The December 2003 workshop was a follow-up to the previous brainstorming workshop examining different areas where international collaboration was deemed necessary to effectively promote sustainability within the coffee sector. The December workshop was attended by more than 100 representatives from the entire coffee supply chain and consisted of two days with distinct but related themes. The first day provided an opportunity to discuss research and current activities on the following themes:

1. Sustainability and contracts
2. International co-operation for financing sustainable coffee production
3. Inter-standards (and inter-initiative) co-ordination

During these sessions, stakeholders provided their views on the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for carrying out further work in these areas. The following day was devoted to a discussion of the potential and eventual role for a "Sustainable Coffee Partnership." Broad-based support was expressed for such a partnership and the Sustainable Commodity Initiative undertook the task to continue co-ordinating its formation.

December (2003) Workshop

• General Documents

• • Final participants list (147 kb)

  • Summary proceedings (207 kb)

• Power Point Presentations

• • Danielle Giovannucci: Consultant to the World Bank and author of "The State of Sustainable Coffee" (227 kb)
    Mr. Giovannucci's presentation provides a brief overview of the results of 2 years of market research for sustainable coffees in Europe and Japan.

  • Panos Varangi: Senior Economist at the World Bank (334 kb)
    Mr. Varangis' presentation provides an overview of the challenges and opportunities facing financing initiatives aimed at promoting sustainability in the coffee sector.

  • Peter May: Executive Director - Brazilian Agroforestry Institute (468 kb)
    Mr. May's presentation provides an overview of the opportunities and challenges facing the integration of specific sustainability criteria within the coffee contract.

  • Carsten Schmitz: GTZ (Common Codes for the Coffee Community Secretariat) (980 kb)
    Mr. Schmitz's presentation provides an overview of what needs to be considered under a "mainstream" definition of sustainability for the coffee sector.

  • Emeline Fellus: Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (600 kb)
    Ms. Fellus' presentation provides an overview of the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform's work in promoting sustainability in the coffee sector.

  • Sasha Courville: Social Accountability in Sustainable Agriculture project coordinator (1,513 kb)
    Ms. Courville's presentation provides an overview of the objectives and results of collaborative research being undertaken by FLO, IFOAM, Rainforest Alliance and SAI under the auspices of the Social Accountability in Sustainable Agriculture Project.

  • Jason Potts, Coordinator, Sustainable Commodity Initiative (IISD) (321 kb)
    Mr. Potts' presentation provides an overview of the rationale behind a Sustainable Coffee Partnership.

  • Chantal Line Carpentier, Head of Trade and Environment Program, Commission for Environmental Cooperation (4,326 kb)
    Ms. Carpentier's presentation provides an overview of the need and opportunities for closer cooperation among different standards initiatives in the coffee sector.

Contributions

IISD thanks the following institutions for their financial contributions to this activity.