum standard, while three more of its cafes nationwide have LEED gold certification.

Editor: Martin Kadiev