KÖLN, Germany – 4C, as a leading organization in sustainable coffee certification, has been awarded a grant from the ISEAL Innovations Fund for a groundbreaking project aimed at enhancing social auditing and the identification of human rights violations for both external third party certification bodies and internal monitoring by the certificate holders.
Over the next 24 months, 4C will develop a holistic and socially sensitive auditing methodology, including practical tools and supporting materials to enhance the detection of human rights violations during on-site audits. This project will be executed in collaboration with partners such as Meo Carbon Solutions, ISCC and a number of 4C cooperating Certification Bodies.
Key Objectives and Activities led by 4C
The primary goal is to improve the identification, assessment, and management of social risks and human rights violations. Initial efforts will focus on stakeholder consultation and needs assessment to design effective auditing and capacity-building methodologies.
Activities will include:
- Baseline assessment with Certification Bodies and auditors on current auditing techniques and challenges.
- Consultation with 4C Managing Entities and ISEAL community members
- Revision of the Internal Management System (IMS) and creation of templates for internal risk assessment
- Developing a hybrid auditing approach and tools combining in-person and e-learning methods
- Elaborating a comprehensive training package (including a training pilot with Certification Bodies and Managing Entities) to support the capacity building of auditors and improve the internal management and monitoring system of the MEs.
- Integration into 4C System and results dissemination.
Innovation and Impact
The project emphasizes a participatory approach, ensuring the inclusion of voices from affected communities. Auditors will be trained to recognize, and document nuanced human rights issues while maintaining confidentiality and objectivity. The initiative aims to integrate these improvements into the 4C Certification System, enhancing its social impact.
By improving social auditing techniques that support transparency, risk mitigation and stronger grievance mechanisms, the project aspires to foster greater accountability and continuous improvement in the internal and external detection of human rights violations. Certified entities, auditors, and local communities will benefit from increased capacity to detect social risks, ultimately leading to better protection of human rights across the coffee supply chain.
With the grant from the ISEAL Innovations Fund, 4C ’s project represents a significant step towards detecting human rights issues in the coffee sector
By enhancing social auditing processes and integrating community voices, the initiative aims to create a more transparent and accountable certification system, ultimately improving the wellbeing of coffee farming communities worldwide.
This project was made possible thanks to a grant from the ISEAL Innovations Fund, which is supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO and UK International Development from the UK government.
About the ISEAL Innovations Fund
The ISEAL Innovations Fund (‘the Fund’) is ISEAL’s grant making-facility, co-developed and funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO since 2016, which supports the exploration of innovations that help sustainability systems deliver more value to their stakeholders and effectively drive improvement over time, and at scale. The Fund launched a second phase of work in 2023. Grants in phase two (2023 – 2027) are made possible through financial support of SECO and UK International Development from the UK government. This grant empowers sustainability systems to develop innovative partnerships, approaches, and scalable solutions. It offers technical support, guidance, and promotes cross-sector learning within and beyond the ISEAL community. The fund focuses on innovation, relevance, replicability, beneficiary engagement, monitoring, collaboration, and value for investment.
