4C Code of Conduct achieves SAI Silver Level

The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform and CAS, the operator of the 4C Certification System, announced today the conclusion of a benchmarking process where the 4C Code of Conduct achieved ‘Silver’ equivalence with SAI Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) tool.

“This is a very positive result demonstrating a high level of alignment. We hope that this industry wide recognition provides new opportunities for both SAI Platform members and the users of the 4C Code of Conduct”, said Joe Rushton, FSA Manager.

Following the interest expressed by some SAI Platform member companies, the criteria of the 4C Code of Conduct were submitted for benchmarking against the FSA criteria, which has shown once again that the 4C Code of Conduct measures up as a reliable framework to implement sustainable agricultural practices throughout the coffee supply chain.

“This benchmarking result confirms that users of the 4C Code of Conduct , including coffee producers, traders and roasters, are supporting a standard with a high-level of recognition within the overall context of sustainable agriculture. We hope that this tool developed by SAI Platform will facilitate understanding and recognition of the 4C Code of Conduct by sustainability-minded companies and consumers alike”, commented Gustavo Bacchi, Managing Director of 4C Services

Implications for the Standard Recognition

The 4C Code of Conduct is now supported by a universal reference, accepted by a broad range of international food and drink companies. By facilitating the recognition of the standard at the level of different market actors with their varying social codes and expectations, the benchmark broadens market accessibility for 4C Certification System operations.

4C Services GmbH offers certification and business information services related to the implementation of the 4C Code of Conduct for Sustainable Coffee, focusing on continual improvement of the social, economic and environmental conditions of the coffee supply chain.

Read the full press-release here.

The benchmarking result is available on-line at: www.fsatool.com