Verified sustainable

Our coffee comes from various sources, all of which are verified sustainable. In other words, an independent third party has verified that ethical, environmental, legal, and other sustainability aspects have been considered in all of our coffee production. How exactly this is done depends on the origin of the coffee. 
Coffee growing in Brazil

Certificates support livelihoods

Third-party certifications are an established and reliable way to verify the sustainability of coffee. Therefore, a significant portion of our coffee is either Fair Trade and Organic certified or Rainforest Alliance certified. 

With certified coffees, Paulig can promote sustainable development as well as the well-being of coffee farmers. Farmers receive information on good and sustainable practices from the certification systems and the systems may support them in adopting more efficient production methods. At best, this can lead to an increase in productivity and cost-efficiency which enhances the livelihoods of the farmers. Certified coffee is more expensive, which means that the farmers will receive additional income. 

Coffee partnership

Partnership projects are tailored to local needs

However, these certifications are not applicable to all of the world’s coffee cultivation. In particular, many family farms and other small-scale farmers whom we want to support are not yet within their scope. This is why we also purchase coffee from carefully selected partnership projects. These projects, taking place in the countries of origin, are developed by our suppliers and are based on their extensive understanding of the small-scale farmers with whom they have worked for a long time. 

Sustainability verification by an independent third party is always part of these projects. Partnership initiatives are tailored to meet local needs and adhere to the same criteria as certified coffee. 

Paulig coffee in Brazil

Thriving together

Sustainability certification is, of course, founded on comprehensive and practical sustainability work in the countries of origin. This work is quite diverse – here are some examples: 

  • We only collaborate with coffee producers who are members of The Global Green Coffee Platform and are committed to its sustainability principles. These principles consider environmental, social, and economic aspects of sustainability. 
     

  • We develop sustainable farming practices. In collaboration with local partners and agronomists, we work towards helping coffee farmers adapt to climate change, implement new farming methods and scale best practices. 
     

  • We leverage modern technology in various ways. For example, we can visit coffee farms virtually using satellite imagery. 
     

  • We clarify our expectations and mandatory requirements to our partners and suppliers in our Code of Conduct for Suppliers, which outlines our standards on human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption in alignment with UN Global Compact. Since 2019, all our coffee is verified sustainable by a third party in accordance with our ethical principles and global Sustainability Accountability and Reporting Principles. We update this framework as expectations from e.g. legislation or stakeholders evolve, and as new sustainability information becomes available. 
     

  • Traceability is an essential part of verifying sustainability of coffee. The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is set to come into effect, and we believe it will significantly enhance traceability. 

Read more about our sustainability work: https://www.pauliggroup.com/sustainability