4C in numbers
As of 31 December 2024, 196 producing groups were 4C certified encompassing around 300,000 coffee producers in 19 countries around the world.
94% of 4C coffee producers are smallholders, meaning producers whose workforce consists primarily of family and whose coffee farm is normally not larger than 5 ha (see 4C Glossary for the full definition). Total certified green coffee production amounted to 29.1 million bags (60 kg) on around 800,000 hectares of sustainably managed farms. Despite the significant challenges faced by the global coffee sector in 2024 – particularly across key origins – demand for sustainable coffee continued to grow, with strong momentum in Asian markets. This encouraging trend highlights the value of the 4C System as a trusted, credible, and holistic framework for advancing sustainability in coffee. Reflecting this, 2024 marked a year of positive development for 4C, with increased engagement from industry stakeholders and rising recognition of our role in driving responsible practices across the sector.
Smallholders in the 4C certification
Smallholders are central to our mission, making up 94% of all 4C certified coffee producers in our system as we focus on their integration into sustainable markets.
Trainings and events
To empower users of the 4C System and keep them informed about its evolution, 4C regularly provides comprehensive training opportunities.
In 2024, 4C maintained its strong commitment to delivering essential education on the 4C System. Foundational trainings, covering the core principles and recent updates to the 4C System, were offered in several key languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Vietnamese. These sessions aimed to ensure participants gained a thorough understanding of the updated 4C Code of Conduct and its tools, as well as the certification process. A significant number of individuals involved in the 4C system, representing a substantial portion of our training participants, benefited from these core trainings, which are a vital requirement for auditors.
Furthermore, acknowledging the increasing significance of the cocoa sector within our community, 4C introduced dedicated training sessions focused on the specific application of 4C Certification to cocoa production. These specialized sessions offered in-depth knowledge and practical guidance, attracting a noteworthy segment of our training attendees.
Beyond technical training, 4C also facilitated a significant in-person stakeholder event in Vietnam, fostering direct engagement with a considerable number of participants. More details about this event can be found here: Vietnam 2024 Event
We also continued to foster dialogue and connection within the coffee and sustainability communities through a series of online webinars. In 2024, we hosted 11 online seminars, reaching around 500 participants. These webinars addressed crucial and timely topics, including compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), the pursuit of decent incomes for farmers, advancements in social auditing practices, and the promotion of regenerative agriculture. Key insights and presentations from these webinars are available here.
Feedback from participants in these seminars indicated a high level of satisfaction and a strong desire for these informative sessions to continue in 2025. To access materials from past events and register for upcoming sessions, please click here.
4C Fees and Income Structure (year 2023)
| System user fees: 4C is not a membership organization but volume-based fees are applicable for 4C certified coffee purchased by final buyers. 4C Final Buyer volume-based fees are used for the advancement of the entire system, e.g. development of digital solutions, efficient audit procedures and traceability (€1.47 million). |
| Trainings & events: includes all participation fees for trainings and capacity building activities conducted throughout the year (€78 thousand). |
| Project fundings: Grants and fundings for sustainable development projects and initiatives coordinated and managed by 4C (€274 thousand). |
4C audits
During 2024, Certification Bodies cooperating with 4C conducted 141 audits for 4C Units to certify compliance with the 4C Code of Conduct, whereas the remaining 4C Units have been evaluated based on their Annual Updates.
85 individual auditors were involved in the team of auditors checking and recording the compliance of coffee producers and service providers or evaluating reports fulfilling the four-eyes-principle of certification. Around two-thirds of the audits were initial (56) or recertifications (52), meaning the complete audit checklist is applied and a new 4C certificate is issued as a result while the remaining audits had a limited scope and confirmed the validity of a previously issued certificate.
In addition, a total of 58 audits were conducted for the scope of Chain of Custody, which ensures 4C traceability requirements are implemented and checked at supply chain actors outside of 4C Units, i.e. Intermediary and Final Buyers.
Types of audits under 4C
Certification Audit
- Certification audits are the basis to issue a 4C certificate. Certification audits must be conducted during harvest season and need to take place on-site at least every three years.
- The first audit of a coffee producer group entering the 4C System is called the “initial” audit. A positive decision results in a 4C certificate with a validity of three years and includes the requirement of two annual updates in form of a desk-audit.
- Subsequent audits with increased requirements are called “recertification” audits. Again, a positive decision results in a 4C certificate with a validity of three more years and includes the requirement of two annual updates in form of a desk-audit.
Surveillance Audit
- Surveillance audits can be required by the CB or 4C to verify compliance with the 4C requirements during the validity period of a certificate issued by the respective CB. Surveillance audits may focus only on the implementation of specific aspects of 4C requirements and can be either on-site or desk-audit, depending on the means required to fully check compliance with the relevant 4C requirements.
Addendum Audit
- In case the management of a producer group wants to include more producers or processors in a 4C Unit, an addendum audit can be conducted which has a limited scope in terms of sampling only the newly included business partners of a 4C Unit. The original validity period of the respective certificate remains the same.
Integrity Audit
- 4C may initiate additional audits planned randomly or on a risk basis after risk evaluations to fulfilling its oversight role and maintain the integrity of the 4C System. These audits are conducted by 4C auditors and are used to verify compliance of the 4C System users with the 4C Code of Conduct and/or confirm correct auditing practices by certification bodies and auditors.
4C continues to be a robust certification system, proven by the increasing interest of roasters to source sustainable coffee and choosing 4C. With 4C certified producer groups they can count on reliable partners to achieve their goals. A vital part of the system is the inclusive approach, which enables coffee producers to enter certification while actively encouraging the implementation of better and more sustainable agricultural practices. This ensures the long-term viability of growing coffee.
We always pursue to further strengthen the credibility of the 4C System by listening to feedback by system users and stakeholders. If you would like to leave your feedback or report a violation of the 4C System, please use our stakeholder feedback form.