FAIRTRADE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS WITH NESPRESSO
16.07.2013 - Harriet Lamb, CEO of Fairtrade International, and Jean-Marc Duvoisin, CEO of Nestlé Nespresso, today announce a new, long-reaching partnership to benefit thousands of small-scale coffee farmers. The announcement comes as Nespresso celebrates ten years of their Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program, focused on improving quality and sustainability for farmers and their communities.
Nespresso has committed to source a growing proportion of its coffee from Fairtrade certified cooperatives, a partnership that will provide thousands of smallholder coffee farmers with even greater income security, as well as better supporting the development of strong farmer organisations, essential building blocks of economic, social and environmental development. As part of the initiative, Nespresso will market coffee from the AAA farmer cooperatives in the region of Caldas, Colombia, and certified Fairtrade.
“This encourages the kind of development that not only helps whole communities; it further emphasises the fundamental necessity of ensuring that quality of life of farmers is on a par with the quality of coffee they’re producing,” said Lamb. “When a company like Nespresso comes on board, we’re excited because then it means that sustainability and the coffee farmers will stay at the heart of the conversations that businesses are having.”
(From left to right: Bruce McNamer, President & CEO Technoserve; Jean-Marc Duvoisin, CEO Nestle Nespresso S.A.; Tensie Whelan,
President Rainforest Alliance; Harriet Lamb, CEO Fairtrade International; and George Clooney, Nespresso's Brand Ambassador)
The partnership unites Fairtrade’s deep experience in building strong, democratic farmers’ organisations with Nespresso’s AAA Programme, which has proven impact in helping farmers improve quality, sustainability and productivity, as well as contributing wider social and economic benefits. As part of the programme, Nespresso and Fairtrade will look to introduce social welfare provisions to benefit farmers and their families, including health and accident coverage and retirement planning.
In addition to the new AAA Farmer Future Program, Nespresso launched two other programs and their Nespresso Sustainability Advisory Board, comprising experts and thought leaders in the area of sustainability. The board will provide insight and recommendations to enhance Nespresso’s efforts. Harriet Lamb, CEO of Fairtrade International, was selected to serve on the board along with leaders from Rainforest Alliance, Technoserve, the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation, the Fair Labor Association, and actor, activist George Clooney. Lamb participated in their first meeting at the launch of the programme on 15 July in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The Fairtrade certified Nespresso coffee is expected to be arriving in South Africa next year.
Download the press release by Fairtrade International.