GCP is about to launch the much-anticipated revision and enhancement of the GCP Baseline Coffee Code with broad consultation to ensure an enhanced, fit-for-purpose, sector-wide reference for baseline sustainability that responds to the increasing impacts of a changing climate, farmer profitability, and the global pandemic.

Next month will see the launch of the public consultation of the GCP Baseline Coffee Code Revision – a key reference for all stakeholders across the coffee value chain to understand, drive progress and measure coffee sustainability.

The Baseline Coffee Code enhances the foundation for a sustainable, profitable coffee production and farmers’ prosperity, well-being and conservation of nature and the revision is an opportunity for all actors interested to lend a voice on the foundations for sustainability in the coffee sector GCP public consultation.

The revision process will include two-months broad, sector-wide consultation to ensure a fit-for-purpose, sector-wide reference for baseline sustainability that responds to the increasing impacts of a changing climate, the on-going coffee price crisis, and the global pandemic.

“We can collectively undertake strong concerted action to support a more sustainable and resilient future for farmers and the sector overall. The GCP Baseline Coffee Code Revision is an invitation to align on an advanced, shared understanding of baseline sustainability and a key opportunity to reach more coffee farmers while inspiring innovations and investments at farm level and in other segments of the coffee supply chain,” explained GCP’s Gelkha Buitrago, Director Programs and Corporate Partnerships, who is leading the revision process.

The GCP Baseline Coffee Code was last revised in 2015. Ongoing price and climate crises, exacerbated by a global pandemic, are jeopardizing the progress and sustainability outcomes achieved in the past years. As a sector we have a shared responsibility and urgent opportunity to address pressing sustainability challenges, together. This includes demonstrating progress towards individual and collective sustainability commitments and the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as getting prepared to respond to the emergence of due diligence legislations. 

The revision will have a closer look at these principles and practices and will review how the baseline sustainability practices connect to sector outcomes, enabling measurement on progress and increased impact. 

The GCP Baseline Coffee Code is connected to National Sustainability Curricula developed in GCP’s Network of Country Platforms, as these curricula contextualize the principles and practices of the Code to the realities on the ground, include and align local knowledge and emphasize local priorities. The GCP Baseline Coffee Code Revision is being informed by learnings from the implementation of the different curricula. Important learnings and input is also being drawn from the work of various Voluntary Sustainability Standards, as well as other sustainability schemes and programs from within GCP Membership and beyond.  

The Code is also one of the pillars of the Equivalence Mechanism that is used to assess the different sustainability schemes/programs that are eligible to be included in GCP’s Reporting on Sustainable Coffee Purchases.

You are invited!

Lend your voice and contribute to shaping and advancing the foundations for sustainability in the coffee sector! For this process to be truly meaningful and ultimately useful, GCP is inviting participants from across the coffee value chain. The revision process will include online workshops, surveys and virtual meetings, making the process accessible to as many participants as possible.

“We are excited to launch the process on 1 March and will welcome broad participation to help us ensure the process is really a sector effort,” said Buitrago.

The public consultation will run from 1 March – 30 April 2021.

Further details will be made available across GCP platforms next month, but why wait? Register now for the consultation webinars and lend your voice to the GCP Baseline Coffee Code Revision:

Click here to register for the webinar
16 March 2021, 10am CET (English)

Click here to register for the webinar
16 March 2021, 5pm CET (English)

Regístrese aquí pare el seminario web de la consulta
18 de marzo de 2021, 5 pm CET (Español)