What our ESSA accreditation means

At The Barista HQ, we’ve been working on a project to become an accredited member of ESSA. We’re delighted to share that we recently got the news that we’ve passed. This accreditation is important to us as it backs up the standards that we’ve always set for ourselves – reinforcing the fact that we operate and run to the very highest of industry standards.

We think that ESSA accreditation is only going to grow in importance over the coming years, so we’re both proud and excited to have got our name on the list early. If you want to know more about ESSA and what it means for us, keep reading.

What is ESSA? 

ESSA, the Event Supplier and Services Association, are a trade body that represents the very best suppliers of goods and services to the events industry. They focus on health & safety, education, business development, driving excellence and sharing best practices.

As part of the Events Industry Alliance, ESSA and their members can influence changes that impact the entire sector. Their values are honest, collaborative, open & inclusive and proactive – values shared wholeheartedly by our team at The Barista.

The accreditation scheme is an annual, independently audited health & safety qualification. The accreditation is fully endorsed by both The Association of Event Organisers (AEO) and the Association of Event Venues (AEV).

Why does our ESSA accreditation matter? 

Our accreditation with ESSA sets us apart from the crowd and proves that we’ve met all the requirements and high standards needed to become an ESSA approved supplier. Health and safety standards are taken very seriously within the ESSA member community, so both event organisers and the venues we visit have complete peace of mind that we’re always operating as safely as possible.

Becoming a member is no simple box-ticking exercise; we had to provide demonstrable proof that we operate at the required level. Members must also renew their certification annually through a digital audit platform and audit programme. That means that year after year, we’ll continue to demonstrate that our high standards are being maintained.

Consistently high standards 

We pride ourselves not only on the exceptional taste of our coffee but also on our outstanding service. There are a few ways we think we stand out from the crowd:

• Our coffee is roasted, blended, tested and refined by us. We’ve perfected our signature blend, Northern Espresso, which is freshly roasted in our micro-roaster in time for your event. It means there’s a distinct flavour in every delicious cup we serve.
• Our services help you increase footfall and leave a lasting impression. We don’t just serve coffee, we can also help you treat your guests to speciality teas, Belgian hot chocolate, freshly squeezed juice and even smoothies.
• We’re all about service with a smile and an approach that blends professionalism with personality. We offer friendly, first-class service from the best baristas around. Don’t just take our word for it though – our five-star reviews speak for themselves.

Our new accreditation with ESSA underpins all that we do. It means that we will continue to hold ourselves to our industry-leading high standards as we help businesses boost their brand presence and increase footfall at their events – all through our delicious coffee.

Elsie O’Dwyer, our Events Coordinator had this to say about the accreditation:

“The ESSA accreditation is a great benchmark for best practise within our industry and it is fantastic to see our name on the accredited members list; acknowledging the quality and safety of our service as well as recognising the hard work all The Barista team put in.”

If you’re looking for a highly professional team to add instant value to your stand or event, you’re in the right place. Get in touch today to find out how we can help.