
Colombian coffee is prized for its complex yet well-balanced flavor profiles and high-quality Arabica beans. The country’s reputation for high standards has helped it become one of the most popular choices among the three billion cups consumed daily and the third-largest coffee producer in the world, according to the International Trade Commission.
However, the younger generation is turning away from coffee production due to several social, environmental, and economic challenges. Socially, many young adults view agriculture, including coffee farming, as lacking development prospects that align with their aspirations. Moreover, coffee cultivation is no longer considered a profitable business due to various factors such as unstable coffee prices, limited access to more lucrative markets, and climate change-related issues like pests, low production, and loss of biodiversity. These factors are compounded by the lack of access to modern technologies and financing options, as well as limited education in rural areas, which hinder young people’s ability to improve their production and increase their resilience to these challenges.
To address this concerning trend, 4C partnered with Melitta Europe GmbH & Co. KG – Coffee Division to launch a three-year sustainability project, “Improving the working and living conditions of small coffee farmers” in Colombia’s Magdalena Department.

View from one of the coffee farms in Magdalena
“During our initial assessments, we found the Magdalena Department had the greatest need for intervention,” said Kristin Lipps, Sustainability Manager at 4C. “Within the coffee-growing regions analyzed in Colombia, this department has some of the highest rates of rural poverty, youth unemployment and lack of access to education in rural areas. This discourages the younger generation from getting involved in coffee cultivation and thus keeping the local tradition alive. Our aim with this project is to make the sector more attractive to young adults, contributing to the long-term economic and ecological viability of small coffee farms”.
Along with enhancing sustainable agricultural practices and market uptake, the project partners developed various courses that seek to professionalize young adults aged 18-30 in Magdalena’s coffee communities, helping them to diversify their income through non-farming activities
Magdalena is a region renowned for its diverse landscapes, ranging from the vast plains in the south to the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean Sea in the north and the towering Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range at its heart. It is in the lush tropical foothills of these mountains that the department’s more than 4,000 coffee farmers are found but only 4% of them are under the age of 30. Recognizing the potential of the scenic landscape, combined with the interest of visitors to Colombia to learn about coffee cultivation and processing, the focus of the first course was on the development of tourism activities. This aims to provide young people with alternatives and tools to diversify their income through non-agricultural activities, while contributing to the sustainable development of the coffee sector in Colombia. Besides offering accommodation and various activities for tourists, the young adults also took initiative to diversify their product range.
The course focused on ecotourism through online sessions conducted in spring 2022. The topics included community tourism and agrotourism, product development and package design, sustainable innovation, storytelling, and digital strategies. Additionally, the 138 participants had the opportunity to present their already-developed tourism projects to help them adapt the lessons to their individual needs.

Gina Alejandra Rodríguez during the Coffee & Tourism course
“The diploma course has allowed me to learn many more aspects about coffee and how to complement it with tourism, since these can go hand-in-hand,” says Gina Alejandra Rodríguez, a 22-year-old multi-generational coffee grower.
Besides offering accommodation and various activities for tourists, the young adults also took initiative to diversify their product range. For instance, some developed their own coffee brand, directly selling the roasted and packaged coffee to the consumer or started making other products from coffee beans such as tea, sweets, spread or even jewelry. Another product they are developing further is honey made by bees on the coffee farms. These products are sold in local coffee shops where freshly brewed coffee, desserts and cakes are offered.
During the course, Rodríguez presented an agrotourism project that she and her family are implementing on their farm, which offers lodging services, ecological hikes and bird watching parallel to their regular coffee production activities. Rodríguez notes that she wants this project “to be an example for my community” by encouraging other young people to venture into new initiatives to advance their livelihoods.
In addition, to uphold Colombian coffee’s high quality, young adults participated in a coffee quality and tasting course which took place in September 2022. It was an immersive experience for the 60 participants, taking them deep into the world of coffee assessment and sensory analysis. From learning about quality assessment, and coffee threshing, to recognizing flavor profiles and defects in the coffee. The participants gained an in-depth knowledge of physical evaluation and sensory analysis methods. In addition, they received equipment to continue practicing at home and a self-study course to further hone their skills.
Yesenia Gómez Almanza, a 29-year-old coffee grower, says she believes the youth are the future of coffee production because they can “bring fresh and renewed ideas”. She highlights how learning skills like coffee evaluation are critical for Colombia’s coffee sector to grow, especially in Magdalena. “[The course] was very important, rewarding and enriching, as it allowed us to learn how the coffee production process affects the quality of the coffee,” Gómez Almanza says.

Participants of Quality & Coffee Tasting course in September 2022
Another course in February 2023 covered website development and marketing strategies. The one-day in-presence course was requested by those with already developed tourism initiatives following the ecotourism course. Many of the participants currently use social media for advertising their projects, but they want to close digital gaps by learning how to create and maintain a website to bring in more international customers.

Young adults practicing coffee tasting
The final course spans two days in February and March 2023. It will focus on business and entrepreneurship skills like conducting value chain analysis, understanding their business models, developing future business plans and exploring strengths and weaknesses.
With these different training courses, the project is taking a comprehensive approach to empower young coffee farmers in Magdalena with the skills and knowledge they need to make their businesses thrive.
The project—co-financed by DEG Impulse gGmbH with funds from the develoPPP program of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)—will be completed in April 2023. Alongside the training designed to motivate around 250 young adults to remain part of a sustainable coffee production process, the project seeks to improve approximately 500 coffee producers’ agricultural practices to achieve better yields of certified sustainable and deforestation-free climate-compatible coffee. Activities included visiting and providing individual consultation to farmers and conducting group trainings covering various topics adjusted to the current season and needs of the farmers. Further these farmers achieved the 4C certification in the course of the project. Additionally, Melitta Coffee began sourcing the beans produced by these farmers in early 2022; this coffee is part of the Selection of the Year 2023.
Find more information here: https://www.4c-services.org/about/project-portfolio/
Colombia is the third-largest coffee producer in the world with more than half a million families living from its cultivation. In addition to its undeniable relevance for the national economy, coffee is cultivated in some of the most biodiverse ecosystems, linking it to important ecological values. According to the ITC (International Trade Center), the world drinks up to three billion cups of coffee a day, and this consumption is constantly increasing. While this trend should lead to improved market opportunities for its producers, the instability of green coffee prices combined with the environmental challenges derived from climate change, make it much less attractive for younger generations of Colombians to continue producing coffee. The highly complex distribution chains also mean that producers rarely receive the full benefits from the coffee sales. These conditions particularly affect small producers, who constitute more than 95% of coffee farmers in Colombia. In this context, sustainability certification addresses negative impacts of coffee cultivation on the natural environment and maximizes economic benefits for coffee growing communities by improving the competitiveness of coffee products and facilitating access to international markets.
4C (Common Code for the Coffee Community) is an independent sustainability system, whose main objective is to improve the social, economic, and environmental conditions of coffee production and processing throughout the world. The 4C certification includes independent third-party audits that verify compliance with comprehensive sustainability criteria. The creation of the 4C Code of Conduct was achieved through a participatory, transparent, and balanced consultation process involving various coffee industry stakeholders. At the end of 2021, already more than 300,000 coffee producers around the world have obtained 4C certification.

Giovanny Puerta Becerra: beneficiary coffee grower of the 4C project
Recognizing the challenges faced by coffee producers in Colombia, 4C and Melitta Europe GmbH & Co. KG – Coffee Division – initiated the joint project “Improving the working and living conditions of small coffee farmers in Colombia” in mid-2020. It is co-financed by DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH with funds from the develoPPP program of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Improving sustainable agricultural management
Since the start of the project a combination of group, individual, online, and in-person trainings have been conducted by 4C and its implementing partner the National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC). Until mid of March 2022, 386 coffee growers have received technical assistance on applying best management practices during individual farm trainings. In addition, online and in-person group trainings have been conducted to support coffee growers in improving agricultural practices and techniques for processing coffee. Among others, the group trainings covered topics like dry and wet processing, marketing strategies, coffee farms renovation, soil management, and occupational health and safety. Moreover, in preparation for the 4C audit, trainings on how to fulfill the requirements of the 4C Code of Conduct were held at the farms and during online workshops.

Kenny Gutierrez y Kelly Olaya, project field officers conducting a group training in Vista de Nieve, Santa Marta district
In 2022 the support for coffee growers in the Magdalena region will continue while the aim is also to spread the learnings to further beneficiaries and enable them to gradually improve their management practices and maintain the 4C certification. This will be done through additional visits to farms and group trainings. The group trainings will be conducted by farmer leaders, who are themselves beneficiaries of the project and will share their knowledge to fellow farmers. These farmer leaders were selected based on their commitment to the project and promoting sustainability within the community. Furthermore, the project beneficiaries will also be supported financially to make necessary investments to implement the learnings from the trainings.
4C certification and improved access to European markets
The 4C audit took place between the 2nd and 6th of November 2021 and 437 coffee growers representing 455 small scale farms successfully passed the audit and received the 4C certification. This key result promotes sustainable coffee production in the region, while also raising awareness for the conservation of primary forests and protected areas. It also strengthens the protection of human and labor rights, while fostering more efficient and profitable coffee production. After implementing the improvements to achieve 4C certification, the project beneficiaries were satisfied with the changes they observed on their farms. Walter Guevara, a coffee farmer from Cienaga municipality emphasized: “4C motivates us to conserve the environment and be more organized, which is perhaps something that we have not been doing very much, and above all, it motivates the young people to adopt these practices that are fundamental to conserve nature and to develop ourselves.”
At the beginning of this year, Melitta acquired a first shipment of traceable 4C certified coffee from the beneficiaries of this project at a premium price. Another purchase is expected during the next harvest period lasting from October 2022 to January 2023. The level of premiums that these sales offer to local coffee growers provides a higher profitability, allowing them to cover their operational costs and generate an attractive income. This also enables them to maintain a high level of environmental protection that secures the future for coffee production in the region. The response of the project beneficiaries following the sale of coffee to Melitta was very positive. Alvaro Serrano, a coffee farmer from Cienaga Municipality, noted that “the price premium that the 4C proposal represents here is not offered by anyone else.”
Increasing the attractiveness of the sector for young adults
An additional focus of the project in 2022 is to improve opportunities in the coffee sector for young people in the community. From the end of March 2022, around 100 young adults will participate in an extensive course on promoting ecotourism activities in coffee plantations. The course is jointly organized with FNC and with the participation of ProColombia – a government agency in charge of promoting Colombian international tourism. It will run for around two months and consists of a series of in-person and online training sessions. Participants will be guided by experts from the tourism industry to acquire the necessary knowledge to develop, adapt and strengthen their own tourism business proposal to attract the interest of international markets. Among others, some topics to be covered are strategic business planning, storytelling, marketing, and costing.
Other activities for young adults are planned for this year and include trainings on barista skills, coffee tasting, and entrepreneurship. Young adults will also be supported financially to enable them to implement the learnings from the trainings. “I really like that 4C is motivating our rural youth who were discouraged from continuing with coffee growing and showing them that coffee can indeed be a profitable alternative, and that we ourselves can find a good price for it with the help of 4C certification,” said Diego Hernandez a coffee farmer from Santa Marta Municipality, located in the project region Magdalena.
Descargue la versión en español de este artículo:
Creando puentes entre los pequeños caficultores colombianos y el mercado europeo
4C Services is proud to announce the launch of the new 4C Carbon Footprint Add-On which promotes climate friendly coffee cultivation and supply chains. The Add-On allows system users to calculate their carbon footprint, to identify emission reduction options and to use carbon offsetting for remaining emissions.
The consumer demand for sustainably sourced coffee and transparent and reliable information about its carbon footprint is growing steadily. The coffee industry has already reacted to this, and several brand owners and roasters are implementing respective policies. With the newly developed 4C Carbon Footprint Add-On – the latest voluntary addition to the core 4C code of conduct certification – 4C responds to these developments. It offers companies and their supply chains a tailored solution to understand the current impact of their operations on the climate and proposes solutions on how to reduce and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as communicate these efforts with their consumers.
Measuring, quantifying, and assessing GHG emissions is necessary to identify the impact of coffee production on the climate and provides the basis for identifying targeted reduction measures. Decreasing the carbon footprint of coffee cultivation and processing. and implementing carbon compensation mechanisms for unavoidable emissions, are key for achieving climate neutrality in coffee production in the long term.
For the development of the Add-On, recognized methodologies, standards and initiatives were researched and considered, such as ISO 14067:2018, GHG Protocol Product Standard, PAS 2050:2011 and several IPCC guidelines. It is aligned with the guide from the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi) and the Paris Agreement target to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The methodology developed was tested on the ground by 4C in various pilots.
The participating 4C system users can implement the methodology of this Add-On in four levels, making it possible to apply the 4C Carbon Footprint Add-On gradually and in different arrangements of the coffee value chain.
To start the process, 4C system users, who wish to benefit from the Add-On need to conduct a baseline assessment for the GHG emissions calculation on the unit (farm) level. To reach the second level, the downstream supply chain will be included in the calculation. If the system users chose to proceed to the next level of the certification, they need present an improvement plan, which proposes emission reduction measures. These certified coffee producers may use the claim 4C Climate Friendly Coffee. Remaining emissions can be offset to achieve Climate Neutral Coffee.
4C will also set up Stakeholder Committee to elaborate on and improve the application of the Add-On in practical terms. Interested parties may register here.
4C partners with Melitta Europa and DEG to foster sustainability of the Colombian coffee production

Magdalena is a Colombian department with a magnificent landscape that stretches from a wide plain in the southern area to the Caribbean Sea in the north. The region is known for the topical humid climate which allows productive activities like palm oil, banana and coffee. It also boasts a beautiful mountainous complex of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta which is the highest coastal mountain on Earth and one of the country´s most biodiverse regions. However, Magdalena is also one of the departments with the highest rates of rural poverty and youth unemployment in Colombia, as well as one affected greatest by the impact of climate change.
Magdalena is the region that was selected for the implementation of a three-year 4C sustainability project.
This project is conducted by 4C and its partners Melitta Europa GmbH & Co. KG and Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (DEG) and aims to improve sustainable agricultural management of Colombian coffee growers and market uptake in Europe to contribute to the long-term economic and ecologic viability of smallholder farms, thus, increasing the attractiveness of the sector for young adults.
Decision making supported by remote sensing technology
A balanced combination of remote sensing technologies, market links, local synergies and a baseline study were crucial for choosing the focus region of the project.
Global Risk Assessment Services (GRAS) conducted a “bird´s eye view” analysis and used data on protected areas, high carbon stock areas, potential deforestation, converted grassland and national social indices to define a risk index for each department. For an initial preselection of departments, these results were analysed with Melitta and compared with possible synergies with other similar projects.
Then 4C´s local partners Alliance for Bioversity International (ABC) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIA) compiled key information on the main social, environmental and economic challenges that make coffee production risky and volatile as well as unappealing for young adults. Major challenges for coffee farmers, found by the study, include high costs of coffee production, low productivity, lack of farm and income diversification, risk of deforestation and negative impact of climate change. The identified drivers for young adults to migrate to the cities and leave coffee production were the unattractiveness of the coffee sector due to heavy work, low income and absence of social recognition as well as the lack of access to capital and land.
Bringing together local and international partners
In November 2020, 4C brought together 38 participants from NGOs, companies and local coffee cooperatives at an online multistakeholder workshop to present these findings. The workshop was an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss the main challenges and possible solutions. Furthermore, stakeholders exchanged ideas on how to better integrate youth in the Colombian coffee sector. Following the initial assessments and the workshop, 4C and its partners identified the department of Magdalena as the one with the greatest need for project intervention and defined the most relevant training topics.
“Through the active participation of various actors from the coffee industry, including coffee producers, traders, roasters, NGOs and research institutions, we are glad to have received a broad input on the main challenges to be addressed within the training program that we are in the process to develop together with FNC, ABC and NES Naturaleza, as well as input on training methodologies to be applied”, highlights Myriel Camp, Program Manager at 4C Services.
In comparison to the other six departments assessed, Magdalena showed low productivity, the highest rates of rural poverty, youth unemployment and lack of rural education. It was also one of the departments affected greatest by the impact of climate change, a risks losing the remaining forest due to deforestation. A decrease of almost 50% in a suitable area for coffee production is predicted. In addition, coffee productivity in Magdalena amounts to 0.71 tons/hectare, which is only half of that of departments such as Antioquia, Huila and Risaralda. Access to international markets for coffee represents only 2% of the total coffee exports from Colombia, in comparison to 10%-18% in the best performing departments.
When it comes to improved attractiveness of the sector for young adults, the baseline study revealed the demand for greater opportunities in terms of employability and strengthening youth initiatives and access to capital for implementing business ideas in the coffee industry.
“Having identified Magdalena as the project implementation region to best achieve impact on the ground and where the most need for intervention exists, fits into our vision, among other things, to support the market access of the farmers of the project. Magdalena is a region from which we source green coffees. Supporting here with our project to improve the livelihoods of coffee farmers and young adults makes us very happy”, says Jan Rischkopf, Sustainability Manager at Melitta Europa GmbH & Co. KG.
Engaging beneficiaries and local actors
In early 2021, the work in Magdalena began. The project was socialized with the coffee growers committee of Magdalena and with their support the target beneficiaries have been identified. Via radio program, SMS, posters and field visits, farmers and young adults are going to be informed about the project objectives and motivated to participate. Field visits to potential project beneficiaries, planned to start mid-March, will be led by experienced agronomists from the region. Measuring the impact is an important component of the project, the field officers will use a phone application developed by GRAS to collect the baseline data of the selected beneficiaries and in this way measure change over the timeframe of the project.
In addition, the project’s training program is currently under development in cooperation with the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC), one of the main implementing partners of the project. “For the FNC it is a commitment to work for the well-being of Colombian coffee growing families and the development of the country, and therefore we are proud to work with allies such as 4C to generate value through the development of projects that increase the opportunities and profitability of coffee growers,” says Diego Robles Marcucci, Sustainable Trade Specialist at FNC. He added: “Through the Comité de Cafeteros del Magdalena, we work in this coffee-growing department, which includes around 5,000 producers to whom we provide services such as technical assistance in cultivation through the Facilitated Extension Service, purchase guarantees, scientific research and the promotion of Colombian coffee.”
Trainings’ topics, identified during the multistakeholder workshop, include, among others, the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices and improving marketing and business skills for emerging businesses. The training program is the key component to bring changes in the sector. Different training approaches and methodologies will be applied, ranging from train-the-trainer trainings to demonstration farms serving as training ground and field schools for farmers and young adults. To enable the implementation of the learnings from the training, the project will support these activities with financial contributions for required investments.

“Within the framework of the DeveloPPP project, we will be able to generate important synergies with relevant actors in the supply chain to contribute to the profitability of coffee growing and the well-being of coffee growers”, concluded Diego Robles Marcucci from FNC.
Further information on the project and the results of the baseline study can be found here.
About the develoPPP program
develoPPP is a program launched by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in 1999 in order to foster the involvement of the private sector in areas where business opportunities and development policy initiatives overlap. DEG is one of the two official partners appointed by BMZ to implement the develoPPP program on its behalf.
Gevalia, a traditional brand owned by Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE) with a 150-year history and the largest coffee roastery in Scandinavia, believes that making delicious coffee must go hand in hand with caring for the planet. To reduce its environmental impact along the bean to cup journey, Gevalia sources 4C certified coffee to support sustainable farming, uses renewable energy, recycles production waste, and re-thinks filter coffee packaging in terms of recyclability and material use in general. This information will soon be included on Gevalia’s coffee packs to enable more visibility and increase awareness of its contribution to sustainable development for the end-consumer.
“JDE is proud of the long-standing partnership we have with 4C, this collaboration with Gevalia demonstrates our commitment to responsible sourcing and supporting sustainable coffee farming,” – says Nadia Hoarau-Mwaura, Sustainability Director at Jacobs Douwe Egberts. The launch of the new claim on-pack was included in the agenda of the JDE Online Trade Event with the focus on sustainability where JDE presented its coffee brands and sustainability undertakings to a versatile group of Scandinavian retailers. 4C participated in this event to introduce the 4C standard, its requirements, and the latest developments, including innovative solutions such as satellite images to support risk assessment during the certification process as well as the 4C Climate Friendly Coffee concept. “4C is pleased to support Gevalia in its sustainability efforts and hopes that responsible sourcing trends will increase in the coming years on a global scale,” – adds Norbert Schmitz, Managing Director at 4C Services GmbH.
Further Information – Downloads and Links
The Partnership for Gender Equity (PGE), with the support of a group of coffee and cocoa partners including 4C, aims to develop and launch a new tool called the “Gender Equity Index”. It will support companies and organizations which provide services and technical expertise to farmers and farmer groups, enabling them to effectively reach more women.
Over 70,000 women cultivate and process 4C certified coffee around the world. The 4C standard prohibits discrimination on a gender basis and ensures that the procedures to act against discrimination and harassment are in place. To strengthen its work on gender equality, 4C has partnered with PGE to support the development of the “Gender Equity Index”.
Starting from November 2020, 4C has been working on the development of verifiable criteria on gender equality in coffee production to be added to its core certification on a voluntary basis. These criteria will be applied to identify gender inequalities at farms and create action plans, following the continuous improvement framework of the 4C standard. Participating 4C System users will also be able to make credible claims with regards to sustainable 4C certified coffee products which promote gender equality, thus, highlighting their efforts in this area.
The purpose of the “Gender Equity Index” of PGE is to evaluate the design and implementation of advisory and extension services, helping provider organizations to integrate and expand the topic of gender equity in their programs. The “Gender Equity Index” diagnostic will offer recommendations and resources to assist service providers as they prioritize action to address identified gaps.
“Although the 4C Code of Conduct already has a strong linkage to UN SDG 5 on Gender Equality (ITC 2020), we see further potential to deeper address the existing disparities and promote women empowerment on a global scope,” – said Norbert Schmitz, Managing Director at 4C Services GmbH. – “We are hopeful that with this partnership we can contribute to the development of the Gender Equity Index and obtain learnings to strengthen the 4C sustainability standard in terms of gender equality and empowerment of women in the coffee sector.”
Kimberly Easson, CEO at PGE said, “The development of the Gender Equity Index will benefit from input and experience of the 4C team. Their in-kind and financial contribution reflects an understanding that sustainability projects must consider gender in order to drive impact.”
Greg Meenahan, Co-Developer of the Gender Equity Index said, “This represents the first commitment from a sustainability certification organization. It’s a recognition that gender equality needs to move past specific “gender projects” and become seamlessly woven into all sustainability projects and investments.”
About 4C:
4C is a leading sustainability certification scheme for the coffee industry. 4C certification focuses on good agricultural and management practices, including requirements on economic, social and environmental conditions for coffee production and processing in order to establish credible sustainable and transparent supply chains.
About PGE:
The Partnership for Gender Equity (PGE) is creating common tools and methodologies to support the coffee and cocoa industries’ engagement and investment in gender equity across the value chain. These tools will serve to improve the livelihoods of producers and enhance the sustainable supply of quality coffee. Their evidence-based approach comprises three core elements: a validated set of tools, a common language for gender equity and a platform for action that supports scalable investments and action across the sector.
Further Information – Downloads and Links
4C talked to “Coffee and Tea in Russia” and shared some insights into the 4C standard, its history, and how 4C works towards more sustainability in the coffee sector.
Being one of the global leading systems for certification of sustainable coffee cultivation and processing, 4C plans to strengthen the involvement of market participants in protecting nature, strengthening labor rights, and supporting stable incomes. In her interview for “Tea and Coffee Magazine in Russia”, Valeriia Bogomolova talks about how 4C works and what benefits it creates.
For many participants in the Russian market, 4C may not be very familiar. We have heard of such systems as Fairtrade, UTZ, and Rainforest Alliance, which work in all commodity categories, including coffee. Can you tell us where 4C started?
The Common Code of Coffee Community (4C) was created as a result of extensive multi-stakeholder consultations of global coffee business participants back in 2003-2006. First, it was launched in a form of the 4C Association, declaring the need to introduce basic values into coffee production that would help preserve nature and spread sustainability along the entire chain. The 4C Association worked on several different sustainability topics. One of the key things was the creation of a traceable and independent verification system for coffee which represented the principles stated in the Code of Conduct. The logical outcome of this work was the eventual transformation of the 4C Association in 2015-2016: the 4C Code was operated by Coffee Assurance Services (CAS) while other pre-competitive activities were handed over to the Global Coffee Platform (GCP). In 2018, CAS was acquired by MEO Carbon Solutions and transformed into an independent 4C certification system, operated by 4C Services GmbH.
How does 4C differ from other certification systems?
First of all, we focus exclusively on coffee. This allows us to look deeper into the problems of the coffee industry and quickly find better solutions to meet our stated goals. Furthermore, one of the main environmental criteria for us is the protection of primary forests and areas of high biodiversity. In addition to environmental and social principles, we also put stress on farmers’ economic viability, including principles of business management, capacity development, access to services and market information, and traceability.
Let’s understand how it works. Why does a farmer need this certification?
Participation in our system is a classic win-win situation. Coffee producers are certainly interested in increasing their income and develop their business more sustainably across three well-known dimensions. We make it possible with the help of the criteria laid down in the 4C Code of Conduct, which addresses a large variety of sustainability challenges. That is, coffee certified by 4C, as a rule, costs more than alternatives. The certification procedure itself is not complicated. Any producer can apply for 4C certification and certify their farm in compliance with strict sustainability criteria of the 4C Code of Conduct. Independent auditors conduct on-site audits and evaluations to conclude with issuing a certificate or not. The cost of participating in the 4C certification system for the farmer comes down to the audit price negotiated between the farmers or their cooperative and the independent auditors. For example, in Ethiopia, the cost of the initial audit of one farmer can be 3,200 Euro, but in Brazil, it will be some other price. But I want to point out that this is the amount that the farmer pays to the auditing company, not to us.
Is it that simple?
Obsivously, not everyone who comes to us initially meets the criteria of compliance Level 2 or Level 3+. That is why we have a system of continuous improvement plans, through which farmers increase their sustainability performance step by step. We are constantly monitoring the development and, thus, encourage coffee producers to improve their farm management methods and take care of people and the environment, which results in a more sustainable and profitable business and increased farmer confidence in the future.
You mentioned that you charge no certification fee. How are your operations financed in this case?
We receive payments from companies that source 4C certified coffee. There is a calculation formula, which is tied to physical volume. We keep a record of all the coffee that passes through our system, which ensures high traceability of 4C certified coffee beans.
So 4C gets its funds from traders and roasters?
Not exactly. 4C gets the financial means from the roasters, coffee brand owners, retailers, etc. Traders only have to be registered on our platform and regularly enter data on 4C coffee purchases to improve supply chain traceability. 4C’s uses its revenue primarily to improve the standard and support farmers through projects on the ground and only partially for marketing and advertising. The companies sourcing 4C certified coffee thereby contribute to a common cause and spread sustainable coffee which is grown following high standards. This is important for them because in many economically developed countries consumers are paying more and more attention not only to the quality of the product but also to the environmental and social responsibility of all those involved in its production chain. The 4C logo appears on the packaging of the finished product, and consumers can see what they support with their small contribution when they buy such a product. So, in a sense, for the image of many market operators who sell the finished product, working with such coffee is gradually becoming something of a must-have.
What is the reach of the 4Cs today? How many countries do your certified farmers work in?
We work in 23 countries. But to give you a better idea, let me give you some other figures. There are nearly 400,000 farmers around the world growing 4C certified coffee working on over 850 hectares of land. And most importantly, it’s more than 26.6 million bags of coffee a year, which is about 15-20% of world consumption.[1] Now we are actively working on increasing recognition of 4C on the consumer markets, especially the developing markets. We have corresponding programs, and we hope that Russian consumers will also soon become part of the supply chain of organic coffee, which has a high social responsibility.
You can find out more about how 4C works and what benefits the coffee sector can get by visiting the organization’s stand in the Coffee Tea Cacao Russian Expo virtual pavilion from March 11.
[1] The figures refer to the year 2019. Click here to see the latest information.
This article was originally published in Russian. To read the original version, please follow the link.

4C partners with Melitta Europa GmbH & Co. KG. – Division Coffee – and DEG to foster sustainability of the Colombian coffee production
The baseline study of the develoPPP project on improving working and living conditions for coffee smallholders in Colombia has been finalized, having identified Magdalena as one of the departments with the greatest need of intervention to improve productivity and living conditions, especially when considering economic opportunities for rural youth, gender balance, productivity, access to markets and adaptation to climate change, as the baseline study conducted by the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (ABC) revealed.
Why the department of Magdalena?
The department of Magdalena is located in the north of Colombia, with more than 4,000 coffee growers, many of them belonging to indigenous communities. Coffee producing areas in Magdalena are located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, where the department has ecosystems and climatic conditions suitable for coffee. On average, the coffee farms have a planted area of 2.76 hectares, with an average age of coffee plantations of twelve years and an estimated proportion of 4% of coffee growers under 30 years of age.
Magdalena has been identified as the department with some of the highest rates of rural poverty, youth unemployment and lack of rural education in comparison to the other six departments assessed (Antioquia, Caquetá, Cauca, Huila, Meta, Risaralda) as well as one of the departments affected greatest by the impact of climate change, facing a high risk of deforestation of the remaining forest area.
A decrease of almost 50% in suitable area for coffee production is predicted, whereas all other departments assessed were facing losses in suitable area of around 6-28%. The need for climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies and preventive measures to avoid expansion into forested or protected areas is needed, as the forested area under deforestation risk was identified to be more than 63%.
Coffee productivity in Magdalena amounts to 0.71 tons/hectare, with which it is only half of that of departments such as Antioquia, Huila and Risaralda, where the yields per hectare are above 1.4 tons. At the same time, access to international markets for coffee produced from Magdalena lags behind those of most of the other departments, representing only 2% of the total coffee exports from Colombia, in comparison to 10%-18% in the best performing departments.
“Having identified Magdalena as the project implementation region to best achieve impact on the ground and where most need for intervention exists fits perfectly into our vision to support the market access of the farmers of the project, as Magdalena is a region of high commercial interest to us. Supporting here with our project to improve the livelihoods of coffee farmers and young adults makes us very happy”, says Jan Rischkopf, Sustainability Manager at Melitta Europa GmbH & Co. KG.
The baseline study and its findings
The baseline study started with a risk analysis based on remote sensing technologies powered by Global Risk Assessment Services (GRAS) for 15 relevant coffee departments to allow for a pre-selection of higher risk regions for the in-depth baseline study. For this, data on protected areas, high carbon stock areas, potential deforestation, converted grassland and national social indices was collected and processed. A pre-selection of the above mentioned seven regions took place, based on the results of the GRAS risk assessment, as well as potential sourcing regions of Melitta and possible synergies with other similar projects.
Within a multistakeholder workshop conducted by 4C, the findings have been presented and discussed. Challenges and improvement areas for coffee farmers and possibilities to better integrate young adults into coffee production were further elaborated and important issues to be addressed in the training program of the project were identified. Major challenges within the social, economic and environmental dimension included among others high costs of coffee production, low productivity, lack of farm and income diversification, risk of deforestation and negative impact of climate change as well as reduction in biodiversity, soil fertility and inadequate agricultural practices. The main drivers identified for young adults to migrate to the cities and leave coffee production were the unattractiveness of the coffee sector due to heavy work, low income and absence of social recognition as well as the lack of access to capital and land.
Magdalena’s demand for greater opportunities
Looking again into the department of Magdalena and especially the needs identified for the rural youth, the baseline study revealed the demand for greater opportunities in terms of employability, participation in projects for the creation and strengthening of initiatives and access to capital for implementing business ideas related to the coffee industry.
“Through the active participation of various actors from the coffee industry, including coffee producers, traders, roasters, NGOs and research institutions, we are glad to have received a broad input on the main challenges to be addressed within the training program that we are going to develop together with the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC), ABC and NES Naturalzea in the coming months, as well as input on training methodologies to be applied”, highlights Myriel Camp, Program Manager at 4C Services.
Further information on the project and the results of the baseline study can be found here.
About the develoPPP program
develoPPP is a program launched by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in 1999 in order to foster the involvement of the private sector in areas where business opportunities and development policy initiatives overlap. DEG is one of the two official partners appointed by BMZ to implement the develoPPP program on its behalf.
Further Information – Downloads and Links
- Press Release: Magdalena to be the department for project intervention to improve working and living conditions for coffee smallholder
- Improving working and living conditions for coffee smallholders in Colombia
According to a report published by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) in May 2019, nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history. Up to one million plant and animal species face extinction due to increasing deforestation rates, climate change, pollution and other human activities. The report showcases, that the loss of biodiversity is one of the biggest challenges of our time. Intensive agriculture is considered as one of the main drivers of destruction of ecosystems, overexploitation of natural resources and contamination. Looking into coffee production, it is grown in some of the world’s biodiversity “hotspots”, which are areas of high vulnerability and biological importance. Improving biodiversity performance on coffee farms not only serves nature protection, but is also the basis for sustainable, successful, and climate change resilient coffee production.
4C, in cooperation with the Lake Constance Foundation, Agriculture and Forestry Research & Development Center for Mountainous Region (ADC), Vinh Hiep Gia Lai Co., Ltd and Fundación Humedales, has started a joint project to improve biodiversity in coffee landscapes in Vietnam.

To achieve this objective, the Biodiversity Performance Tool (BPT) developed by the LIFE Food & Biodiversity Initiative will be adopted to the Vietnamese context and applied on different 4C certified farms to evaluate the biodiversity situation and set up and implement biodiversity action plans. The BPT is a practical instrument to realize a baseline evaluation of the situation of biodiversity on the farm, makes visible strengths and weaknesses using a classification system of thresholds and facilitates the elaboration of a biodiversity action plan.
“Biodiversity protection is essential for agriculture and the future of coffee cultivation”, says Marion Hammerl, President of Global Nature Fund and Director of the Lake Constance Foundation. “The 4C Code of Conduct includes effective biodiversity criteria. Coffee farmers need support to comply with these criteria and implement an action plan of good quality. Our joint project with 4C to adopt the Biodiversity Performance Tool to the Vietnamese coffee production supports Vietnamese farmers in the elaboration of their action plans. With these activities, the 4C standard creates acceptance and capacities – both necessary to finally make progress towards the goal of halting the loss of biodiversity.”
Currently, ADC is adopting the BPT to the Vietnamese context to be used during their first farm visits that will take place mid-January 2021 to conduct a baseline evaluation and identify the potential for biodiversity improvement. In the next steps, the selected biodiversity improvement measures will be implemented, monitored, and evaluated, and the BPT further adjusted to be appropriable to be used on a landscape level in Vietnam coffee cultivation. “We are proud to be a partner in this project, involving some of our farms to test the Biodiversity Performance Tool and to learn about possibilities to improve the biodiversity situation within our supplying farms, with the aim to disseminate this knowledge throughout the region for a wider positive impact on biodiversity”, confirms Certification department at Vinh Hiep Gia Lai Co., Ltd. The BPT will provide coffee farmers in Vietnam with a practicable tool to support them in their biodiversity enhancement endeavors.
„We are happy to move this project forward with such experienced partners in the area of biodiversity protection. From this project, we want to learn more about how we as 4C can further contribute to more biodiversity in coffee cultivation”, highlights Dr. Norbert Schmitz, Managing Director of 4C Services.
About 4C Services GmbH
4C is a leading sustainability certification scheme for the coffee industry. 4C certification focuses on good agricultural and management practices, including requirements on economic, social and environmental conditions for coffee production and processing in order to establish credible sustainable and transparent supply chains.
About Lake Constance Foundation
The Lake Constance Foundation is a private organisation for environmental protection and nature conservation in Germany. The project-oriented foundation works towards more sustainability and nature protection in the international Lake Constance area and beyond. The working areas are: Agriculture and Climate, Business and Biodiversity, Energy Transition, Nature and Lake Conservation.
www.bodensee-stiftung.org
Agriculture and Forestry Research & Development Center for Mountainous Region (ADC)
Agriculture and Forestry Research & Development Center for Mountainous Region (ADC) is a research and technology transfer organization working for the sustainable development of the people in the mountainous provinces of Vietnam. ADC is operating in various fields such as: agriculture, forestry, biodiversity, animal husbandry and fisheries development, natural resources management and conservation, socioeconomic development, poverty alleviation and policy advocacy and climate change.
About Vinh Hiep Co. ltd
Vinh Hiep was established in 1999 working in the field of manufacturing, purchasing, processing and exporting coffee-pepper-roasted coffee. Vinh Hiep together with its supplying farms is certified under the 4C certification standard since 2013. Currently, Vinh Hiep manages around 1,400 – 4C certified farmers with a total area of 3,200 ha. After 20 years of operation in the field of purchasing and processing agricultural products, annual export of coffee and pepper reached 70,000 tons, export turnover reached over $ 150 million.
About Fundación Humedales
Fundación Humedales is a Colombian NGO founded in 2000, with the purpose of contributing to the conservation and management of aquatic ecosystems, based on an integral human and environmental approach. In compliance with this purpose, they develop projects on conservation, and participatory management of natural resources, environmental education programs, improvement of productive practices and on strengthening community associations while at the same time developing strategies of inclusion of gender and minority groups to scientific research.
Four partners combine their forces to improve the environmental footprint of coffee production in Vietnam and make a valuable contribution to the global combat against climate change
Climate change has a vastly negative impact and is caused, among others, by the increasing amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the atmosphere with agriculture as one of the main GHG emitters. Coffee production is no exception here: application of fertilizers and pesticides, deforestation and soil degradation, energy-consuming machines as well as inefficient wastewater management are considered the biggest GHG emission sources in the green coffee bean supply chain.
Measurement of GHG emissions provides an opportunity to address this problem by conducting a scientific and comprehensive evaluation of a farm’s potential to reduce its climate change impact. Having GHG information at hand makes it is possible to proceed to the next step and develop an appropriate and viable action plan to reduce, inset, and offset GHG emissions in the green coffee bean supply chain.
“What is the actual carbon footprint of a green coffee bean? How can we feasibly calculate it and what are the limitations? After thorough considerations, we developed a new approach to GHG emissions measurement and started looking for partners ready to test it with us, thus, supporting the development of a scalable robust tool, ” – Norbert Schmitz, Managing Director, 4C Services GmbH.
In 2020, 4C partnered with Simexco Dak Lak Ltd (SMC), major Vietnamese coffee exporter, in a pilot project in cooperation with IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative, and Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE) to calculate GHG emissions in coffee production. The process involves multiple stages, such as supply chain mapping, filling in and analyzing data templates as well as setting up the first calculator draft. Based on the calculation results, corresponding measures will be developed to reduce and mitigate GHG emissions.
“This partnership is one more step in JDE’s commitment to work continuously toward 100 % responsibly sourced coffee and tea by 2025,” said JDE’s sustainability manager in Asia and the Pacific, Do Ngoc Sy. “In addition to IDH’s foundational support, we are pleased to benefit from 4C’s expertise in calculating carbon emissions in coffee production, which is essential for us to calibrate our efforts and reach our sustainability goal.”
Tran Quynh Chi, Regional Director Asia Landscape, IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative also emphasized: “Calculating carbon emissions in coffee supply chain of Simexco Dak Lak brings added value to our pilot of large-scale sourcing areas in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.” She added: “We need in-depth calculation and analysis to know how it helps farmers increase their profitability and transform the coffee sector from a source of carbon emission to a sink. With this partnership, we are moving in the right direction to start from a small scale pilot to larger scale application of the methodology”.
This project is an important milestone for 4C on its way to establishing a “4C Climate Friendly” Add-On to the certification standard. “European consumers become more and more concerned with environmental footprint of products they buy. We developed additional logo to enable coffee producers, traders, brand owners and roasters to indicate their efforts to improve their GHG footprint, – says Norbert Schmitz.
Interested in measuring carbon footprint of your coffee? Contact us via info@4c-services.org.
About IDH
IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative, brings governments, companies, CSOs and financiers together in action driven coalitions. We orchestrate the powers of law, of entrepreneurship and investments to work together to create solutions for global sustainability issues at scale. We work in multiple sectors and landscapes in Africa, Asia and Latin America with over 600 companies, CSOs, financial institutions, producer organizations and governments towards sustainable production and trade. Read more at www.idhsustainabletrade.com.
About JDE
For more than 265 years we have been inspired by our belief that it is amazing what can happen over a cup of coffee. Today our portfolio is available in over 100 countries through iconic brands including: Jacobs, Tassimo, Moccona, Senseo, L’OR, Douwe Egberts, Super, Kenco, Pilao & Gevalia. Learn more at www.jacobsdouweegberts.com.
About Simexco
Simexco Dak Lak Ltd (SMC), a state-owned company founded in 1993, is recognized as one of the leading coffee exporters of Vietnam, the largest Robusta producing country in the world. Annual exports of SMC range from 1,3 to 2 million bags (60 kg) of coffee, representing 8% of coffee production in Vietnam. Since joining 4C in 2010, SMC has involved 4605 farmers whose farms were selected for improvement of agricultural and fair trade practices and to create a sustainable coffee community. More information under www.simexcodl.com.vn/.