Risc Reading Room - Fair Trade Coffee

From Charity to Justice, 20 years of Fairtraid.

Whilst producing the 'Cost of coffee' teaching pack RISC researcher Dave Richards compiled this collection of the best links and articles from the project, exploring the burning issues of the global coffee industry .

"Coffee is the second most valuable traded commodity globally -- after oil, yet we producer countries are amongst the world's poorest, Fair Trade? for us this is so much more than being an issue of charity -- its one of justice!"
Tanzanian coffee producer

Selected Acticles
Links below are to downloadable PDF documents, Max size 1 mb

The Role of Fair Trade
Dr Alex Nicholls Thriving in a Hostile Environment: Fairtrade’s Role as a Positive Market Mechanism for Disadvantaged Producers;

Behind the mask: the real face of corporate social responsibility
Andrew Pendleton Christian Aid 2001 Exposes the gap between claims of 'corporate citizenship' and the reality for poor communities affected by their operations. Calls for corporate social accountability backed by legal binding regulation rather than voluntary codes.

Tesco Take over
FOE Briefing June 2005
Now controlling over 30% of the UK grocery market Tesco might is considerable. Here is one consideration; Fair trade in store 'Ethics are increasingly marketed as consumer choice rather than a corporate standard; fairness and justice in trading, for example, is niched as fair-trade-labelled speciality products and not main-streamed into business practice, where many would argue it should be.'

Bitter coffee: how the poor are paying for the slump in coffee prices
Celine Charveriat Oxfam 2001
Paper prepared for the 2001 World Coffee Conference which drew together main players in the coffee industry to find a solution to the crisis… except small farmers and labourers! Summarises winners and losers in the coffee supply chain and identifies possible solutions.

Faces of coffee
Nestlé 2004
Nestlé's answer to criticism of big coffee companies - the 'limitations' of fair trade and its own initiatives to manage the crisis by improving quality and supporting crop diversification.

Mugged: Poverty in your coffee cup
Oxfam International 2002
Comprehensive report which examines the roots of the coffee crisis.

Robbing Coffee's Cradle
ActionAid 2001
How GM coffee will accelerate the trend to large plantations at the expense of small farmers.

Spilling the beans on the coffee trade
Fairtrade Foundation 2002
Excellent report which illustrates with many testimonies how the inequalities of the coffee trade impact on farmers. Offers recommendations on how the UK government, roasters, supermarkets and consumers can take steps to ensure producers make a decent living.

Walk the Talk
Oxfam International 2003
Update of Mugged report.

The Coffee Market - a Background Study
Oxfam 2001
Excellent detailed look how at recent developments in the international coffee market have contributed to the current crisis.

Conservation Principles for Coffee Production
Conservation International 2001
Sets of principles which should apply to farms and processing facilities as part of a certification programme to encourage sustainable agriculture.

With Rights, Come Responsibilities
The Corporate Responsibility Coalition Campaign to introduce a Parliamentary Bill to establish a legally binding set of standards for companies' social and environmental performance.

Dedicated to Coffee
Kraft Foods 2003
Kraft's description of its efforts to address the coffee crisis through support for farmers, stimulating demand etc. Supplemented by a series of case studies from Colombia, Peru and Vietnam, and its partnership with the Rainforest Alliance.

The world coffee crisis and the role of international cooperation
2004
Interview with Néstor Osorio Londoño, Executive Director of the International Coffee Organization, outlining the depth of the crisis and possible solutions.

Europe and coffee
Oxfam 2003
A briefing paper on what the EU needs to do to address the coffee crisis.

Mission Statement on Sustainable Green Coffee
Full Document
Sustainable Agriculture Initiative 2004
Statement from the industry-sponsored initiative.

RISC brings you some of the leading reports and writing on global issues. Risc Reading Room Feature For details of titles available from RISC's extensive book shop contact Barbara or: Tel 0118 958 6692 or Visit the World Shop 39 London Street Reading see our links page this page is compiled by Dave Richards	From Charity to Justice, 20 years of Fairtraid. Whilst producing the 'Cost of coffee' teaching pack RISC researcher Dave Richards compiled this collection of the best links and articles from the project, exploring the burning issues of the global coffee industry . "Coffee is the second most valuable traded commodity globally -- after oil, yet we producer countries are amongst the world's poorest, Fair Trade? for us this is so much more than being an issue of charity -- its one of justice!" Tanzanian coffee producer Selected Acticles Links below are to downloadable PDF documents, Max size 1 mb The Role of Fair Trade Dr Alex Nicholls Thriving in a Hostile Environment: Fairtrade’s Role as a Positive Market Mechanism for Disadvantaged Producers; Behind the mask: the real face of corporate social responsibility Andrew Pendleton Christian Aid 2001 Exposes the gap between claims of 'corporate citizenship' and the reality for poor communities affected by their operations. Calls for corporate social accountability backed by legal binding regulation rather than voluntary codes. Tesco Take over FOE Briefing June 2005 Now controlling over 30% of the UK grocery market Tesco might is considerable. Here is one consideration; Fair trade in store 'Ethics are increasingly marketed as consumer choice rather than a corporate standard; fairness and justice in trading, for example, is niched as fair-trade-labelled speciality products and not main-streamed into business practice, where many would argue it should be.' Bitter coffee: how the poor are paying for the slump in coffee prices Celine Charveriat Oxfam 2001 Paper prepared for the 2001 World Coffee Conference which drew together main players in the coffee industry to find a solution to the crisis… except small farmers and labourers! Summarises winners and losers in the coffee supply chain and identifies possible solutions. Faces of coffee Nestlé 2004 Nestlé's answer to criticism of big coffee companies - the 'limitations' of fair trade and its own initiatives to manage the crisis by improving quality and supporting crop diversification. Mugged: Poverty in your coffee cup Oxfam International 2002 Comprehensive report which examines the roots of the coffee crisis. Robbing Coffee's Cradle ActionAid 2001 How GM coffee will accelerate the trend to large plantations at the expense of small farmers. Spilling the beans on the coffee trade Fairtrade Foundation 2002 Excellent report which illustrates with many testimonies how the inequalities of the coffee trade impact on farmers. Offers recommendations on how the UK government, roasters, supermarkets and consumers can take steps to ensure producers make a decent living. Walk the Talk Oxfam International 2003 Update of Mugged report. The Coffee Market - a Background Study Oxfam 2001 Excellent detailed look how at recent developments in the international coffee market have contributed to the current crisis. Conservation Principles for Coffee Production Conservation International 2001 Sets of principles which should apply to farms and processing facilities as part of a certification programme to encourage sustainable agriculture. With Rights, Come Responsibilities The Corporate Responsibility Coalition Campaign to introduce a Parliamentary Bill to establish a legally binding set of standards for companies' social and environmental performance. Dedicated to Coffee Kraft Foods 2003 Kraft's description of its efforts to address the coffee crisis through support for farmers, stimulating demand etc. Supplemented by a series of case studies from Colombia, Peru and Vietnam, and its partnership with the Rainforest Alliance. The world coffee crisis and the role of international cooperation 2004 Interview with Néstor Osorio Londoño, Executive Director of the International Coffee Organization, outlining the depth of the crisis and possible solutions. Europe and coffee Oxfam 2003 A briefing paper on what the EU needs to do to address the coffee crisis. Mission Statement on Sustainable Green Coffee Full Document Sustainable Agriculture Initiative 2004 Statement from the industry-sponsored initiative.	The LINKS in this column are sites from all sides of the debate about corporate social responsibility and the coffee industry, as well as trade and globalisation. Actionzone ActionAid’s site for young people. Includes ‘Brand Nasty’ campaign for laws to enforce corporate responsibility. Cafédirect The UK’s first fair trade coffee brand, launched in 1991. Coffee Kids Organisation set up to raise funds to improve the quality of life for children and families who live in coffee-growing communities around the world. Co-operative Group Supermarket chain which now uses fair trade coffee in all its own-brand products. Common Code for the Coffee Community Sustainable coffee Joint German project between the coffee trade, GTZ (the government development agency), producers, trade unions and NGOs. Corporate Responsibility Coalition Campaign to ensure the British Government addresses the failures of the voluntary approach with binding rules for companies. Supported by over one hundred organisations, including charities, faith-based groups and trade unions. Corporate Social Responsibility Forum Initiative of International Business Leaders Forum to promote the virtues of corporate citizenship. Good for links to the burgeoning consultancies offering their services. Corporate Watch US anti-corporate watchdog with valuable information and links. Corporate Watch www.corporatewatch.org UK equivalent of above. Equal Exchange Fair trade coffee producer. Fairtrade Foundation Good background information about fair trade, including coffee. Global Exchange A highly informative website containing key facts and downloadable resources, signposting how you can make a difference. US based, so not everything is relevant to the UK. Global Eye Online interactive magazine on development issues for young people. Secondary Issue 22 focuses on Colombia and puts the coffee trade within a wider development context. Global Trade Promotes government and corporate accountability in the international commercial agreements shaping the current version of globalisation. Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy Promotes resilient family farms, rural communities and ecosystems around the world through research, technology and advocacy. International Coffee Organisation The main intergovernmental organization for coffee. Site has excellent background information on coffee production and weblinks. Kraft One of the top four coffee roasters. Top brands include Maxwell House, Kenco and Carte Noire. Search under ‘coffee’ for initiatives on sustainable coffee production. Louis Dreyfus France-based processor and trader in agricultural commodities – one of the world’s largest green coffee dealers. Nestlé The world’s largest coffee roaster. Neumann Kaffee Gruppe One of the world’s largest coffee traders involved in all stages of the supply chain. Oneworld Online Good general site for exploring development issues, including useful updates on the WTO. Oxfam Oxfam campaign to make international trade regulations more fair. Percol Fair trade coffee producer. Positively Coffee International Coffee Organisation initiative supported by roasters which aims to increase world consumption by creating a positive image through research and promotion. Includes research into health benefits. Procter & Gamble www.pg.com One of the top four coffee roasters. Site has links to top brands – Folgers and Millstone. Rainforest Alliance International conservation organisation. Promotes sustainable forest-grown coffee production. Kraft One of the top four coffee roasters. Top brands include Maxwell House, Kenco and Carte Noire. Search under ‘coffee’ for initiatives on sustainable coffee production. SAI Platform Food industry funded NGO which supports and promotes sustainable agriculture. Includes a coffee working group which coordinates 14 pilot projects in coffee growing countries. Tescopoly. Multi organisational site examining the impact of Tesco's 30% uk grocery market share Traidcraft Fair trade coffee producer. Trade Justice Movement Alliance of UK NGOs concerned with the negative impact of international trade rules on the poorest people in the world, on the environment, and on democracy. World Trade Organisation (WTO) The body which regulates world trade and promotes liberalisation of markets and corporate agenda