Since 1999, CECAFE has been successfully representing and defending the interests of coffee exporters. Working in an effective, dynamic, and contextualized manner, CECAFE has been actively involved in domestic and global discussions about the main issues that affect the industry.

In CECAFE Strategic Three-Year Plan, created for 2016-2018, the council redefined its strategic pillars, mission, vision, and values, and strengthened Programs and Initiatives implemented in the period. Notably, the discussions conducted placed emphasis on actions to promote Brazilian coffee sustainability.

In the second half of this year, CECAFE is preparing to design its Three-Year Strategic Plan for 2019-2021, based on the discussions and involvement of Consulting Committees and the Advisory Board.

Social Responsibility and Sustainability stand out in several actions and programs that were recently approved by CECAFE Board and that will be present in the discussions for the next plan, as follows:

 

Digital Coffee Farmer

The Digital Coffee Farmer Program was created by Cecafe in 2006 to bring digital inclusion to rural areas. It has been part of the Global Coffee Platform since 2015.

In 2017, 100 groups brought digital inclusion and information on good farming practices to more than 1,220 students. In addition to classes, there were several on-field training days, aimed to show, in practice, efforts in sustainable coffee production, with growing productivity and extensive use of research, technology and field improvements.

Cecafe also created the Program’s own portal – http://www.produtorinformado.com.br/ – which features data and results attained as well as details on partner institutions, working as a system to organize program managers and instructors. Thus, Cecafe gained more efficiency in controls and obtained performance indicators from trained producers. This allowed for more thorough analyses of the Program, always seeking for continuous improvement and efficiency. Since the program started, approximately 5 thousand producers were trained, with more than 2,806 enrolling in the control system created in 2016.

Successful partnerships with the Global Coffee Platform. Emater/MG, Incaper, Emater/RO, IFES, Hanns Neumann Foundation, Cooxupé, Via Verde, Exportadora
Guaxupé, Cocapec, Union Trade/ Icona, Ascarive and Cooabriel, in place in 111 municipalities, continue to contribute for the program to be a reference and reach the results expected in the four main producing states (MG, ES, SP and RO). New partnerships are expected, and new action formats will be added to the new Strategic Plan, so as to make the program even better.

 

IDEXCafe and Export Industry Sustainability Report

In 2018, CECAFE officially launched IDEXCafe – Performance Indicators of the Brazilian Green Coffee Export Industry.

IDEXCafe focuses on monitoring and promoting several Social Responsibility and Sustainability actions in the coffee export business. With this in mind, CECAFE Information Technology team developed a System to ensure information security and confidentiality, seeking to release consolidated data from the export business.

Results will always be presented in consolidated numbers and strictly reflecting the coffee export business alone. This will contribute for extensive assessment and communication of actions in our industry regarding Social Responsibility and Sustainability.

Based on the consolidation of IDEXCafe and the Performance Indicators of CECAFE Social Responsibility and Sustainability Programs, CECAFE will publish the first Sustainability Report of the Brazilian Green Coffee Export Industry, aiming to monitor evolution of its actions, as well as to be a reference for the commercial promotion process and improvement strategies.

The Report will show private social investments in the sector, number of people reached in each program, and the organizations involved, and will be a marketing tool for the whole export business, directed to both domestic and foreign markets.

 

Compliance

CECAFE strongly believes in the sustainability of Brazilian coffee agribusiness and its compliance with the country’s labor and environmental laws—considered one of the most advanced and stringent set of laws in the world—as well as in the generation of growing consolidated social and economic results.

Therefore, CECAFE members adopted the Code of Ethics and Conduct for the Export Industry in November 2016. The Code aims at bringing to the coffee supply chain all commitment and ethic-related conditions established in the country’s current legislation.

Aware of its responsibility among exporters and the growing relevance of these topics, the Advisory Board approved CECAFE Compliance norms, with the participation of the Board, CECAFE members, and internal team. This is an effort to ensure that the reputation and institutional image of all stakeholders follows ethical and moral principles, including laws, determinations from oversight bodies, regulatory norms, best practices, and other rules to be followed

Compliance will focus on expanding visibility on the principles that guide the work of an organization that represents the Brazilian coffee export business and the conduct expected from all its employees and strategic partners. It will be an important governance tool for CECAFE, because it will share with employees, in a clear and educational manner, the conduct expected on the day-to-day from all those that operate within the organization, thereby regulating the experience of years of practice institutionally representing the export industry.

 

To conclude, the last years certainly posed many challenges for the sector and the next years will also be quite challenging for Brazil, particularly for its agribusiness and exporting industries.

Cecafe will carry on working on behalf of coffee growing, bringing information to coffee growers. Through social inclusion, efforts to increase productivity, quality and income, gender equity, and entrepreneurship, producers will be qualified to overcome all challenges, thus ensuring an increasing sustainable coffee business.

 

Marcos Matos – Chief Executive Officer – CECAFÉ