Responsibility certification

There are several certification programmes in use in the coffee business by which the environmental friendliness and ethics of coffee production can be promoted. In all programmes the goal is sustainable development, but the operating methods and principles differ to some extent.

Getting and keeping certification requires regular, independent, annual audits. Certifications all involve instructions as to how coffee is to be produced. These guidelines cover things like environmental conservation, work safety, the age of workers, living conditions, pay rates and requirements for their rights.

The leading certifications in the coffee sector are UTZ CERTIFIED, Fairtrade, Organic and Rainforest Alliance. In Sweden also the KRAV certification is in use. Responsibility-certified green coffee accounts for roughly 10% of the global output and demand is growing fast. Manufacturing products with responsibility-certified ingredients is sometimes challenging because of the quality and scarcity of raw materials. Roughly 4% of the coffee sold by Paulig is certified.

Since 2006, Paulig has expanded the range of its certified products. In 2011, Fairtrade organic products joined the range, demand of which has grown in particular among public organisations. UTZ CERTIFIED Paulig blends are Paulig Brazil, Paulig Espresso Originale and Paulig Kenya. Fairtrade and Organic certified are Paulig Mundo, Paulig Mexico and Paulig Colombia, as well as the Paulig Professional series. The Paulig Professional series also bears the KRAV label.

Check out coffee responsibility labels

UTZ CERTIFIED is a global, sustainable development certification programme by which growers and grower communities can prove that they produce coffee professionally while caring for the environment and human wellbeing. Certification can be granted for both small and large coffee plantations and compliance is monitored by external audits. The criteria are based on the international ILO agreement and good cultivation practices (Global G.A.P.). All UTZ CERTIFIED coffees can be traced on internet back to the plantation where they grew. The price of UTZ CERTIFIED coffee is set on the basis of the global market price and the quality of the coffee. Buyers also pay the producers a mutually agreed certification bonus in addition to the market price.
 
Fairtrade labelling indicates that the product has been produced in compliance with the requirements of the Fairtrade certification system. The system was created to improve the status of smallholders and workers on large plantations in international trade. Fairtrade enables producers in developing countries to improve their working and living conditions. Fairtrade gives consumers a chance to have a positive impact on the lives of people living in developing countries. No less than the minimum price plus a Fairtrade bonus is always paid to the producer community for Fairtrade coffee.
 
Organic production is based on EU organic legislation, which is supervised by a national authority, in Finland the Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira. The Organic label is granted for agricultural produce, animal feed, foodstuffs and alcoholic beverages if at least 95% of the product’s agricultural ingredients have been produced organically. The cornerstones of organic agriculture are health, ecology, justice and caring. Genetic modification is not accepted in organic production, nor may synthetic fertilisers or synthetic pesticides be used.
 
KRAV is Sweden’s best-known environmental label. The basic requirement of the KRAV standard is organic production and in addition it requires, for example, social responsibility and reduced climatic impacts. KRAV-certified food is grown without chemical pesticides and contains no chemically produced flavourings, flavour enhancers or colourings.
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