Forging alliances for a strong future:
cooperation in the sector
Making the transition to more responsible coffee is a huge challenge. As a company, we can only drive change at isolated points along our supply chains through our projects. That is why we want to forge alliances, promoting political and cross-sector discourse and championing joint programmes.
‘Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.’
Henry Ford
As far back as 2001, we co-founded the International Coffee Partners (ICP) sustainability initiative, which supports coffee farmers in 13 countries on their path towards sustainable development. Over the last 20 years, we have reached more than 90,000 farmer families – roughly 644,000 people.
In 2010, another important project grew out of the ICP: the initiative for coffee&climate (c&c). By providing coffee farmers and their families with the right information and skills, c&c helps them adapt to the effects of climate change. By 2019, this initiative had provided training for coffee farmers from 80,000 different families.
Meilensteine
The International Coffee Partners (ICP) sustainability initiative is founded, supporting coffee farmers in 13 countries on their path towards sustainable development
The initiative for coffee&climate (c&c) is founded
Community of Practice on Living Income: global dialogue to improve farmers’ incomes
European Coffee Federation: cross-sector working group dedicated to sustainability in the European coffee sector
As of 2019, c&c has provided coffee farmers from around 80,000 households with the vital knowledge and skills they need to adapt to the effects of climate change.
Tchibo joins twelve other coffee companies in signing the ‘London Declaration’, which focuses on sustainability in the sector through targeted cooperation.
Tchibo becomes actively involved in the Coffee Public-Private Task Force of the International Coffee Organisation with a view to implementing the contents of the London Declaration in coffee farming.
Yet as with all big sustainability issues, support is needed at the political level if we are to overcome the systemic challenges facing the coffee sector. It is for this reason that Tchibo is actively involved in all the major sustainability committees that deal with coffee farming, both in Europe and around the world. Our many years of experience have taught us that our work on sustainability is most successful when concrete initiatives on the ground are accompanied by powerful alliances and a clear stance at the political level.