Bach Thanh Tuan
VICOFA
Bach Thanh Tuan
VICOFA
Local Action
Global Coffee Platform (GCP) is a multi-stakeholder membership association dedicated to advance coffee sustainability towards the vision of a thriving, sustainable coffee sector for generations to come. GCP enables coffee producers, traders, roasters, governments and NGOs to align and multiply their efforts and investments, collectively act on local priorities and critical issues, scale local sustainability programs and grow the global market for sustainable coffee across the coffee world. United in the belief that coffee sustainability is a shared responsibility, GCP Members and GCP’s Network of Country Platforms work together to achieve transformational change on prosperity for one million coffee farmers by 2030.
Our Vision
A thriving and sustainable coffee sector
for generations to come.
Our Mission
Promote farmers’ prosperity, improved well-being and conservation of nature.
GCP 2030 Goal
Transformational change on prosperity for more than one million smallholder farmers
Our History
The Global Coffee Platform was born out of a need for the coffee sector to continue its pioneering role and to take a more collaborative, holistic and aligned approach to coffee sustainability with a farmer-oriented agenda. To achieve transformational change in the coffee sector, the clear need was seen for new forms of public-private collaboration and co-investments in coffee producing countries, along with gearing the different programs and initiatives towards a unified vision.
Additionally, learnings from competitive supply chain investments as well as various projects have shown a huge opportunity to achieve more impact by preventing duplication of efforts and by supporting local ownership for an enabling environment for sustainable coffee production in origin.
By combining and building on the achievements of the 4C Association’s expansive membership and the Sustainable Coffee Program’s programmatic activities, and the rich connections of the International Coffee Organization (ICO) representing its producing and consuming country government members, the Global Coffee Platform was formed in March 2016 ushering in a new era where sustainability is a shared responsibility.
Members of the Global Coffee Platform today include farmers and farmer organizations, coffee trade roasters and retailers, other supply chain actors, civil society, sustainability standards, donor agencies, financial institutions and individuals.
Supported by the GCP Team, together we address overarching and deeper sustainability challenges facing the sector including threats related to climate change, pests and disease outbreak, ageing trees and farmers.
Governance
GCP’s governance process is a multi-stakeholder structure which represents all relevant stakeholder groups directly involved in the coffee supply chain, namely producer organizations, coffee trade and industry and civil society organizations.
GCP Board
The Board is the operational, political and strategic decision making body of the Global Coffee Platform, acting under the overall mandate and guidance established by the Membership Assembly. Its composition reflects the open, inclusive and multi-stakeholder character of the Global Coffee Platform.
The GCP Board consists of up to 16 seats filled by individuals within the GCP Membership. 13 seats are elected by the entire GCP Membership, for a 3-year term, with options for re-election:
4
Four Board seats
for coffee producer representatives;
2
Two seats
for trade representatives;
4
Four seats
for coffee industry representatives (with three seats for roasters, thereof at least one representing small/ mediums sized companies, and one for retailers)
3
Three seats
for Civil Society organizations.
The GCP Board guides the strategic direction of the organization and oversees and endorses the annual work plans and budgets. It comes together at least three times a year and is supported by four sub-committees: Nominations and Elections Committee, Finance Committee, HR Committee, and Technical Committee.
Click on the photos to learn more about GCP Board Members
Producer
Gilbert Gatali
African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA)
Gilbert Gatali
African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA)
Rafael Furtado Fonseca
Coomap/Brazilian Coffee Producers Council (CNC)
Rafael Furtado Fonseca
Coomap/Brazilian Coffee Producers Council (CNC)
Rafael Furtado Fonseca is Business Manager/Communication at Coomap. In this role he has worked to establish a direct link between small co-ops and international buyers. Since then direct exports have increased exponentially. He has also conducted a series of projects linked to sustainability, like improving the Quality of the Coffee produced by the co-op members, teaching English for members’ children and grandchildren, expanding growers awareness toward the importance of developing a professional approach of the coffee business and women empowerment. Rafael believes that co-ops might have a key role regarding empowering growers by means of education and fair commercialization conditions.
Trade
Benjamin Rimaud
ECOM Agroindustrial Corp
Benjamin Rimaud
ECOM Agroindustrial Corp
Olivier Laboulle
Louis Dreyfus Company
Olivier Laboulle
Louis Dreyfus Company
Olivier joined Louis Dreyfus Company in 2020, where he holds the position of Global Head of Coffee Sustainability and Social Impact. In this role, Olivier oversees the Coffee Platform sustainability strategy which primarily consists in raising the output of responsibly sourced coffee and supporting farmers through the Stronger Coffee Initiative. Olivier also leads the efforts of LDC in the area of human and labour rights across all commodities.
Before joining LDC, Olivier was Head of Programmes at International Cocoa Initiative, focusing on implementing large scale human rights due diligence systems in West African cocoa supply chains and improving social impact in cocoa growing communities. Prior to that, Olivier worked for several years supporting education and sustainable development programs at UNESCO, and founded Juba Recycles, the first plastic recycling social business in South Sudan.
Olivier holds a B.A. and M.A. in Social Sciences from the University of Oldenburg (Germany), and an M.A. in Human Rights from the European Inter-University Center (Italy/Netherlands).
Industry
Stefan Dierks
Melitta Group Management GmbH & Co. KG
Stefan Dierks
Melitta Group Management GmbH & Co. KG
Stefan Dierks joined Melitta Group in 2019 as Director Sustainability Strategy. In this role he is responsible for the group-wide coordination and monitoring of the Melitta sustainability transformation process.
He has 19-years’ sustainability experience across different economic sectors, with a special focus on the coffee value chain.
Due to his prior professional experience as HR coach and as a human resource development expert, he places a high value on the needs of human beings in transformation processes.
Along with his engagement in the mentioned sectors, he is engaged in various sector and sustainability associations and initiatives, on a global as well as European and German scale.
Stefan studied Environmental Sciences at the Leuphana Luneburg in Germany.
Besides being on the board of trustees of the German Consumer Protection Foundation, he also is on advisory boards of various organizations in the coffee sector. Stefan regularly gives lectures, e.g. at universities and at conferences.
Antje Shaw
Nestlé S.A.
Antje Shaw
Nestlé S.A.
Nadia Hoarau-Mwaura
JDE Peet’s
Nadia Hoarau-Mwaura
JDE Peet’s
Nadia Hoarau-Mwaura is the Sustainability Director at Jacobs Douwe Egberts, tasked with the strategy and execution of the responsible sourcing program – JDE Common Grounds. In this role she works closely across the different functions from Procurement, Marketing, Sales and R&D as well as managing strategic partnerships and relations in the public and private sector.
Nadia has more than 15 years of experience in sustainable development, working across different commodities including cocoa, tea, coffee. She joined JDE in 2015, having worked with Mondelez International in the coffee division before that. Prior to this she worked with Fairtrade International for 10 years focusing her expertise on building producer support programs in Africa Middle East and Asia Pacific.
Christien Parrott
Mother Parkers Tea and Coffee
Christien Parrott
Mother Parkers Tea and Coffee
Christien Parrott is the Director of Sustainability, Strategy and Implementation at Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee. Christien is a dynamic and passionate leader in sustainability and has led development of the corporate climate action and sustainable sourcing program for Mother Parkers. This is with a focus on setting climate commitments and goals with science-based targets, enhancing the sustainability of the Mother Parkers’ supply chains, and strengthening the resilience of communities and the wellbeing of producers at origin. These initiatives will drive significant and lasting positive impacts to environmental, social and governance aspects of sustainability for Mother Parkers.
Christien serves on the Board of Directors of the Global Coffee Platform (GCP) and has diverse experience in sales, project management and coffee commodities. This has allowed her to develop a unique perspective when it comes to capturing the business and human stories behind each cup of coffee and tea. Christien is also a CQI-certified coffee Q-Arabica Grader. Outside of the office, Christien is an alpine ski enthusiast, former alpine ski racing coach that now enjoys fair-weather skiing with a mountain-side beverage of choice!
Civil Society
Melanie Rutten-Sülz
Solidaridad Network
Melanie Rutten-Sülz
Solidaridad Network
Bambi Semroc
Conservation International
Bambi Semroc
Conservation International
Bambi Semroc is Senior Vice President of the Center for Sustainable Lands and Waters at Conservation International. The Center brings together key elements of sustainable production, water, incentives, and sustainability in priority landscapes and seascapes. She leads the Sustainable Coffee Challenge, a sector-wide effort to make coffee the world’s first sustainable agricultural products.
Ms. Semroc has been at Conservation International for more than 15 years, always focusing on sustainable agriculture. She engages leading retailers and consumer goods companies on sustainable agriculture programs designed to maintain critical natural capital, mitigate climate change, and increase the resiliency of farmers to shocks while maintaining productivity. Ms. Semroc works to ensure that these companies have the information and tools necessary to integrate natural capital and ecosystem service considerations into decision-making processes. Throughout this time, she has worked in collaboration with companies such as Starbucks Coffee Company, Walmart, McDonald’s, Nestlé, and The Coca-Cola Company.
Prior to Conservation International, Ms. Semroc worked as Peace Corps Volunteer in northern Togo. She holds a master’s degree in International Development from American University and a bachelor’s degree in English and French from Indiana University.
Additional Seats
Karel W. Valken
Rabobank, GCP Vice Board Chair
Karel W. Valken
Rabobank, GCP Vice Board Chair
In this capacity as EVP, Global Head Agri Commodities at Rabobank Karel Valken is responsible for their TCF Agri Units in 13 countries. Prior to joining Rabobank International in 2006, he was a Board Member of Nidera Handelscompagnie B.V., a Dutch-Argentinean international processing and trading company in grains and oilseeds from 1996-2006.
He started his career in 1983 at Mees & Hope/MeesPierson (now ABNAMRO) and spend 8 years as the MD of their New York office. From 1989-1996 he was active in financing a wide range of soft and hard commodities and has extensive experience in hemispheres ranging from Europe, the CIS, Asia and the Americas.
He has a degree at the Hogere Economische School of Amsterdam and served as an officer in the Dutch Army after his studies. In addition to his present responsibilities he is also a Board Member of Progreso Foundation active in coffee.
Adriana Mejía Cuartas
Individual Member, GCP Board Chair
Adriana Mejía Cuartas
Individual Member, GCP Board Chair
Founder of Herencia VL, Adriana Mejía Cuartas is a seasoned leader in sustainability and international business. With a background in the Colombian coffee industry, including serving as a former director for the National Federation of Colombian Coffee Growers in Europe and a board member of UTZ-Rainforest Alliance, she has honed her skills as a strategic thinker and action enabler.
Mejía focuses on making meaningful connections and sparking innovation by asking the right questions. As a fourth-generation coffee grower herself, she brings a unique blend of global expertise and local insights to every project. Whether it’s navigating complex value chains or managing risk, Mejía helps her clients drive positive change while boosting their brand reputation and equity.
Career facts: Mejía was the first woman nominated for the position of Chief Executive Officer of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia and later became the first woman elected to the Board of Directors of UTZ Certified, now known as Rainforest Alliance – UTZ.
In addition to her experience in the coffee industry, Mejía has also played a significant role in other supply chains such as cacao and palm oil. Her extensive global engagement and experience across multiple commodities have enabled her with a comprehensive understanding of global trade dynamics and sustainable supply chain management. Furthermore, Mejía’s passion for private diplomacy, lobbying, and policy-making drives her to actively engage with stakeholders to effect positive change.
Since 2024, Mejía has served as the GCP Board Chair.
Observer Seats
Carlos Brando
Individual Member
Carlos Brando
Individual Member
Carlos Brando is an engineer who attended the SPURS and PhD programs at MIT. His company P&A’s as well as his own long and diversified experience in the coffee sector have led them to work as consultants for the International Coffee Organization, the World Bank, the Sustainable Trade Initiative, the Global Coffee Platform, the World Cocoa Foundation and many other companies and institutions. They have coordinated coffee projects in more than 50 producing countries across five continents, including all the main coffee growing areas of Brazil. A frequent speaker at leading international coffee events, Carlos has contributed chapters to several coffee books, including Nespresso’s recent “The Craft and Science of Coffee”.
He has sat on the boards of UTZ and Ipanema Coffees, is a member of the Coffee Quality Institute’s Board of Trustees and in 2017 Carlos received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the African Fine Coffees Association. Carlos served as GCP’s Board Chair for six years and in his role as Immediate Past Chair, he will play a supporting role to both the new chair and the board.
Vanúsia Nogueira
Executive Director, International Coffee Organization
Vanúsia Nogueira
Executive Director, International Coffee Organization
Vanúsia Nogueira comes from a family of coffee producers, and started her career at PwC Consulting, where she was a partner and worked for 15 years. She started working directly with coffee in 2002, always focusing on niche markets. She served as executive director at BSCA from 2007 through April 2022 and took over as Executive Director at the International Coffee Organization in May 2022. Vanúsia holds a PhD in Administration/Marketing from Rosario National University in Argentina, a BS in Systems Engineering and Administration from Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RJ) and MBAs and post-MBA focusing on Management, Marketing and Advanced Project Management from Fundação Getulio Vargas-Rio de Janeiro (FGV-RJ).
Executive Team
GCP’s Senior Management Team directs the organization’s day-to-day activities around the world.
Competition law, policies and code
GCP has committed to the concept of pre-competitive collaboration. GCP Members are asked to strictly adhere to its competition law policy at all times. No discussions of agreements or concerted actions that may restrain competition are allowed. This prohibition includes discussions of current or future prices, margins, discounts, the timing of price changes, costs, capacities, customers, suppliers, product and marketing plans, sales projections, credit terms, or other competitively sensitive information relating to your business.
Members
Members of the Global Coffee Platform are not only changing the future of the coffee world for the better, they are also changing the way they do business – for the better. GCP Members enjoy a range of benefits that enable them to reduce and share their costs, make smarter sustainability investments and related business decisions, and ultimately multiply their individual contributions to make an impact on coffee communities far greater than by going it alone.
Strategic Collaboration
The Global Coffee Platform believes that sustainability is a shared responsibility. Thanks to our Members and strategic partnerships, it is possible to enable the coffee sector to accelerate its sustainability journey.
Click on the logos to learn more
