[A] new catalog reports on the sustainability initiatives of more than eighty stakeholders throughout the coffee sector. The Coffee Sustainability Catalogue 2016 was launched through efforts from the Global Coffee Platform, the Specialty Coffee Association of America, and the Sustainable Coffee Challenge. The organizations involved in the project hope to inspire collaborative action toward future sustainable coffee initiatives.
Key findings from the report are summarized below:
- Each year, more than 350 million dollars is invested in sustainability programs across the coffee industry. These collective efforts enable the industry to reach 350,000 farmers each year.
- Certification can be used as a tool to boost consumer awareness, traceability and assurance, and incentives.
- At the current rate of investment into sustainable production, it would take an estimated 4.1 billion dollars and nearly thirty years to transition the entire sector to sustainable production to incorporate all coffee producers.
The contents of the report influence the work of the Sustainable Coffee Challenge—a coalition united in the belief it’s possible to grow coffee while ensuring the prosperity and wellbeing of farmers. Bambi Semroc is lead coffee expert for the Sustainable Coffee Challenge and a senior strategic advisor at Conservation International. She shared her thoughts on the project in an announcement of the catalog’s release.
“We are encouraged by the findings presented in the Catalogue, but know we still have much to do in order to grow coffee in a way that meets future demand while conserving the environment and ensuring the prosperity and well-being of producing communities,” Semroc said. “Knowing where we stand in relation to our ultimate goal is a huge step in enabling us to accelerate action and build a sustainable future for coffee.”
The full catalog is available online.
