The GCP Baseline Coffee Code, previously the Baseline Common Code, responds to the increasing impacts of a changing climate, farmer profitability, and the global pandemic, as a fit-for-purpose, sector-wide reference for baseline coffee sustainability.
The Baseline Coffee Code is now outdated (October 2021). After a revision in has turned into the COFFEE SUSTAINABILITY REFERENCE CODE. The Coffee Sustainability Reference Code is the successor of the Baseline Coffee Code. Please follow this link to access the latest info and documents: GCP Coffee Sustainability Reference Code
The Baseline Coffee Code — previously the Baseline Common Code — enhances the foundations for a sustainable, profitable coffee production and farmers’ prosperity, well-being and conservation of nature.
The Baseline Coffee Code is a sector wide reference on the foundations of sustainability in economic, social and environmental dimensions for green coffee production and primary processing worldwide. It contributes to a common understanding of sustainability for public and private coffee stakeholders and NGOs, as well as to an aligned measuring and monitoring progress towards increased sustainable production and consumption of coffee.
We can collectively undertake strong concerted action to support a more sustainable and resilient future for farmers and the sector overall. The 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.
The Baseline Coffee Code was last revised in 2015. Ongoing challenges including farmers’ profitability and the 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 SDGs as well as getting prepared to respond to the emergence of due diligence legislations.
The GCP BCC currently contains 27 principles (economic, social and environmental dimensions) based on good agricultural and management practices and international conventions/recognised guidelines and 10 unacceptable practices. The revision will have a closer look at these principles and practices and will review how the baseline sustainability practices connect to sector outcome indicators and the Coffee Data Standard, and to the Sustainable Development Goals, to enable 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.
All actors interested in sustainability in the coffee sector can participate in the revision of the GCP Baseline Coffee Code.
Provide your input via our online survey, webinars or workshops or schedule a one-to-one session with us.
GCP Baseline Coffee Code Consultation Document
The proposed DRAFT Baseline Coffee Code 2021 v3.0
Proposed Pesticides Criteria and Lists
The GCP Baseline Coffee Code revision has benefited from financial contribution by 4C Services as well as other members of the GCP
For more information regarding the GCP Baseline Coffee Code,
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