What we do

The 4C Association works to achieve 100% coffee sector compliance with at least baseline sustainability standards.

To meet the ambitious goal the 4C Association set for itself, it is necessary to focus on different activities and employ a variety of strategies. The Association has defined five working areas to advance sustainability in the mainstream coffee sector.

 

"The 4C Forum offered a unique opportunity to bring farmers, exporters and industry together, talking to other actors in the coffee sector, learning from them and sharing experiences. It is the first time that we have such an exchange platform in Brazil. The 4C Association can play a key role in bringing us all together to advance sustainability in the Brazilian coffee industry."

— Milene Pereira from Tres Corações, 4C Trade and Industry Member from Brazil on
the occasion of the 4C Brazilian Sustainability Forum organized in April 2010—

The 4C Association working areas:

  • Set and maintain the 4C Code of Conduct, a set of baseline standards to start producers on the path to sustainable production; 
  • Provide access to tools and information for coffee farmers to implement the 4C Code of Conduct and good agricultural practices;
  • Set rules for the 4C verification system to preserve the integrity of 4C verifications; 
  • Actively promote sustainability standards and initiatives in the market to create greater value for verified/certified coffees; and
  • Provide an open and dynamic platform for exchange where stakeholders can work together on pre-competitive sustainability issues that affect the entire coffee sector. In this role, the 4C Association organizes forums or workshops on a regular basis or helps setting joint projects between different stakeholders to tackle a particular sustainability issue.

To find out more about our work, visit the section our services.

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Workshop on soil fertility during African Sustainability Forum organized by the 4C Association in Arusha, Tanzania, Februrary 2011