Sustainability and mainstream coffee

The „Common Code for the Coffee Community“ (4C)

The „Common Code for the Coffee Community“ – approach (4C) is based on a voluntary code of conduct for all stakeholders of the coffee sector. The 4C – code of conduct shall insure quality production with profitable conditions for producers. Socially and ecologically sustainable production and processing methods can only be achieved in an economically satisfactory situation for all stakeholders. The worst social and ecological practices in the sector are thereby excluded. Good agricultural and entrepreneurial practices, which are conveyed and spread through 4C, can help coffee producers globally to continually improve their production methods and thereby survive the competition of the coffee trade. 4C is a participatory approach which means that decisions about the implementation of the code of conduct are made by the cooperation of three interest groups: (a) producer organizations in production countries, (b) coffee trade and industry and (c) civil society organizations.