In a nutshell: A short summary of 4C.

The 4C Association, is an open and inclusive membership association involving coffee producers, trade and industry and civil society. Inspired by the UN Millennium Development Goals, the initiative emerged across the entire coffee sector in 2003 and was officially established in December 2006.

HOW DOES THE 4C CONCEPT WORK?

The 4C Code of Conduct includes baseline requirements for the sustainable production, processing and trading of coffee and eliminates unacceptable practices. The code facilitates a dynamic improvement process by providing guidance for and commitment to continuous improvement. 4C helps growers, especially small-holders, and their Business Partners to step up from the sustainability baseline to more demanding standards.

HOW IS THE 4C ASSOCIATION FUNDED?

The 4C Association is funded by membership fees and public contributions. Membership fees are weighted according to financial means: small-scale producers pay a one-off joining fee of €7.50, making 4C Association accessible to a huge number of coffee growers worldwide, whereas trade and industry members pay up to €160,000 annually. Paying lower fees, however, does not mean having less influence on 4C’s work, since the different categories of membership are equally represented within the Association’s decision-making bodies.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS FOR THE PRODUCERS?

By focusing on this sustainability baseline, 4C is able to address the vast majority of coffee producers with limited or no access to the markets of certified coffees. 4C aims at increasing coffee producers’ net income through quality improvements, improved marketing conditions, cost reductions, increasing efficiency and optimization of supply chain functions. 4C Verification checks the internal monitoring systems that determine sustainable production, processing and trading. Through its global network, 4C provides support services including training and access to tools and information.



WHAT IS THE COMMITMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY?

Joining 4C implies clear responsibilities for trade and industry members, who cover not only verification costs but also contribute 30% - 70% of their membership fees to 4C Support Services. 4C’s roaster members commit to buying increasing amounts of coffee from verified producers over time and report on these amounts on an annual basis. Roasters may communicate their engagement to sustainability via a membership statement on their packaging.

…AND THE CONSUMERS?

4C is a business-to-business concept and fits perfectly with the established brands of the mainstream industry as it aims at enhancing the company as such and not single labelled products. This is also reflected in the 4C communication framework: There is no label or seal or product reference to be used on retail coffee packs for marketing 4C Compliant Coffee to the final consumer, but a membership statement which emphasizes the respective company’s commitment to the 4C Association and what it stands for. The membership statement does not refer to the proportion or quality of 4C Compliant Coffee in a retail pack and may be used on the entire range of a member’s brands thus creating maximum awareness for the roaster’s commitment. This arrangement is ideal for roasting companies with a broad blend portfolio. To note here that, other than on coffee retail packs, members may use the 4C logo in all corporate communications, such as publications, websites, brochures etc. Industry members commit to buy increasing amounts of 4C Compliant Coffee over time, thus helping them to gradually integrate this coffee into their portfolio.
The 4C General Statement
  • The General Statement (Boilerplate) describes the 4C Association in three sentences!