The Coffee Sustainability Reference Code can be used by organizations to propel their efforts in a way that is complementary to existing strategies. Find out how this new common language for coffee sustainability is being used today.

Sustainable coffee involves the entire value chain, from farmer to consumer. This is why GCP has developed the Coffee Sustainability Reference Code as a sector-wide reference on the foundations of sustainability at farm level and primary processing. The Coffee Sustainability Reference Code is a common language which makes sustainability both understandable and actionable for all stakeholders.

In a recent webinar, panelists from across the supply chain outlined the value of the Coffee Sustainability Reference Code for their organisations and the coffee farmers they work with, as well as how they are using this document in their work.

• Gustav Bacchi (System Director, 4C Services GmbH)
• Matt Smith (Executive Vice President, Supply Chain Westrock Coffee/S&D Coffee and Tea)
• Paramita Mentari Kesuma (executive DIrector, SCOPI Indonesia)
• Jonathan W Clark (Senior Trader, Director at Dakman Vietnam Ltd)

The panelists highlighted that the Coffee Sustainability Reference Code can be used to show the sustainability progress which organisations have already made and propel them towards even greater progress in a way that is complementary to their existing strategies. The clear and cohesive messaging of the Coffee Sustainability Reference Code allows companies to distil the complexities of sustainability with suppliers and consumers alike.

For Matt Smith, the code does a “great job of balancing investment costs, rigor and inclusiveness to ensure that everyone can see a path towards a sustainable future”.

“The continuous improvement aspect of the code will also allow for some really honest dialogues about the direction of the supply chain. This code will be the litmus test for [our coffee purchases]”

The Coffee Sustainability Reference Code also complements the efforts of sustainability schemes and third-party certification. In the words of Gustavo Bacchi (Systems Director at 4C Services GmbH), the Coffee Sustainability Reference Code is gives credibility to sustainability schemes such as 4C. He says that the code “helps to strengthen the concept of independent and impartial certification, which is increasingly on the minds of consumers”.

Bringing the Code to life

The importance of the Coffee Sustainability Reference Code resonates at farm level too, according to the panelists. Paramita Mentari Kesuma (Executive Director, SCOPI Indonesia), the Coffee Sustainability Reference Code provides a “practical reference and baseline indicators for good agricultural practices (GAP) and post-harvest practices” for coffee farmers. Gustavo Bacchi also highlighted that training and technical programmes can use the code as a reference and this is crucial for sustainable coffee production.

“The Coffee Sustainability Reference Code helps farmers formalise GAP and encourages governments to push sustainability forward. There are plenty of examples within the code of how the principles improve production and protect the environment while also protecting farmers and consumers”

Jonathan Clark, Senior Trader, Director Dakman Vietnam Ltd

Have you seen the Coffee Sustainability Reference Code?

Catch up on the webinar

By using the Coffee Sustainability Reference Code in practice, members are helping to bring the code to life! Find out more: