Sucafina Launches In-House Sustainability Program Called ‘Impact’

Green coffee trading company Sucafina has launched a new in-house sustainability program called Impact (styled as “IMPACT” by the company), with shipments of the first Impact-verified coffees expected to arrive next year.

In an announcement today, Sucafina said the sustainability scheme builds upon the green coffee company’s existing company-wide commitments to responsible sourcing.

The scheme itself introduces the “Impact Sustainability Standard.” In order for coffees in Sucafina’s supply chain to be classified as “sustainably sourced” through the Impact program, the farms and facilities in the supply chain must comply with 10 indicators designed to prevent human rights abuses, while also meeting specific improvement indicators.

The Impact Sustainability Standard is modeled on the Global Coffee Platform’s Coffee Sustainability Reference Code, a baseline sustainability benchmarking reference code, derived from the original 4C code, that received a major revision last year.

According to Sucafina’s announcement, the company’s supply chains will be audited by a third party every three years during harvest season, while all Impact-verified coffees will be traceable to the farm level.

In addition to baseline sustainability compliance, the Impact program has five specific goals identified for measurable improvement. They are: reducing carbon emissions; reducing deforestation; promoting human rights for farmers and farmworkers; improving incomes for farmers; and increasing the use of regenerative agriculture practices.

The Swiss company — whose North American operations fall under the name Sucafina Specialty — stated a goal that all of its direct supply chains will be Impact-verified by 2025. Several of the company’s coffee suppliers have already begun to implement the Impact scheme, with Impact-stamped coffees expected to arrive in the early part of 2023.

“IMPACT gives Sucafina the opportunity to play a leading role in reshaping the industry and supporting coffee growers in making sustainable and profitable choices,” Sucafina CEO Nicolas A. Tamari said in today’s announcement. “It furthers our purpose of delivering sustainable, shared value across the supply chain.”

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