Principles for coffee procurement prioritised to promote long-term economic viability for farmers
GCP, IDH and Solidaridad share principles for coffee procurement following nine-month long collaborative process with leading coffee companies
BONN, GERMANY and UTRECHT, NETHERLANDS. (31 March 2026). Stakeholders from the global coffee sector have agreed on a shared approach to coffee procurement guided by two new principles, designed to support the long-term economic health of coffee farmers. The principles centre on strategic partnerships and sustainable coffee production, and are intended to encourage more responsible sourcing practices across the sector.
Developed through a nine-month long collaborative process led by the Global Coffee Platform (GCP), IDH and Solidaridad, the principles were built on the findings of the 2024 publication The Grounds for Sharing. The process involved 14 leading coffee companies: Caravela, ECOM, Export Trading Company, illycaffè, JDE Peet’s, Louis Dreyfus Company, Neumann Kaffee Gruppe, ofi, Sucafina, Sucden Coffee, Taylors of Harrogate, Touton, UCC and Volcafe.
“Ensuring the long-term economic viability of sustainable coffee farming, and overall farmer prosperity is essential for a resilient supply and a competitive coffee sector. This requires shared responsibility and a more coordinated approach across the industry,” said Annette Pensel, Executive Director, Global Coffee Platform.
Two Shared Principles
The 14 leading coffee traders and roasters have agreed on two main common procurement principles to foster responsible sourcing practices:
Strategic
Partnerships
This principle encourages a shift from short-term transactions towards longer-term, trust-based collaboration between farmers, traders, roasters and retailers.
Sustainable
Coffee Production
This principle encourages companies to support conditions in which farmers can recover their costs and pursue long-term improvements in their livelihoods and farming systems.
“These common procurement principles represent an important step towards aligning how the coffee sector creates and shares value. By moving beyond short-term transactions and embedding longer-term partnerships and sustainable production conditions, companies can contribute to more resilient supply chains and improved economic viability for farmers,” said Mette-Marie Hansen, IDH, adding that at IDH this work is seen as “a foundation for scaling more responsible purchasing practices across the sector”.
According to Solidaridad’s Andrea Olivar, working with leading traders and roasters on these procurement principles means “we are creating a base to ensure that all those directly involved in coffee supply chains, from farmers to retailers, have a positive output from their efforts.
“These principles, that should be implemented across the sector, are fundamental to promote prosperity of coffee producers and security of supply.”
For Pensel, the principles are a key milestone that “demonstrate the growing corporate willingness to explore additional pathways to impact and resilience,” adding that GCP will continue providing the platform to drive the transition toward more sustainable and resilient coffee value chains.
The publication of the principles highlight the importance of mindful procurement, which shape the environment in which farmers operate. Procurement alone cannot address all challenges, but when aligned with other levers – such as public policy, inclusive finance and improved farm practices – it can help enable farmer prosperity.
Contact
Program queries may be directed to: Ms Caroline Glowka, GCP Senior Manager Member Relations
About
Global Coffee Platform (GCP) is a unique multi-stakeholder membership association of coffee producers, traders, roasters and retailers, civil society, associations, governments and donors, united under a common vision to work collectively towards a thriving, sustainable coffee sector for generations to come. GCP Members believe that sustainability is a shared responsibility to enhance farmers’ economic prosperity, improve well-being, and conservation of nature. For more information, visit www.globalcoffeeplatform.org
IDH (°2008) is a global organisation that brings together public and private stakeholders to make agricultural markets more sustainable and inclusive. We work with partners to tackle challenges in global and local value chains, including climate change, unfair wages, inequality and gender disparities. Our skilled employee base consists of 300+ conveners and experts, working in 15+ countries with 1000+ partners. For more information, visit www.idh.org
Solidaridad is an international civil society organization with over 55 years of experience in developing solutions to make communities more resilient and create more sustainable supply chains. Our nearly 1,500 diverse staff work in more than 40 countries with a deep knowledge of local contexts. They work throughout the entire value chain to make sustainability the norm. Our innovative solutions support the transition to an inclusive economy that provides sustainable livelihoods with fair and profitable business opportunities. This includes decent working conditions, a fair living wage and production in balance with nature, so that all people can thrive now and for generations to come. For more information, visit: www.solidaridadlatam.org
