Green coffee merchant Volcafe has joined the International Labor Organization (ILO)’s Child Labor Platform (CLP) as part of its efforts to eradicate child labour in the coffee industry.
The CLP initiative brings together businesses from across the coffee supply chain to work towards a shared goal of ending child labour. As part of its membership, Volcafe will work alongside industry peers such as Tchibo and Nestlé.
“Volcafe is excited to be part of the ILO’s Child Labour Platform and its coffee sector initiative,” says Tim Scharrer, Chief Operating Officer and Regional Director Europe and North America of Volcafe.
“We want to share our experiences, learn from others, and act in concert with all key stakeholders in the drive to prevent and ultimately end the scourge of child labour.”
The project, which is funded by the European Commission, was established to address the causes of child labour, focussing its efforts on Honduras, Uganda, and Vietnam. With a strong presence in each of these important coffee origins, Volcafe hopes to bring local knowledge to the initiative.
As part of its sustainability strategy and responsible citizenship goals, Volcafe has already partnered with customers, NGOs, and local authorities to tackle child labour. However, the company’s move to join the ILO CLP cements its ambitions and enables it to further its work in collaboration with other coffee traders and roasters.
Supplying beans for over 66 billion cups of coffee each year, Volcafe is one of the world’s largest coffee merchants. It specialises in green coffee procurement, processing at origin, and distributing to roaster partners.
For more information, visit volcafe.com
