Fazendas Klem

Prezado Guilherme, bom dia. 

A equipe Fazendas Klem, vem por meio deste salientar que estes  fatos não condizem com a verdade, haja vista que a empresa, propõe-se sempre o bem-estar dos funcionários possui o comprometimento com as normas legislativas. Salientamos ainda que a empresa fornece EPI devido, treinamento, CTPS assinadas, paga todos os direitos pertinentes aos colaboradores, possui acompanhamento do técnico de segurança do trabalho, e dentro da própria empresa, há um posto de saúde, centro odontológico e uma igreja, cedidos para a comunidade. 

A Fazendas Klem possui o comprometimento com os colaboradores e com o meio social e fomenta garantir os direitos de cada funcionários, elaborando assim um ambiente digno. 

Como foi dito no e-mail supra é fundamental saber o outro lado, agradecemos assim o contato, e nos colocamos a disposição para visitação para averiguações in loco.

Atenciosamente, Equipe Fazendas Klem. 

Fazenda Olhos d’Água/Bioma Café

1. Repórter Brasil: Que providências os sócios da fazenda tomaram logo após 20 trabalhadores escravizados serem resgatados do local pelos fiscais do Ministério do Trabalho e Previdência?

Inicialmente, gostaríamos de ressaltar que, conforme já informado de forma verbal, a fiscalização ocorreu tão somente em lavoura do Sr. Marcelo, em propriedade denominada Olhos D’água, não existindo qualquer outro agente relacionado. Não há empresa envolvida e/ou sócios no plural, APENAS um produtor rural, pessoa física, fato constatado pelos próprios auditores e procuradores responsáveis pelo caso.

Após os esclarecimentos iniciais, destaco que há uma grande diferença entre “trabalhadores escravizados” e “trabalhadores resgatados em condições ANÁLOGAS a escravo”.

Para caracterização de condições análogas basta enquadramento em um dos 66 indicadores previstos na instrução normativa correspondente (IN nº 02 do MPT) e que, no presente caso, os auditores entenderam que houve enquadramento em somente 6. Portanto, o Jornalismo, tendo como princípios basilares a responsabilidade social, transparência e objetividade tem dever de informar o seu público que a “escravidão contemporânea” se difere muito da ideia retrógada e do termo “trabalhadores escravizados”.

Dessa forma, esclarece-se também que os auditores fiscais não encontraram no local quaisquer trabalhadores de maneira irregular. Os entendimentos dos fiscais basearam-se em depoimentos de trabalhadores encontrados laborando em fazenda diversa e desconhecida deste empregador, que supostamente haviam trabalhado na fazenda no mês anterior ao da fiscalização.

As providências do empregador continuam sendo garantir um local de trabalho digno e saudável aos seus colaboradores.

2. A fazenda é certificada pela UTZ/Rainforest Alliance. Que tipo de cuidados na contratação dos safristas os sócios da fazenda tomam a fim de cumprir as exigências da certificação e evitar casos como os de trabalhadores submetidos a condições análogas às de escravo?

A certificação foi emitida ao empregador Marcelo, comprovando, justamente, que ele cumpre com a legislação e direitos trabalhistas. Como informado, não concordamos com a caracterização e apresentamos defesas com inúmeras provas contrárias aos depoimentos colhidos, a fim de demonstrar a preocupação do empregador em garantir aos seus colaboradores condições mínimas de trabalho e dignidade.

3. Por que, a despeito dos cuidados mencionados, 20 trabalhadores foram flagrados em condições análogas à escravidão na fazenda?

Inicialmente, ressalta-se que o Sr. Marcelo discorda por completo das caracterizações dos auditores, motivo pelo qual está exercendo seu contraditório e ampla defesa, tendo apresentado recurso e provas em relação a cada um dos pontos. 

Ademais, como informado, a caracterização de trabalhadores “análogos a escravo” é totalmente subjetiva e pode ser considerada se enquadrado em apenas um dos 66 indicadores. 

No presente caso, não houve inspeção nas frentes de trabalho, até mesmo porque as atividades já haviam se encerrado a mais de mês, e o entendimento dos auditores limitaram-se a depoimentos de trabalhadores que laboraram para inúmeros empregadores diferentes, de forma que há confusão dos fatos. Outrossim, o enquadramento se deu, primordialmente, pelo fato de os auditores sobressaltarem quanto às atividades inerentes à colheita de café, considerando-as mais penosas que as demais, de tal maneira que deveria ser oferecido além do mínimo exigido pela legislação dos demais trabalhadores que laboram em outras atividades. No entanto, ressalta-se, que deixaram de considerar que o período de labor é extremamente célere, não causando prejuízos ao trabalhador.

4. Que tipo de ações os sócios da fazenda estão tomando para evitar incorrer no mesmo tipo de autuação?

Reforço, mais uma vez, que não existem sócios; a ação fiscal ocorreu apenas em supostos colaboradores do Sr. Marcelo.

Este empregador mantém a mesma postura e providências, ou seja, garantindo a todos seus colaboradores os direitos de natureza trabalhista, de forma que não incorrerá neste equívoco novamente, pois inexiste irregularidades de natureza trabalhista. 

5. Nos relatos colhidos pela fiscalização do Ministério do Trabalho e Previdência, há um que diz que o grupo com os 20 trabalhadores escravizados foi liberado do trabalho no mesmo dia em que a inspeção da certificadora visitaria a fazenda. Isso realmente aconteceu? Em caso positivo, por que esses trabalhadores foram liberados no dia de visita da certificadora?

Destacamos novamente que não houve trabalhadores escravizados, este termo é completamente impróprio e reprovável, vez que induz o leitor a acreditar em condições extremas e irreais. 

Quanto à alegação, desconhecemos e discordamos por completo de tal afirmação. O empregador não teria motivos para isso. 

Por fim, como fomos informados pela reportagem, de maneira verbal, vocês tiveram acesso à integralidade do relatório e, por isso, devem ter verificado que não existe qualquer prova ou indício neste sentido e das demais alegações.

Nucoffee/Syngenta

Com relação ao caso apontado pelo Repórter Brasil, a Nucoffee expõe os argumentos a seguir: 

O produtor Marcelo de Assis Nogueira afirma que o caso foi regularizado junto aos órgãos competentes.

A Nucoffee reafirma seu compromisso com a agenda ESG da cafeicultura brasileira e, portanto, não aceitará o fornecimento de café de produtores que venham a ser incluídos na denominada “Lista Suja” do Ministério do Trabalho, esta que é frequentemente acompanhada pela empresa. A Nucoffee também apoia os cafeicultores por meio do programa Sustentia, que prioriza pequenos produtores e que busca treiná-los e capacitá-los com foco em melhores práticas de sustentabilidade, passando por rigorosos critérios agronômicos e de gestão.

Rainforest Alliance

1. Repórter Brasil: Has Rainforest been informed about the slave labor incidents?

The Rainforest Alliance was not informed by official institutions about these specific cases. This is an example of why the Rainforest Alliance always welcomes inputs and feedback from key stakeholders such as the media, as these important contributions help to inform our continued efforts to improve both environmental and social issues on certified farms in the 70 countries where we work.

When the Rainforest Alliance is alerted to credible allegations of human rights violations on certified operations, we take immediate action and launch an investigation. If we find evidence of non-conformances against our standard, we then initiate a verification audit, and when possible, work with the farm to take corrective action.

2. How does Rainforest act to ensure that certified companies maintain the Rainforest’s standards?

A: To comply with the Sustainable Agriculture Standard of the Rainforest Alliance, which includes farm and supply chain requirements, all people related to activities that are linked to the final certified product – in this case coffee – are involved in maintaining the standard, not just the administrators. Therefore, everyone involved in the process can be a witness to any wrongful activity so that it can be addressed quickly. Certification bodies are independent entities in charge of auditing to verify that certificate holders comply with farm requirements. Service providers must comply with labor hiring requirements. Workers, communities and/or civil society, including whistleblowers are invited to communicate their grievances using our specific form.

In the 2020 Standard, farm requirements in chapter 5, from 5.1 to 5.8 include implementation of the assess and address approach for human rights; workers freedom of association and collective bargaining; wages and contracts; living wage; working conditions; health and safety; housing and living conditions; and communities that apply to big farms specifically and other medium or even small farms depending on the risk to human rights violations.

Integral to our approach is producer support. We have 12 Certification Partner Support staff that work at the Rainforest Alliance specifically assisting farmers, technicians, and field promoters. They also supervise the Associate Training Network consisting of 17 consultants regularly offering key training events in each country, including Brazil. The customer success department at Rainforest Alliance is also available for questions that certificate holders have about the implementation of the farm requirements.

On the other hand our Standards And Assurance department regularly conducts local trainings for certification bodies and auditors about the proper interpretation of the certification and auditing rules. Through our training and support approach and, with the Rainforest Alliance’s staff and consultants, there is a proper coordination and alignment regarding the correct interpretation of binding documents (the farm and supply chain requirements, assurance, and annexes) that need to be implemented by certificate holders, certification bodies and auditors.

Here are some examples of the requirements from our standard that involves all people on the farm or Supply Chain Actor: 

1.2.2 Mechanisms are in place to ensure that service providers comply with the applicable requirements of the Standard

1.5.1 A grievance mechanism is in place that allows individuals, workers, communities and/or civil society, including whistleblowers to communicate their grievances of being negatively affected.

5.1.1 Management commits to assess and address child labor, forced labor, discrimination, and workplace violence and harassment by: Informing workers/group members in writing that child labor, forced labor, discrimination and violence and workplace harassment are not tolerated and that management has a system in place to assess and address related cases. This information is visibly always posted in central locations.

5.1.3 The management representative/committee: monitors risks and the implementation of risk mitigation measures; reports potential cases of child labor, forced labor, discrimination, and workplace violence and harassment. work with management and the grievance committee.

5.1.4 The management representative/committee establishes in the Management Plan how to remedy cases of child labor, forced labor, discrimination, and workplace violence and harassment. Confirmed cases are remedied and documented following the Rainforest Alliance Remediation Protocol. The security and confidentiality of victims is protected throughout the process

5.3.1 Permanent and temporary workers who are employed for three consecutive months or more have a written employment contract signed by both parties. The worker receives a copy of the contract at the time of signing. Permanent and temporary workers who have a bond less than three months must at least have verbal contracts in place.

5.3.3 Workers receive at least the applicable minimum wage or negotiated wage in a Trading Collective (ANC), whichever is higher. For production, quota or made-to-measure work, payment must be at least the minimum wage based on a 48-hour workweek or working hours limit national law, whichever is lower.

5.3.6 Workers are paid regularly at scheduled intervals, but at least monthly

5.5.1 Workers do not work more than eight regular working hours per day and 48 working hours regular per week

5.6.6 Smallholder workers always have access to safe and sufficient drinking water.

5.6.7 Sufficient clean and functional toilets and handwashing stations are provided at agricultural production, processing, maintenance, office and worker’s housing

5.7.1 Workers and their families who live or are housed on site have safe, clean and decent homes.

3. What measures does Rainforest take with certified farms that exploit slave labor?

A: If cases of forced labor are proven, an auditor conducts an analysis of the severity of the case. Severity depends on whether the issue is life-threatening, whether the issue has the potential to cause lasting impact on the physical and/or psychological wellbeing of the victim, the magnitude of the problem and whether it is systemic, and the management's conduct in relation to these cases. If the test for severity is met, the auditor would take a non-certification decision and the CH would have to wait at least 6 months to apply for a new audit.

Forced labor is a grave human rights abuse and has no place on Rainforest Alliance Certified farms. Our 2020 certification program includes a new approach to help mitigate forced labor on certified farms across all sectors and geographies. The new approach is aligned with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and goes beyond simple prohibition to help identify and address the root cause of social issues such as forced labor and child labor. 

4. What measures will be taken against each of the farms?

A: First actions The Rainforest Alliance has already sent a notice to inform the certificate holder and the certification body that an investigation audit has been launched. The investigation audit involves all parties including interviews off-site with workers. If workers were subcontracted, questions are asked to establish who the subcontractor is. After the investigation is completed and enough credible evidence has been collected, measures are applied according to the severity of the case.

Future actions When we receive a claim regarding forced labor in a farm for the first time, they automatically fall into the category of high-risk for forced labor and therefore, from then on, they must comply with requirements related to this topic included in Chapter 5 of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard. These include a plan to assess and address forced labor; make severity test and comply with all specified requirements regarding human right abuses.

Rainforest Alliance provides follow up to the farms to be sure that the improvements will be implemented. Certification bodies, independent third parties, conduct unannounced audits that will happen in 12 months period. As well as unannounced audits during harvest season.

5. At Olhos D’Água farm, the inspection reported that the enslaved workers were given time off on the day of the certifier’s visit. What kind of action does Rainforest take to prevent this type of conduct?

A: Even in the absence of the workers, we can gather relevant information from other witnesses who work together with the victims. All CBs are advised to perform a minimum sampling of interviews per farm. We understand that this number of interviews is enough to capture cases, not only of the interviewees but of everything that goes wrong on the farm, as they are involved with the other workers and all the activities carried out on the farm.

We request the CBs to carry out an investigation and interview the employers in addition to employees to confirm and check if these irregularities are occurring. That allows us to act on this type of conduct. 

6. In addition to monitoring compliance with good production practices, does Rainforest also do something to recover companies that break the laws?

A: Our objective is not simply to sanction bad practices, but to improve the working conditions for workers and to enable the company’s growth in a sustainable way. Therefore, we believe in creating a path for companies that receive sanctions but then make the necessary improvements required by our standard to receive the benefits of marketing certified products.

However, when violations such as forced labor are identified (and confirmed) on Rainforest Alliance certified farms or on farms that apply for certification, they must be remediated. Severe cases, if not remediated, and/or violations of applicable law, will lead to a negative certification decision, suspension or cancellation of the certificate.

7. Will other links in the production chain linked to the certified fined farms suffer sanctions?

A: Other companies linked to these farms in the supply chain will consequently be impacted by the lack of volume that these specific farms make available to the market. Those companies will be forced to look for other sources of certified products to maintain the agreements negotiated with their customers.

The Sustainable Agriculture Standard: Farm Requirements include the following core requirement for assess and address states:

(5.1.) Child labor, forced labor, discrimination and workplace violence and harassment are not tolerated on Rainforest Alliance Certified farms. The assess-and-address system requires certificate holders have specific measures in place to monitor and mitigate risks related to child labor, forced labor, discrimination, workplace violence and harassment. When cases are identified on Rainforest Alliance certified farms or on farms that apply for certification, they must be remediated. Severe cases, if not remediated, and/or violations of applicable law, will lead to a negative certification decision, suspension or cancellation of the certificate.

ADENDO:

Following up on what my colleague in Brazil informed you earlier today, our team has confirmed through a short research and coordination with the Certificate Body that Fazenda Klem located in “Alto Caparaó – MG” is not the correct farm listed in your email. Fazenda Klem (N V KLEM LTDA) located in Luisburgo -MG is the correct farm. For this reason, we kindly request  that you refer to Fazenda Klem (N V KLEM LTDA) in your article instead.

The confusion may have occurred because both farms, Fazenda Klem and Fazenda Klem (NV KLEM LTDA) are part of a multi group called Agrogenius. This is a large group with over 84 members. This group is already on our radar since quite some time as a high-risk group and we have already proceeded according to the protocols specified in our Certification Program for high-risk groups.

Thank you for your attention and correction of the name of the farm that will be included in the article.

Awaiting for the estimate date of the publication of this article.

NKG

Resposta enviada à Repórter Brasil em 21 de outubro de 2022:

We as Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG) are well aware of our responsibilities in the countries we operate in. We always act with respect for and in compliance with fundamental rights and national legislation. NKG does not tolerate any form of human rights violations like forced labor, including human trafficking and slavery-like practices. NKG is committed to eliminating forced labor and any other form of labor rights violations within our sphere of influence. No company of NKG would knowingly purchase coffee produced by farms that violate human rights or local law. We do not trade coffee from producers who are on the ‘Lista Suja’. Business relationships with suppliers on the list are automatically terminated. Furthermore, no relationships will be established with such suppliers after the publication of the list. 

We have reviewed the business relations of NKG with “Fazandas Klem”. Companies of our group have purchased from “Fazendas Klem” in the past, but according to our current information, the last contracts were concluded in 2020. After that, we could not identify any direct business relations between our group and “Fazendas Klem”. However, we are continuing to follow up on this matter. In addition, our Brazilian export company NKG Stockler has removed “Fazendas Klem” from the supplier system after learning about the allegations. Therefore, business relations remain suspended. 

Since 2017, we as NKG have written down our values and beliefs as the basis of our business in our NKG Code of Conduct; this is an integral part of our value-oriented corporate culture. In order to continue to fulfill our responsibility for a growing, sustainable coffee industry in the future, we have, among other things, launched the NKG Responsible Business Program. The program sets specific goals that define responsible and sustainable business practices at NKG. Please note in this context the NKG Sustainability Report 2022, released on September 1, 2022, which gives insights into the Responsible Business Program and shows where NKG stands and is heading to in the future. Two of our key goals are “Enhance sustainability performance within our supply chains” and “Improve transparency and ethical conduct in collaboration with direct suppliers”. NKG is committed to creating transparency and sustainability in our coffee supply chains. Our program NKG Verified, for example, includes traceability and compliance with critical criteria, such as worst forms of child labor, forced labor and deforestation. Furthermore, to foster responsibility for our conventional supply chains, we are introducing our Supply Chain Integrity Program (SCIP). The program follows a systematic approach to work with our key suppliers on fair labor conditions in origins and entails the commitment to shared values, assessments of human rights risks, agreements on improvement measures and access to a grievance mechanism for groups and persons that face human rights violations linked to or caused by NKG activities.

Divisão de Orgânicos do Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (MAPA)

Boa tarde, Guilherme!

Em atenção à sua demanda, o Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (Mapa) informa que trata-se de produtor orgânico certificado, identificado no Cadastro Nacional dos Produtores Orgânicos como “Fazendas Klem Importação e Exportação de Café Ltda”, certificado pela Certificadora Ecocert.

O Mapa teve acesso ao Auto de Infração emitido pela Subsecretaria de Inspeção do Trabalho do Ministério do Trabalho e Previdência e retirou o nome do produtor do Cadastro Nacional dos Produtores Orgânicos.

A Certificadora Ecocert também está ciente da autuação e suspendeu a certificação do produtor. Paralelamente aos desdobramentos do processo administrativo no Ministério do Trabalho, a certificadora fará a investigação para tomada de providências definitivas quanto à manutenção ou cancelamento do certificado.

Uma vez concluído o processo e confirmadas as irregularidades, o autuado será penalizado pelo descumprimento da legislação trabalhista e terá seu certificado de produtor orgânico cancelado.

Seguimos à disposição para prestarmos os esclarecimentos necessários.

A Repórter Brasil também entrou em contato com a exportadora Ally Coffee e com a organização responsável pelo selo de denominação de origem Cerrado Mineiro, mas não obteve retorno até o fechamento desta reportagem.

Leia a matéria: Fazendas de café gourmet e certificado em MG são flagradas com trabalho escravo