GCP Brazil is educating the coffee sector and beyond about the social issues and complex labor requirements set by Brazilian legislation through a series of 13 educational infographics. The graphics seek to raise awareness and bridge the knowledge gap by making critical information accessible among growers, workers and other stakeholders of the coffee value chain.
Part of GCP Brazil’s Social Well-Being Collective Action Initiative, the series “Work & Well-being in Coffee Production”, tackles issues such as labor conditions, family succession, migrant workers, safety and health, and remuneration, and was developed in cooperation with Brazil’s Coffee Exporters Association (Cecafé).
The material is designed to be practical, informative and Illustrated, using a simple language, ensuring the information is accessible by broad audiences, including those in rural areas. Each card includes Portuguese audio called Field Dialogue, which features conversations between coffee growers and a field technician, and between coffee growers and their family members.
The series has been shared on GCP Brazil’s social media (Instagram and LinkedIn) and with GCP Members and partners in Brazil via WhatsApp, and is now publicly available in English and Portuguese the GCP Brazil website. One additional episode of the series is currently under development in partnership with the German Coffee Association (DKV) to address the topic of social due diligence.
In a special interview, GCP Brazil’s Maria Fernanda Brando spoke to Silvia Pizzol, Social Responsibility & Sustainability Manager at Cecafé, and with Charlotte Heyl, Director of Sustainability at DKV to better understand how they cooperate with GCP and other stakeholders to advance sustainability in the coffee chain.
1. We understand that Cecafé is a long-time member of GCP Brazil, supports GCP work on the ground and co-coordinates the Collective Action Initiative on Social Well-being. In your opinion, how do social issues affect overall sustainability in coffee in Brazil nowadays?
Cecafé: Coffee is a crop that enables small-scale agricultural production in Brazil, encourages smallholders to remain in the countryside, and generates income and development for communities. This can be observed from the Municipal Human Development Index (IDHM), an indicator that measures longevity, education, and income. There is a positive correlation between the IDHM and coffee growing. In average, the larger the area cultivated with coffee in municipalities of the main producing states, the better the IDHM index.
The income generated by coffee also benefits many rural workers’ families who live in less developed regions of Brazil. The coffee harvest period is an opportunity for these workers to secure income for their families for many months. As coffee has such a significant impact on the social dimension of sustainability, it is essential to strengthen the adoption of good labor practices to promote the well-being of rural workers and employers.
Raising knowledge and increasing the awareness of coffee farmers and workers about the strict and complex regulatory apparatus that exists in Brazil for the protection of human rights is essential for the continuous improvement of sustainability. In this sense, the educational & informative work developed by the Social Well-Being Initiative has been of great importance for the promotion of decent work, thus strengthening the role of coffee in human development in Brazil.
2. How much coffee does Brazil export? How much of that volume is considered sustainable, according to Cecafé’s standards?
Cecafé: The volume of coffee exported by Brazil has been in the range of 40 million (60 kg) bags in recent years. The diversity of origins, flavors, aromas, and qualities, guided by sustainability, consolidates the country as a leader in the global coffee supply, serving the most demanding markets in relation to ESG criteria.
Available data indicates that approximately 20% of the coffee exported by Brazil is differentiated, meaning that it is coffee with any distinctive seal of sustainability or quality.
Note: Cecafé statistics are based on information contained in the ICO Certificates of Origin, in which declaration of coffee’s sustainability standard is voluntary, therefore, underreporting may occur.
3. Have exports of sustainable coffee from Brazil increased in recent years? And which countries demand/buy more sustainable coffee from Brazil? How does the work developed by Cecafé support coffee growers to become more sustainable?
Cecafé: Brazilian exports of differentiated coffees have increased, a trend that has become even more significant in recent months. From January to August 2024, 5.6 million bags of differentiated coffees have already been shipped abroad. This volume is 49% higher than that same period in 2023. Brazil’s differentiated coffees are mainly exported to the United States, Germany, Belgium, Holland, and Italy.
Through Cecafé’s Social Responsibility and Sustainability Pillar, exporters jointly develop programs related to climate, food security, traceability, and training on good practices, which aim to improve sustainability at field level. The partnership with the Global Coffee Platform has been valuable, particularly in relation to training. Together with GCP Brazil, we manage an e-learning platform for baseline sustainability & computer skills, called the “Sustainable Coffee Farmer Program”, and develop actions within the scope of two Collective Action Initiatives: Social Well-Being and Responsible Use of Agrochemicals in coffee production in Brazil.
4. Can you briefly share about DKV: the association’s purpose, members, and main lines of work?
DKV: For over 50 years, the German Coffee Association has represented the interests of companies and organizations that trade, process, or otherwise deal with coffee in Germany. It unites more than 380 companies along the coffee value chain – including sustainability organizations, coffee traders and brokers, roasters, soluble coffee makers, decaffeination industries, machine manufacturers, logisticians, and laboratories.
The association serves as a platform for collaboration and expertise within the coffee sector. In regard to sustainability, it focuses on new due diligence. The association offers its members hands-on-tools to support compliance with due diligence legislations.
5. Why is DKV partnering with GCP Brazil to develop Card #13 of the “Work & Well-Being in Coffee Production” series?
During the afternoon, GCP Members went into breakout groups to collectively explore the evolution of GCP Tools towards Sustainable Sourcing. GCP Members, coffee sector stakeholders and sustainability experts divided into four groups: Producers and Government Representatives, Traders, Roasters & Retailers, and Civil Society Organizations.
The discussion was guided by two main questions. The first, exploring the ways in which GCP Tools could be presented more clearly to increase collective uptake. The second focused on reflecting on the ways GCP Tools can be evolved to expand the benefits for farmers in measurable ways.
6. How is social due dilligence affecting the global coffee sector, in your opinion?
DKV: The new due diligence legislations like the German due diligence act, the EU deforestation regulation or the upcoming EU corporate sustainability due diligence directive currently transform the sustainability agenda of the coffee sector. Sustainability is no longer a voluntary commitment but a legal obligation for European coffee companies. These obligations can help to streamline the various existing sustainability activities and will accelerate the transparency of value chains.
At the same time, the high demand for data availability can pose severe challenges to smallholder coffee farmers and highly fragmented value chains. Pre-competitive cooperation becomes even more important to jointly champion these challenges.
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