Source: https://coffeebarometer.org/overall-score-nestle/
As in previous years, the 2023 edition of the biennial Coffee Barometer faults the global industry for failing to effectively support livelihoods and advance sustainability. But the new report sharpens the focus by launching a "Coffee Brew Index" that ranks the world's top 11 roasting companies on their commitments. Only two, Nestle and Starbucks, rated adequately, as shown in the accompanying table.
The report notes that poverty and environmental impacts are linked. Coffee growers earn incomes below the living income line in eight of the top ten producing countries. As a result, farmers are unable to invest in improving yields. Instead, they increase production by clearing forests. During the past 20 years, 130,000 hectares of forest have been lost each year for this reason.
The publication calls on companies to go beyond "thematic" targets and instead adopt concrete objectives. "Any strategy lacking time-bound and measurable goals is not a strategy," said Andrea Olivar, strategy and quality director, Latin America, at Solidaridad, one of the non-government organizations that collaborated on the report. "Commitments with no metric to measure success won’t incentivize the necessary engagement in the supply chain to make meaningful progress."
The Coffee Barometer takes a dim view of the voluntary multi-stakeholder initiatives formed by coffee companies to promote sustainability, such as Global Coffee Platform, the ICO's Coffee Public-Private Task Force (CPPTF), and Sustainable Coffee Challenge (SCC). According to the report, most of these efforts "are failing to show progress" due to lack of binding targets. Instead, the consortiums allow coffee companies "to portray themselves as 'taking action' while conveniently sidestepping the more complex and contentious issues."
A new problem for most coffee producing countries is the risk of "supply chain exclusion," as coming EU rules on deforestation-free products pressure companies to shift sourcing away from countries, especially in Africa and Central America, where producers lack the funds and technical resources needed to support mandatory due diligence on traceability.
Addressing this issue in a press release, Solidaridad states, "Given their access to resources, coffee companies need to double down and invest in these vulnerable regions, working with local actors, including government, civil society and producer groups, to address issues in their coffee supply chains with tailor made solutions. This means listening to the priorities and perspectives of producers and making meaningful investments." Solidaridad also called on the EU to help reduce the impact of compliance.
The 2023 Coffee Barometer was produced by Solidaridad, Ethos Agriculture, and Conservation International. You can download the report at https://coffeebarometer.org/