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Common Code for the Coffee Community

Report of the Executive Board of the
Common Code for the Coffee Community Association
ICO Private Sector Consultative Board, 23 May 2007

Further to reports to the International Coffee Organization in Salvador da Bahia (PSCB 70/2005)
and in London (PSCB 75/2006, PSCB 83/2006, PSCB 92/2006, PSCB 98/2007), the Common
Code for the Coffee Community Association (4C Association) would like to inform the distinguished
representatives at ICO PSCB on the current status of the Association and its further developments.
The “Common Code for the Coffee Community Association” was founded by 37 members
from across the world and the entire coffee chain on 1 December 2006 in Geneva, Switzerland. On
22 December, the register of Commerce in Geneva officially confirmed the registration (CH-660-
2928006-4). The status of the Association is a non-profit organization without commercial interests.
The 4C is based on a voluntary code of conduct comprising basic social, environmental and
economic practices in coffee production, processing and trading. It includes support services which
provide access to training, promote good agricultural and management practices, facilitate
information exchange and respect and strengthen the self-organisation of farmers.
Since its foundation, the new 4C Association has shaped significantly. A Secretariat has been
established in Bonn, Germany since 1 February 2007. The operational activities and the support
services are being set-up and will operate soon. As a private organization, the Common Code for
the Coffee Community Association aims at cooperating with other initiatives and public
organizations which follow the concept of a sustainable development in agricultural sectors.
The Association is consisting of the three chambers of producers, trade & industry and civil society
groups plus associate membership of public institutions. Membership in the 4C Association is
open for every individual or organizational member and growing continuously from the coffee
producing and consuming areas of the world, representing small, medium-sized and large actors of
the sector. As by May 18, in total 58 members have been officially registered with the 4C
Association (for an updated membership list please visit the homepage www.sustainable-
coffee.net).
From 18-19 April 2007, the members gathered for the first General Assembly of the 4C
Association in London, UK.
The results of this constituent meeting were as follows:

- Endorsement of the Statutes and the By-laws of the 4C Association. The statutes and by-laws
provide the framework for the governance and define the roles and responsibilities of the 4C
Association and its organs.

- Election of the respective representatives for the Council of the 4C Association. The Council
consists of 17 regular members: 7 producer representatives (South America/ Brazil, Andean
countries, Central America/ North America/ Caribbean, Western/ Central Africa, Eastern/
Southern Africa, South Asia and South-East Asia), 5 trade and industry representatives
(Exporters, Green coffee trade, Roasting industry, Soluble coffee industry and Retail) and 5
Civil Society representatives (Labor rights, Environmental aspects, Social aspects, Human
rights and Economic empowerment).

- Nomination of the stakeholder representatives for the Technical Committee and the Mediation
Board and the respective Chairpersons. The Chairpersons form part of the Council and
Executive Board without decision making power.

- Endorsement of the Communication guidelines and concept as well as nomination of a
Communication Sounding Board representing all chambers. A press release was shared with members, the coffee community, interested stakeholders, public institutions and the
specialized coffee press after the General Assembly.

- Endorsement of the Verification concept and tools. Trials for testing and modification of the
tools have been conducted in Zambia (September 2006 by GTZ / 4C,
PricewaterhouseCoopers together with the Zambian Coffee Growers Association), Vietnam
(December 2006 by GTZ / 4C, PricewaterhouseCoopers, VICOFA and several members of
the 4C Association) and Brazil (February/ March 2007 by Instituto Totum in cooperation with
Brazilian 4C members and several certification organisations). A whole set of verification
documents is available and can be applied by verification bodies after having attended a
training course on 4C and received a respective license by 4C. Further trainings of future 4C
verifiers and subsequent contracting and first verifications of 4C Units are scheduled for South
East Asia, Africa and Latin America (Brazil, Andean Region/ Central America) during the
upcoming months.

- Endorsement of the Decentralization concept of 4C through 4C Forum. The decentralisation
concept is vital part for development and ownership, dissemination and application of 4C in
producing countries.

- Endorsement of the Support concept and the support activities. Main objectives of the support
component are to provide access to support services and information to assist coffee farmers
worldwide to produce an increasing volume of verified 4C coffee. The support offered by the
4C Association shall enable coffee producers worldwide to improve efficiency and profitability
in their production systems with respect to social, environmental and economic conditions.
Trainings, educational sessions and the access to good practices in a simplified way supports
a continous improvement of the situation of 4C members. Moreover, the Support Component
offers an international network of cooperation and collaboration as leverage to reach more
coffee farmers.

- Endorsement of the Benchmarking framework. The concept and design of the benchmarking
procedure will be elaborated in a partnership with the International Social and Environmental
Accreditation and Labelling Alliance (ISEAL Alliance). The development of the procedure shall
result in a first benchmarking exercise against one of the main certification standards
(scheduled for July / August). Further standard organizations have already been approached
to find an agreement on a future benchmarking scenario. After a successful piloting, the 4C
Secretariat aims at conducting further benchmarkings against other schemes as soon as
possible to emphasize the baseline character of the 4C code.

The newly elected Council of the 4C Association met for the first time on 20 April 2007 in
London, UK. The results of this meeting were as follows:

- Agreement on the framework for the operational activities of the 4C Association for the next
two years. The main activities shall focus on verification, support and communication.

- Nomination and election of the Executive Board of the 4C Association:

o Joaquim Leite, Cooperativa Regional de Cafeicultores em Guaxupé Ltda. (Cooxupé), on
behalf of the National Coffee Council of Brazil as representative for the producer chamber
and president;

o Albrecht Schwarzkopf, Christian Initiative Romero (CIR), as representative of the Civil
Society chamber and vice-president;

o Roel Vaessen, Secretary General of the European Coffee Federation (ECF), as
representative of the trade and industry chamber and treasurer.

o Bernardo van Raij, Instituto Agronômico of Campinas and Embrapa as Chairperson of the
Technical Committee;
o Joppe Vanhorick as Chairperson and Ombudsman of the 4C Mediation Board.

Next steps to roll out 4C
The members of the 4C Association agreed on a clear timeframe for rolling-out 4C during the next
months:

- Verification: Training, subsequent registration of verifiers and first verifications will take place
with a decentralized approach in major coffee regions. On 1 October 2007, at the beginning of
the coming coffee year, 4C coffee from different coffee regions will be publicly launched in the
coffee market in a joint approach by the respective members.

- Training courses: The 4C Association will start its train the trainers seminars in Summer 2007
in all major coffee producing areas. Further more the 4C Association will arrange and support
workshops in the interested coffee regions to introduce Good Agricultural Practices, Good
Management Practices and quality improvement processes in the understanding of 4C.
Trainings will be free and arranged with the funding of 4C’s members.

- Revision of the Code: The 4C Code of Conduct is a living document which will be revised
according to learnings from its application. A Technical Committee will work on a continuous
improvement of the Code Matrix to ensure highest beneficial impact for producers. The
Committee’s first meeting is scheduled to take place in August 2007.

- Evaluation of the 4C application: 4C will be subject to further external evaluation procedures
and cost – benefit analysis through cooperation and assessment with the tools of credible and
independent agricultural research institutions.
Further detailed information and comprehensive communication material is available as download
from the 4C homepage www.sustainable-coffee.net and upon request in the main coffee
languages. Since January, dissemination and information activities have been held in Brazil,
Ecuador, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Mexico, Vietnam and several European countries.

Further detailed information and comprehensive communication material is available as downloa
from the 4C homepage www.sustainable-coffee.net and upon request in the main coffe
languages. Since January, dissemination and information activities have been held in Brazi
Ecuador, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Mexico, Vietnam and several European countries
Further workshops are planned for early Summer 2007 in West/ East Africa and Central America.

The Common Code for the Coffee Community Association is an open, participatory and
transparent initiative. Members of the Association like to stress that the 4C is a learning process.
The group acknowledges that there exist doubts and concerns on the 4C sustainability concept
and its implementation in the coffee sector and would like to discuss them thoroughly. Therefore,
its processes and documents are open for discussion and the members would like to emphasize
that it welcomes every input, comment and recommendation on its current concept. Furthermore, a
feedback mechanism has been launched on the homepage of 4C where comments are most
welcome.

The 4C Association would like to thank the International Coffee Organization and its members for
the opportunity to update its members on the progress of the 4C.

Executive Board of the
Common Code for the Coffee Community Association

Mr. Joaquim Leite, Mr. Albrecht Schwarzkopf, Mr. Roel Vaessen,
Mr. Bernardo van Raij, Mr. Joppe Vanhorick

Common Code for the Coffee Community Association

Office Bonn
Contact secretariat:
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 40
53113 Bonn, Germany
T: +49-228-850 50- 0
F: +49-228-850 50- 20
E: info@sustainable-coffee.net

The Common Code for the Coffee Community Association is registered with the Chamber of Commerce in Geneva, Switzerland, CH-660-2928006-4.
C/o CR Gestion & Fiduciaire SA, Route des Jeunes 9, 1227 Carouge-Genève, Switzerland

Data: 23/05/2007

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