BeanScene Magazine

Sustainability has come to mean different things to different people, depending on how it is used in a marketing or public relations context. Where coffee is concerned, it includes a wholistic industry approach that not only improves the quality of life of farmers in origin countries, but also preserves natural resources, while assuring the availability of food ingredients in the long term. Consumers may find it difficult to keep track of that bigger picture, but we have the UTZ CERTIFIED Program, which provides a credible tool for understanding how it works.

UTZ means “good” in the Mayan Quiché language. The UTZ CERTIFIED program trains farmers to become better businessmen. It might seem simple, but the flow-on effect is that it results in better and consistent product quality and yield; less costs and lower environmental impact and; an improved level of income and living standards. Sustainably grown and traceable products provide a better market position for farmers. This professional farming gives the consumer an assurance of quality products, grown with care for people and the environment. Effectively, the quality of the product means quality of life.

It was in the 1990’s that business partners -  a Belgian-Guatemalan coffee grower and a Dutch coffee roaster -  initiated the idea of the UTZ program after observing the benefits and limitations of the coffee market and consumer labels (certifications) available at that time.

The, grower invested in taking good care of his people and environment, as well as taking care of his coffee. He thought there should be a worldwide program to recognise his responsible practices. The roaster saw that only a small share of his customers were proactively buying certified products, but he wanted to make sure that the rest of his coffee blends (95%!) were the subject of good practices at origin and sustainable quality. Together they initiated the UTZ program to implement “sustainable quality” on a large scale in the global market.

The idea had an enormous impact. Since the market launch in 2002, UTZ CERTIFIED has grown to become one of the leading sustainable coffee programs worldwide. It has one of the largest supplies of sustainable coffee, allowing roasters and retailers to source the quantity and quality they require. Many major coffee roasters are now purchasing UTZ CERTIFIED coffee with Sara Lee/ Douwe Egberts the world’s largest coffee buyer of UTZ CERTIFIED coffee. Locally we see this growth increasing with, Douwe Egberts Australia now committed to 25% of its production to be UTZ CERTIFIED coffee by 2012.

In addition to its certification program, UTZ CERTIFIED offers a unique real time, online traceability system, enabling transparency throughout the supply chain from grower to roaster and the proof for retailers that their product is responsibly sourced. Based on this success, UTZ CERTIFIED has developed sustainability models for cocoa and tea in consultation with producers, industry and non-government organisations (NGOs). They also work with the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) providing traceability services for RSPO-certified palm oil.

A core UTZ belief is that the economic viability of farmers is a prerequisite for long-term sustainability. Training, certification, traceability and a strong producer support network in origin are basic tools.

In 2008, a team from Douwe Egberts Australia went on a sustainability trip to Vietnam to gain a deeper understanding of the concept and to prove to themselves the on-the-ground impact of UTZ CERTIFIED on farmers and their families.

After four days of travelling through the central highlands, Managing Director, Tas Chronis, outlined his observations of the full supply chain from farmer to collector and exporter.

“Two elements stuck with me from this experience. Firstly, the transparency of the UTZ program through the coffee supply chain. We saw this benefit in the eyes of the farmers. By implementing the better farming practices UTZ teaches them that they have a better crop, higher yield, and in turn receive a better price. Secondly, and most impacting, was the real and positive changes the UTZ program has on farmers’ habits and every year these habits are challenged with an audit.”

The key steps in the program are:

Continuous improvement

The UTZ CERTIFIED Code of Conduct is based on a continuous improvement model. From year one the producer has to fulfil the core criteria concerning safety, farm management and record keeping, employees and environmental protection. In the following years more detailed requirements are added as an assurance that the producer develops over the years. Farms and groups are checked annually by independent local auditors to ensure compliance with the Code of Conduct.
Training

To improve sustainable practices at origin, UTZ CERTIFIED works together with Solidaridad, a Dutch development organisation, which provides training and tools for farmers to become more professional. In this partnership, more than 400 agronomists have been trained in over 20 countries on how to help farmers improve agricultural practices and achieve UTZ certification.

Farm level improvement

UTZ CERTIFIED producers negotiate the UTZ sustainability premium with their buyer. This is on top of the increase in income due to better quality, yield and lower costs. In this way, UTZ combines economic viability with sustainable practices, and contributes to improved farmer livelihoods. In 2009, over US$10 million in premiums was paid by traders and roasters to UTZ CERTIFIED farmers.

An example of UTZ CERTIFIED achievements

Rianjagi Coffee Farmers Cooperative Society (RFCS) is a growing, processing and marketing society. It is located about 160 km North of Kenya’s Nairobi city in the Embu District of Eastern Province, near Mount Kenya. Coffee processing uses a great deal of water. With the implementation of the UTZ Code of Conduct, a recirculation system was installed that has helped the factory to reduce its water use by an estimated 25%. This, together with the training in good agricultural practices, has led to an increased yield of better quality coffee that fetch better prices in the market, which in turn has improved producers’ and farmers’ incomes. This gave farmers the ability to purchase coffee inputs. The interim production (2007) had been at 603,000 kgs of cherry processed and sold. Total production after certification at 30 April, 2009 was 790,000 kgs of cherry. A growth of more than 30%.

What’s in it for you?

Better for the farmer, better for the environment, better for you!  Knowing where a product comes from and how it is produced provides a transparent choice for the consumer.  It’s a case of being able to drink your favourite coffee brand with an even greater feeling of good inside.