BONN, Germany – A common reference for the coffee sector to understand and measure coffee sustainability is being revised and enhanced by the Global Coffee Platform (GCP) through an international public consultation process, running 1 March – 30 April 2021. “We can collectively undertake strong concerted action to support a more sustainable and resilient future for farmers and the sector overall. To do so, we need a shared understanding of baseline sustainability on which other innovations at farm level and beyond can be built.”
These were the words of GCP’s Gelkha Buitrago, Director Programs and Corporate Partnerships, who is leading the revision of the GCP Baseline Coffee Code.
Last revised in 2015, the GCP Baseline Coffee Code is a sector-wide reference on the foundations of sustainability in economic, social and environmental dimensions for green coffee production and primary processing worldwide
According to Buitrago, this reference code on the foundations of sustainability contributes to a “common understanding of sustainability for public and private coffee stakeholders and NGOs, as well as to an aligned measurement and monitoring towards increased sustainable production and consumption of coffee”.
Ongoing challenges including farmers’ profitability and the climate crisis — exacerbated by a global pandemic — are jeopardizing the progress and sustainability outcomes achieved in the past years. “As a sector we have a shared responsibility and urgent opportunity to address pressing sustainability challenges, together.”
This response, said Buitrago, must include demonstrating progress towards individual and collective sustainability commitments and the Sustainable Development Goals as well as getting prepared to respond to the emergence of due diligence legislations.
An invitation to all stakeholders
According to Annette Pensel, GCP Executive Director, the revision process is an invitation to align on an advanced, shared understanding of baseline sustainability and a key opportunity to reach more coffee farmers while inspiring innovations and investments at farm level and in other segments of the coffee supply chain.
As global multi-stakeholder membership association, with its broad network of public-private Country Platforms, she said GCP was uniquely positioned to lead this process, by supporting strong alignment of the sector around the foundations of coffee sustainability.
The public consultation will include an online survey, a series of consultation webinars in English and Spanish, workshops in coffee-producing countries and one-on-one input sessions, concluding on 30 April with the revised code expected to be published later in 2021.
The GCP Baseline Coffee Code will enhance the foundations for a sustainable, profitable coffee production and farmers’ prosperity, well-being and conservation of nature. “For this process to be truly meaningful and useful for the entire sector, we welcome participation from across the coffee value chain,” said Buitrago. “We’re looking forward to hearing from participants representing all parts of the coffee world who are interested in shaping and advancing the foundations for sustainability in the coffee sector.”
Take part in the GCP Baseline Coffee Code Revision Survey here
Participate in one of the three public consultation webinars:
- 16 March 2021, 10am CET (English)
- 16 March 2021, 5pm CET (English)
- Regístrese aquí pare el seminario web de la consulta – 18 de marzo de 2021, 5 pm CET (Español)
