4C works towards sustainable coffee supply chains and improved livelihoods of farmers
4C certification applies high standards on economic, social and environmental conditions for coffee production and processing to establish sustainable, trustworthy and fair coffee supply chains
4C Compliant Coffee is coffee that has been produced in accordance with the 4C Code of Conduct, a set of baseline sustainable practices and principles for the production of green coffee beans. Compliance can be demonstrated through the 4C Certification System and the 4C Certificates that are subsequently issued. The responsibility for operating the 4C Certification System belongs to 4C Services GmbH.
News & Events
4C Global Sustainability Conference – Practical Solutions for Sustainable Coffee Supply Chains
06.06.2019, Maritim Hotel Berlin, Berlin (Germany)
Registration open for 4C Training 2019
12 – 13 June 2019, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
04 – 05 September 2019, Mexico City, Mexico
10 – 11 September 2019, Campinas, Brazil
06 -07 November 2019, Ho-Chi-Minh, Vietnam
12 -13 November 2019, Jakarta, Indonesia
Register here
Improving living conditions of smallholders in Colombia with 4C certification
The De Los Andes Cooperative, counting more than 400 smallholder farmers, has been involved with 4C since 2014. The farmers have all chosen 4C certification to grow coffee more productively and sustainably.
Read more here
4C Services becomes a member of the German Coffee Association (Deutscher Kaffeeverband – DKV)
We are happy to announce that 4C Services has been accepted as a member of the German Coffee Association (Deutscher Kaffeeverband – DKV). The membership starts 1st of May 2019.
Read more here
Do private coffee standards ‘walk the talk’ in improving socio-economic and environmental sustainability?
Private sustainability standards (PSS) cover a large production area and include an expanding number of farmers worldwide. They bring up expectations among consumers about the economic, social and environmental implications of food production and trade. But do PSS effectively provide a way to improve the socio-economic and environmental sustainability of global food production and trade?
Read more here
4C Services Transparency List Tool for Brazil now available
As part of its risk-based approach to dealing with potential threats, 4C Services has developed an audit tool to identify employers reported as involved in activities characterized as work analogous to slavery, aimed primarily at the Brazilian coffee sector.
Read more here
Letter about The Article Published by Repórter Brasil
To all users of the 4C System and other civil society stakeholders,
On August 03, 2018 the 4C Code of Conduct and verification system was mentioned in an article published by “Repórter Brasil” describing the occurrence of an inspection carried out by the Brazilian Ministry of Labor at Fazenda Córrego das Almas, in the municipality of Piumhi, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Read more here
4C Code of Conduct achieves FSA-SAI Silver Level
The 4C Verification scheme, concluded the benchmarking process where the 4C Code achieved ‘Silver’ equivalence with SAI Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA).
Read more here
Our vision
A coffee sector that places integrity at the center of its efforts to improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of coffee production and processing.
Our mission
To provide the highest degree of quality, independence, credibility and innovation for our services to the coffee sector.
Create a sustainable future for coffee
The 4C Code of Conduct enables coffee farmers in 28 countries to participate in sustainable markets and profit from higher economic outcomes, improved and fair working conditions and the preservation of precious landscapes and biodiversity. To achieve these goals, the 4C Code of Conduct applies important criteria in the three dimensions of sustainability:
Economic dimension
- Profitability and long term productivity
- Capacity and skill development
- Record keeping
- Access to services
- Market information and commerce
- Quality
- Business integrity (transparent business practices)
- Traceability
Social dimension
- No discrimination (ILO Conventions 110, 111, 100)
- Right to childhood and education
- Freedom of Association
- Right to collective bargaining
- Working Conditions – Labour contract
- Working Conditions – Working hours
- Working Conditions – Wages
- Working Conditions – Seasonal and piece rate workers
- Working Conditions – Occupational Health and Safety
Environmental dimension
- Conservation of Biodiversity
- Use of pesticides
- Handling of pesticides and other hazardous chemicals
- Soil Conservation
- Soil Fertility and nutrient management – Fertilisers
- Soil Fertility and nutrient management – Organic matter
- Water sources
- Wastewater
- Waste
- Energy
4C stands for reliability
4C is a trustworthy and secure system, relying on innovative technology and profound training to monitor the compliance and continuous improvement of participating farmers and partners along the supply chain.
Contact us
We are happy to discuss individual solutions with you. Please get in touch and contact us directly.