ETHICAL COFFEE Part 4 - Other Players in Ethical Coffee

Other Pathways To Creating An Ethical Coffee Industry


Whilst Fairtrade may be the first and most easily recognisable brand of ethical coffee, there are certainly a multitude of other players – large and small- out there making a difference.

One of the other large organisations is called UTZ Certified, formerly called ‘Utz Kapeh’ meaning ‘good coffee’ in one of the Mayan languages. It was started as a collaboration between a coffee grower of Guatemalan-Belgian heritage and a coffee producer in The Netherlands in 2002, and today is recognized as the largest coffee and cocoa certification program in the world. [1]

UTZ Certified Logo, Ethical Coffee, Crema Coffee Garage

There is also the The Common Code for the Coffee Community Association, the brainchild of the German Coffee Association. This organization was birthed in 2003 and because it does not restrict its participants exclusively to small farmers involved in cooperatives, the way Fairtrade does, it means that larger companies including Kraft and Nestle can also participate. The entity based its code of conduct and standards off of the official UN Millennium Goals and so is recognized as operating alongside global common goals. [2]

The Common Code, Coffee Community Association, 4C Association, Ethical Coffee, Crema Coffee Garage

The Rainforest Alliance and Australian Certified Organic certifications highlight the need to focus on environmentally sustainable practices for producing coffee, which studies have shown to have the biggest influence on coffees environmental impact [3]. The Rainforest Alliance is an environmental certification that requires participating farms to maintain a certain level of native vegetation. The alliance has recently come under criticism with suggestions it has reduced their criteria, however the certification does promote positive outcomes for protecting waterways and native flora. Australian Certified Organic is also focused on protecting natural habitats and biodiversity. To be eligible for this certification, farms must make efficient use of their water resources and minimise the use of chemicals in their fertilisers, pest and disease management resources.


Rainforest Alliance Logo, Ethical Coffee, Crema Coffee Garage


The other method of ensuring ethical standards in coffee production today is the method of Direct Trade, and this has become somewhat of a buzz word thrown around in the coffee roasting industry.

Direct Trade is essentially exactly as it sounds. An individual coffee roaster or roasting company will have a direct interaction and transaction with an individual farmer.  This method essentially bypasses every other middle man, and has a lot of benefits. Having a real and personal relationship between producer and retailer is always going to be a strong step towards trust and collaboration.

The coffee roaster can communicate to the farmer directly about the quality and attributes they desire in a coffee bean, and offer them a better price than those set by certification programs. They can offer personalized education and support to that farmer in order to achieve the end product, and have first-hand information on the real conditions the farmers operate under. The roaster then gets everything they want at a far lower cost than the figurative hoops and expense Fairtrade and other organisations require – and often the farmer sees much more direct benefits themselves. It seems like a case of ‘everybody wins’, but it actually fails to address the bigger structural issues within the industry.

Direct Trade, Ethical Coffee, Crema Coffee Garage

Then there are the farmers themselves, many of which are educated, savvy and conscientious. Many of the farmers are pursuing environmentally sustainable practices for growing and processing crops, and some are involved with government or educational institutions to address social, economic, educational or environmental issues. For example, Finca La Aurora in Panama (LINK TO BLOG) is owned by Roberto Brenes, Director of the Panamanian stock exchange and ex director of Panama’s Central Bank. Brenes grows his coffee in a sustainable environment, focused on preserving the pristine highland tropical forest that covers more than half of the 30 hectare farm. The majority of this rainforest was actually reforested by Brenes since he took over the farm in 2006.

Robert Brenes, Panama, Ethical Coffee, Crema Coffee Garage

Another example is the Pacas family who own Finca La Providencia in El Salvador (LINK TO BLOG). The Pacas family own a 52 hectare farm, 12 of which is natural forest, and have been coffee farming since 1905. They use their experience, history, education and capital to promote social and economic programs in El Salvador, including the Coffee Certificate Program for students at the El Salvador National School or Agriculture. The focus of the program is on the production, processes and trade of specialty coffee. Staff members from La Providencia are involved directly in the program, teaching classes with a hands-on process, starting from seed planting to trade export.

Pacas Family Education Programs, Ethical Coffee, Crema Coffee Garage

In short, the reality for ethical coffee is quite viable and there are a multitude of pathways we can follow to reach that goal.

 

Written by Ravelle King, Cafe Support Manager at Crema Coffee Garage

 

Read More:

Sources:

  1.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UTZ_Certified)
  2. (http://www.globalcoffeeplatform.org/)
  3. (http://theconversation.com/sustainable-shopping-heres-how-to-find-coffee-that-doesnt-cost-the-earth-75284)

Other sources consulted: