At the launch, Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin declared: 'Our economic cooperation activities will have a much greater impact in partner countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam and Peru if there is closer collaboration with the Swiss private sector. The Swiss Sustainable Coffee Platform will allow our companies to greatly improve compliance with due diligence requirements across their value chains'.
The president of the Swiss Coffee Trade Association, Nicolas Tamari, said: 'Both the Swiss Coffee Trade Association and our member companies have been calling for greater sustainability in the coffee value chain for years. However, a lot of work remains to be done. We are convinced that this platform is the right path to taking shared responsibility.’
It was encouraging to see such a diverse group of stakeholders - ranging from coffee traders and roasters to NPOs and government representatives - coming together around a common vision for a more sustainable and equitable coffee sector.
On 6 June 2024, a diverse group of stakeholders – from coffee traders and roasters to NPOs and government representatives – launched the Swiss Sustainable Coffee Platform in Bern.