Multi-stakeholder membership association Global Coffee Platform (GCP) has announced the addition of four sustainability programs to its list of recognised schemes as equivalent to its Coffee Sustainability Reference Code (Coffee SR Code).
The news comes as part of the organisation’s aim to promote environmentally friendly processes in the coffee industry.
“We applaud the response to the latest call for sector alignment on coffee sustainability, which these four sustainability schemes have boldly answered by aligning on the principles and practices of coffee sustainability,” says Executive Director of GCP Annette Pensel.
The number of sustainability schemes acknowledged by GCP as third party and second party assurance now totals 23. According to the company, this indicates positive progress for sector unity on coffee sustainability.
“GCP is delighted to see the collective commitment from these sustainability schemes representing different segments of the supply chain,” says GCP Senior Manager Sustainable Sourcing Mario Vega.
“In this announcement we have a cooperative, two exporters, and a trader leading these sustainability schemes – all classified as second party assurance. The diversity of all 23 sustainability schemes now recognised by GCP represent a critical advancement for coffee: the creation of a common baseline understanding of sustainability.”
The Coffee SR Code was created to provide a common language for the coffee sector to share on foundational sustainability practices and principles, covering various economic, social and environmental dimensions.
“Members can confidently use the GCP recognition of equivalence to the Coffee SR Code either third or second party assurance as a starting point for their own due diligence, and a further step for coffee sustainability through collective action,” says Vega.
To ensure fairness throughout the process, the association has partnered with the International Trade Centre (ITC), which assesses the schemes. GCP’s Equivalence Mechanism includes assessment against a set of criteria that ensures a credible system for implementation.
According to Vega, the schemes that go through the GCP Equivalence Mechanism process have successfully adopted practices and principles that meet the requirements of the Coffee SR Code. Sustainability schemes recently recognised include Cooxupé’s Gerações, Comexim’s Green Trace, Perhusa’s ARTS, and Touton’s.
For more information, click here.
