Sustainable certification system 4C will become a recognised partner in Keurig Dr Pepper’s (KDP) sustainable program, as part of KDP’s commitment to responsibly source 100 per cent of its coffee.
“4C is happy to support KDP in strengthening its supply chain sustainability and promoting human rights and good agricultural practices around the world,” says Norbert Schmitz, Managing Director at 4C.
KDP says it is committed to sourcing, producing, and distributing its beverages responsibly, through its “Drink Well. Do Good” corporate responsibility platform.
In line with this, KDP says it has created a rigorous set of requirements that will be used to verify and accept independent product-specific standards across its supply chains.
“KDP is pleased to announce that the latest evolution of the 4C certification program means that it meets KDP’s requirements for approved Responsible Sourcing partner programs,” says Whitney Kakos, Senior Sustainability Manager of KDP.
According to 4C, after comprehensive benchmarking, KDP recognised that the 4C certification was aligned with its Supplier Code of Conduct and additional program considerations.
KDP will now also require its upstream suppliers to undergo a Chain of Custody certification audit, conducted by a third party. This is currently voluntary for 4C participants beyond the farm level.
“We look forward to working in partnership with 4C to continuously improve their program and to tackle the significant challenges facing the coffee sector,” says Kakos.
To learn more about KDP’s goal, click here.
