Abstract
In the article, the issue of environmental sustainability criteria in the coffee sector is researched. Such important aspects in this topic are highlighted and discussed as reasons for the emergence of sustainability criteria for coffee and factors that make the production of coffee sustainable. Two widely used sustainability standards for coffee, the Fair Trade Coffee sustainability standard and the Utz Certified Coffee sustainability standard, are investigated more precisely. The environmental requirements of these standards in the form of environmental sustainability criteria, and mechanisms to control their fulfilment are outlined. The issue of control is separately highlighted, because it is considered indispensible for the constructions with sustainability criteria to function as they have been aimed for. Finally, challenges of the present situation in the coffee sector, when there is a variety of co-existing sustainability standards with approximately similar sustainability requirements are reflected upon. The article is aimed to raise interest to the potential of sustainability criteria to promote sustainable products and their sustainable production methods. In the long perspective, sustainability criteria can be used as tool to promote and safeguard sustainability, and particularly environmental sustainability, which is very urgent. The idea is emphasized that the experience of the coffee sector and central aspects of its governance approach towards sustainability can be efficiently shared by other industries with similar problematic issues, e.g. in the biofuel industry.
Highlights
The present article investigates the notion of environmental sustainability criteria and control of their fulfilment in the coffee sector, where sustainability criteria have already been used for some time, and valuable practical experience has been generated
Taking the coffee sector as an example, sustainable quality of coffee and its sustainable production are regulated through sustainability criteria, incorporated in a number of co-existing voluntary sustainability standards
This approach has already been functioning for some time, and certain practical experience has been gained
Summary
The emergence of voluntary standards for sustainable coffee production has been characterized by the initiatives from NGOs and producing companies, accompanied by connected certification requirements and labels. 1 Aspects that have urged the development of sustainability criteria in the coffee sector have primarily been the lack of concerns about environmental issues, environmental damage that this sector can cause and growing demands from NGOs that have required environmental responsibilities from this industry.[2]. The emergence of voluntary standards for sustainable coffee production has been characterized by the initiatives from NGOs and producing companies, accompanied by connected certification requirements and labels. Sustainability criteria are gaining recognition as a tool, which can be efficiently used to promote sustainable products and safeguard their sustainable production. This is relevant for both domestically produced and imported. 5 In response, several coffee companies have adopted requirements to the quality of sustainable coffee and sustainable coffee production. They have started to engage in partnerships with NGOs and governments.[6]
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