Editorial Standards
Sunday Cups is a start-up Canadian online publishing company that owns and operates Sunday Cups Blog at sundaycups.com and Instagram Page @sunday.cups. Our writers are expected to adhere to the following journalistic principles to ensure that our readers have the most reliable and relevant information available. All blog writers volunteering for Sunday Cups must comply with these values and protocols and uphold the standards of our brand in all mediums, be it articles, videos, social media, etc. Sunday Cups is committed to an accurate, transparent, engaged, credible, and informed conversation with our audience and will continuously update these policies in line with industry standards.
Our Mission
Our mission is to become the go-to coffee blog for finding honest reviews on local coffee shops near you and hearing the latest news about what’s happening in the coffee industry! We want to help coffee consumers find the best coffee shops near them that meet their needs whether that’s finding a place to study, a quality cup of coffee, or a place to hang out with friends. We strive to create engaging articles with meaningful coffee news that is accurate, honest and presents a clear picture of the current events and trends in the coffee industry. Sunday Cups is a platform for coffee connoisseurs to share their expertise on coffee, helping consumers learn useful tips and tricks and become more informed about the coffee beverages' cultural and historical significance!
Our Vision
Coffee is more than just a morning beverage. Coffee has created a culture of social behaviors surrounding its consumption in how it is made, served, and shared. Sunday Cup's vision is to help build stronger communities by highlighting local coffee shops discussing not only the quality of coffee served but the unique environment they help create for community members to come together and share this delicious beverage. As we map out independent coffee shops, we plan to build a database of all the local cafes worldwide, becoming the go-to source to find what shops are near you.
Our Values
Accuracy
Coffee is more than just a morning beverage. Coffee has created a culture of social behaviors surrounding its consumption in how it is made, served, and shared. Sunday Cup's vision is to help build stronger communities by highlighting local coffee shops discussing not only the quality of coffee served but the unique environment they help create for community members to come together and share this delicious beverage. As we map out independent coffee shops, we plan to build a database of all the local cafes worldwide, becoming the go-to source to find what shops are near you.
Affiliate Content
Occasionally our editorial articles will also contain affiliate links, where Sunday Cups may earn a small commission if a reader purchases a product or service we have featured. These articles are created independently by Sunday Cups journalists and are not influenced by advertisers or commercial teams. Companies that choose to work with us in this regard cannot and do not influence editorial coverage, as we are committed to giving honest reviews.
Corrections and Updates
While our writers strive to independently verify all information published on Sunday Cups sites, there can be errors sometimes. When such an error is brought to our attention, we immediately update our articles. Additionally, if new information is discovered (e.g., a coffee shop closes), articles will be updated and will include the time of the update at the top of the post. While Sunday Cups strives to keep its information accurate, our website may not always be up to date and cannot necessarily be relied upon.
Cultivating Diversity and Inclusivity
Diversity, inclusion, and belonging are at the heart of our work as journalists. We recognize that race, class, gender, sexuality, disability, and geography all affect experience and point of view and that reflecting these differences in our journalism will help lead to nuanced reporting and a better-informed community. We strive to include writers from all around the world, allowing us to cover stories about various coffee cultures and provide diverse perspectives on coffee-related topics.
Ethical Issues
The complex issues surrounding the history of coffee production require recognition. Sunday Cups is an advocate for Fairtrade coffee and works to inform consumers of the global inequality, slavery, and contemporary oppression surrounding coffee production while promoting Fairtrade coffee brands.
Honesty
Sunday Cups is committed to delivering honest reviews about coffee shops near you. Our writers tell the complete truth, even if it is not pleasant, and give their expert opinion on coffee quality. Our coffee critics have excellent judgment and extensive knowledge about the coffee industry, from production to taste.
Interviews
When interviewing sources, Sunday Cups journalists are transparent about their identities and provide readers with a complete picture of who the information is coming from. Minors are not interviewed without parental consent. We ensure we get permission from our subjects if any quote, image, recording, or video of a person is used in our articles.
Issue of Biased Reviews
Sunday Cups writers strive to be objective when reporting and vow to tackle the issue of biased coffee reviews by putting the consumer's needs center-stage. Our writers review the coffee shop's atmosphere and customer service based on one site visit and evaluate coffee quality based on two beverage orders. While service, drink quality, and atmosphere vary dramatically from day to day, we take this into consideration. We will disclose information about our time of visit to create a clear picture for our readers. If our coffee reviewers have a negative or wonderful experience, we encourage them to revisit the shop to see if the experience is consistent. We also encourage our reviewers to bring guests along to help our critics try different menu items and get others' perspectives. Of course, criticism involves personal opinions and may obtain some bias as we recognize our writer's right to free speech. If a writer has a strong personal opinion or a relationship to a specific coffee brand or local cafe, we will disclose that information to our readers, or they will abstain from coverage of that topic. At the same time, we trust our readers to interpret this information in a way that is right for them.
Plagiarism
Sunday Cups has a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism. Writers must describe ideas and events in their own words or clearly cite the origins, if any, of the content. Those who do not abide by this principle are terminated. Editors review articles for plagiarism; if any is found, there is an immediate investigation of that work and any other work the writer has published. We also consider complaints of plagiarism of the utmost importance. Once an accusation is made, the same protocols described above commence.
Responsibility
Sunday Cups publishers strive to give coffee shops and coffee companies an opportunity to comment before publishing review articles whenever possible. Accordingly, our team will contact the stories' subjects to comment before publishing. If we do not hear back before our desired publishing date, we will update the article as soon as we receive comments as Sunday Cups sees fit. When covering sensitive topics, we include warnings that articles may contain sensitive information or details that may be difficult to read. We also include resources so that readers can fully understand the material discussed and can further educate themselves on given topics.
Supporting Local
Everyone lives near a local cafe; that's better than a chain! Sunday Cups values supporting local coffee shops as they help strengthen communities and local economies while offering a superior quality cup of coffee. Coffee shops are a place to meet, socialize and exchange ideas within local communities. Through the creation of these shared community spaces, citizens can develop social networks and become closer to their community. Most importantly, local coffee shops create a friendly, welcoming atmosphere that makes you feel at home with their excellent customer service, where each cup is made with love. Local cafes use fresh ingredients and often brew their beans on-site or source them from local roasters resulting in a higher quality cup of coffee than those found in chain stores.
Sustainability
Sunday Cups promotes sustainability within the coffee industry to support global efforts in tackling climate change and empowering future generations. Our writers are encouraged to advocate for and promote sustainable coffee shops, products, and brewing practices. As the coffee industry continues to face several sustainability challenges, including deforestation, water scarcity, and climate change, we work to bring light to this issue and provide recommendations and resources on how our readers can help mitigate the impacts created by the coffee industry.
Sunday Cups readers can reach our sundaycups.com editors through this contact page. Messages are checked regularly and any information pertinent to an article is promptly addressed.