The majority of smallholder coffee and cocoa farmers lack access to high-value markets for sustainable coffee. They are excluded not necessarily because their practices fall short of sustainability standards, but because the economics of verifying their activities are more challenging. Their farms are smaller, they are not organized into groups, their supply is not aggregated consistently, and they live in harder-to-reach places.
At Enveritas, we aim to help all coffee and cocoa farmers participate in a globally sustainable industry. Our focus is on unaffiliated smallholders. We offer a different way of assessing sustainability—an approach that highlights what farms are doing well, while encouraging a deeper understanding and commitment to solving the most challenging sustainability issues.
We provide producers with free verification of their sustainability practices. We collect data and share insights that allow companies to benchmark practices and interpret sustainability results in a local context. We promote honest conversations among producers, buyers, and the trade, supported by a common understanding of issues in the supply chain. These are the starting points, we believe, for meaningful change and impact.
We have developed a new methodology for conducting farm- and processor-level assessments, adapted for a wide range of producer types and tailored to local conditions. We take a statistically robust approach to sampling and data quality monitoring—from geospatial analysis to on-the-ground observations—in order to offer assurance and insights with high levels of confidence. Our field assessments are evaluated against our standards, which cover three pillars of sustainability: social, environmental, and economic.
You can review our Standards Library or download our standards in a PDF (download PDF in English or descargar PDF en Español ). An explanation of our process for developing, reviewing, and revising our Standards can be found here.
Our Claims Framework can be downloaded here. Further details on our Continuous Improvement Framework can be found here.
We currently operate in most major coffee- and cocoa-producing countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
A description of our process for handling complaints and appeals regarding Enveritas' work is available here . For any questions or comments about Enveritas’ mission, our approach to sustainability, or working with us in your supply chain, please email info@enveritas.org.