5.1% of world coffee production is 4C certified, the weakest, lowest-bar standard available.
Certifications
The (de)evolution of Rainforest Alliance shade criteria
An important and potentially crippling change is being proposed for the eco-standards applied to coffee for Rainforest Alliance certification.
My year in beans: 2013 — all certified coffees
Despite buying exclusively eco-certified, specialty coffee this year, we paid the lowest price per cup in our five-year tracking history, just $0.44 a cup.
Certification improves access to credit for farmers
Rainforest Alliance recently announced the release of an important study outlining an overlooked benefit for farmers of achieving certification: the ability to get larger and more frequent small loans.
Get Bird-Friendly coffee at Whole Foods
Whole Foods Markets is making a commitment to Smithsonian Bird-Friendly certified coffee — if it’s successful with customers.
A rusty nail in the coffin of organic-certified coffee?
Coffee leaf rust: a disease that may also threaten organic coffee.
Rainforest Alliance Cupping for Quality — April 2013
Results of the spring 2013 Cupping for Quality competition for Rainforest Alliance certified coffees, highlighting the linkage between sustainable farm management practices and cup quality.
Caribou Coffee’s new owners: killing the brand?
Recent actions by the new owners of Caribou Coffee (Joh. A. Benckiser Group, a private German holding company), seem to indicate a move towards away from sustainably-sourced and 100%-certified coffees. Just what I was afraid of.
First Bird-Friendly coffee from Caribbean
The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center has announced the first Bird-Friendly certified coffee from the Caribbean, from Spirit Mountain Coffee in the Dominican Republic.
McDonald’s makes substantial commitment to coffee sustainability
McDonald’s buys more eco-certified coffee and has a stronger commitment to coffee sustainability than most big coffee companies.
Nestlé: Saying no to coffee certifications
In their latest corporate responsibility report, Nestlé has made it clear they are not interested in third-party coffee certifications, and that their way is better. Whatever that is.
Rainforest Alliance Cupping for Quality — Dec 2012
Results of the December 2012 Rainforest Alliance Cupping for Quality competition.
Rainforest Alliance now requires scaling up
Rainforest Alliance requires companies using their seal for less-than-90% certified content to increase that percentage over time.
Rainforest Alliance Cupping for Quality – April 2012
Winners of the April 2012 competition covering Latin America, India, and Ethiopia.
Assessments of Starbucks CAFE Practices
Starbucks has been assessing the impacts of its CAFE Practices coffee sourcing program. While other big coffee companies trumpet their empty sustainability claims, Starbucks has been releasing these reports with a minimum of flag-waving and no attempt at greenwashing.