The Neumann Kaffee Gruppe, whose origin dates back to 1922, is the largest green coffee specialist in the world. Around the globe the group's companies are continously dealing with the natural product, coffee. Aside from the arising commercial, ecological and social challenges, the group felt a growing responsibility to make a long-term contribution to protect and conserve natural resources.

As this responsibility is outside of the group's core business, in 1988 Mr. Michael R. Neumann decided rather to concentrate and increase the resources devoted to conservation and environmental protection with the varied donations the Neumann Kaffee Gruppe has been making.

In order to establish and safeguard the longevity of sponsoring such activities, the non-profit organization Hanseatische Natur- und Umweltinitiative e.V. (Hanseatic Nature and Environmental Initiative) was founded in Hamburg in 1994 with Mr David M. Neumann serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors.