Human Rights Impact Assessment: Capacity Building & Peer Learning in Brazil's Coffee Sector
What is the main objective of the project?
The project examines human rights due diligence (HRDD) processes in Brazil's coffee value chain - Switzerland's largest coffee supplier. It aims to identify and address human rights impacts through meaningful engagement with stakeholders across the whole value chain, assess the role of voluntary sustainability schemes (VSS) in mitigating these impacts, and build Coffee Platform members' capacity to identify and address human rights impacts and conduct meaningful stakeholder engagement.
How will the project contribute to sustainable coffee production?
By conducting a country-specific HRIA, the project strengthens human rights due diligence (HRDD) in the coffee value chain in line with the Coffee Platform’s Roadmap 2030 (Ambition 2: HRDD, Ambition 6: use of VSS).
It identifies adverse impacts and improvement opportunities related to HRDD in Brazil’s coffee production, examines the role of VSS in addressing human rights risks, and combines this with practical tools and guidance on meaningful stakeholder engagement, helping SSCP members strengthen their HRDD processes, support regulatory compliance (e.g. EU CSDDD, EUDR, EU FLR) and contribute to a more sustainable coffee sector for workers, communities and the environment.
Where do you see the greatest potential for other stakeholders in the coffee sector and beyond to learn from the outcomes of this project?
The project generates a public toolbox and guidance on conducting HRIAs and meaningful stakeholder engagement during origin visits, along with webinars and peer learning workshops for Coffee Platform members.
A comprehensive HRIA summary report shares identified impacts in Brazil’s coffee value chain, recommendations for an action plan and lessons on the role of VSS in HRDD. The methodology is designed to be replicable in other regions, providing a blueprint and practical tools that other SSCP members and organisations - particularly SMEs - can apply to their own supply chains.
Organisations involved
