Support Services

How 4C enables improvements

Through the 4C Code of Conduct, the 4C Association aims at excluding worst practices in coffee growing, processing and trading and sets the path for continuous improvement towards sustainable practices.

By enabling access to information and know-how about baseline sustainability practices along the entire coffee chain, the 4C Association aims at supporting its members and 4C Units to continuously improve their performance. This is made possible by a unique support concept with three main pillars:


know-how about sustainable practices

Good agricultural and management practices consist of concepts and instruments for the efficient and sustainable production and processing of quality coffee. Best practices from different sustainability activities in the coffee world feed this process. The access to support services such as training and use of supporting tools helps participating coffee producers and workers, traders and other partners along the coffee chain to start the continuous improvement processes, leading to better economic, social and environmental conditions. Through its support platform, 4C Support Services provide access to know-how within trainings, tools and information to 4C Members and their business partners:
  • Local / regional Training of Trainer workshops on different topics
  • Training of farmers within 4C Units
  • Integrating existent / developing innovative new training modules and tools / manuals for sustainable production
  • Establishing and enlarging the 4CTool Library for 4C Members: A collection of existing information, tools and manuals on sustainable coffee production, processing and trading. (For information about availability of tools please contact the 4C Secretariat)
  • Matchmaking: Facilitate contacts, collaboration and projects
  • Supporting the delivery of 4C in-kind support contributions by 4C Members


4C Offices in producing countries

The 4C Association has established and is further establishing regional offices in major coffee regions to disseminate the 4C Concept.

The activities of 4C Support Services facilitated by 4C Offices in producing countries include:
  • Delivering information and 4C related training workshops
  • Providing guidance for 4C Units to prepare for 4C Verification
  • Catalyzing access to 4C Support Services through local / regional partners
  • Supporting members in delivering support services in-kind to coffee producers and workers
  • Facilitating projects and joint activities with international / national partner organizations to join efforts in providing training, information and support
  • Facilitating exchange, coordination and collaboration through 4C Stakeholder Meetings


The 4C Network

The 4C Association reaches out to coffee producers through 4C Members, 4C Offices in the coffee producing countries as well as partnerships and co-operations with local and regional organizations, both, from public and private side. In order to share experiences and benefit from learnings in different countries, the 4C Network links experts from the coffee trade, industry and production, NGOs, donors, partner organizations, extension services, other initiatives and contact persons.

To measure the impact of its activities, the 4C Association is developing an Impact Monitoring System. The 4C Support Services team is also facilitating the work of the 4C Technical Committee.