4C

Resposta enviada em 27 de março de 2025

Thank you for bringing these allegations regarding Mata Verde Farm and its potential link with 4C certification to our attention. We appreciate the opportunity to provide clarity and address the issues you’ve raised. We are also grateful for the subsequent confirmation of the geographical coordinates, which helped us to cross-check the information provided. We understand the gravity of the reported conditions, which directly contravene the 4C Code of Conduct and fundamental human rights. We are treating this matter with the utmost urgency and transparency. 

It has been confirmed that the producer in Lista Suja associated with Mata Verde Farm has not been part of 4C Unit Cooabriel since 2023, and the exclusion agreement was duly signed by the operator of Mata Verde Farm and Cooabriel. 

Find our responses to your specific questions below: 

1) What are the procedures 4C uses to ensure that working conditions on certified farms meet the certification requirements? How does 4C monitor certified farms to prevent issues like those found at the Mata Verde Farm? 

4C employs a system to ensure compliance with our Code of Conduct, which includes comprehensive criteria for working conditions, especially non-tolerance of Forced and bonded labour (Criterion: 2.1.2). The compliance is first implemented and controlled by the ME through their Internal Management System (IMS) and then audited, monitored and confirmed by independent, trained, and accredited CBs. These audits are performed on a risk-based (regular audits) and/or criticality (non-regular audits) assessments. In addition, we operate our integrity program to double-check compliance on the ground.

2) After the 4C certification was suspended for Mata Verde Farm, Cooabriel continued to accept coffee from the harvest produced by the workers who were rescued. How does 4C ensure that, after a certification is suspended, farms no longer supply coffee to partner companies without proper verification of working conditions? 

Once a farm is excluded from a 4C Unit, its coffee is ineligible for 4C certification. Cooabriel is prohibited from purchasing or selling such coffee as 4C certified, as per our Code of Conduct. This is verified through on-site audits, documentation checks, and volume tracing across all stakeholders. We have investigated the allegation that Cooabriel accepted coffee from Mata Verde Farm after its suspension. Cooabriel confirms cessation of commercial relations since 2023. The relevant CBs are involved in auditing, and 4C is investigating traceability compliance.

3) What actions did 4C take after the suspension of certification at Mata Verde Farm, particularly in relation to Cooabriel, to ensure that coffee from the harvest of the rescued workers was no longer accepted? 

As previously outlined in response to question 2, Cooabriel is prohibited from purchasing or selling coffee from the excluded Mata Verde Farm producer as 4C certified. Cooabriel has confirmed their compliance with this prohibition, and the verification methods for this 

confirmation — including production volume analysis, IMS reviews, and segregation audits—were detailed earlier. To further ensure adherence to our traceability requirements and prevent non compliant coffee from entering the 4C certified supply chain, we also increased the audit scrutiny of Cooabriel, resulting in a larger sample size in audits. 

4) Does 4C offer any programs or guidance to certified producers to help ensure they comply with labour laws and provide adequate working conditions? What measures are taken to prevent similar problems from occurring? 

4C actively supports producers in upholding labour standards through guidance and training on labour laws and our Code of Conduct, often exceeding national requirements. Beyond compliance audits, we are enhancing social auditing practices. Recognizing the inherent challenges in auditing sensitive social risks, 4C leads a project to enhance the detection of human rights violations in audits. This initiative introduces responsive, context-specific approaches to human rights due diligence and includes free training on labour and social topics for all 4C system users in Colombia and Vietnam. Further, our audits include detailed reviews of Improvement Plans and evaluations of the 4C Unit’s IMSs to ensure continuous improvement and effective monitoring.

5) What steps is 4C taking to ensure that its certification accurately reflects the working conditions on certified farms, especially in cases of labour rights violations? 

To ensure our certification accurately reflects working conditions, particularly in cases of potential labour rights violations, 4C employs a robust assurance program. As detailed in our previous responses, this includes: 

• Capacity building for producers (trainings, feedback meetings, seminars). 
• Stringent certification requirements, enforced through on-site integrity audits. 
• A clear complaint and appeals process.
• Integrity audits to monitor the performance of accredited CBs’auditors, with sanctions for non-compliance.
• CB office audits to verify compliance with 4C standards. 

Due to the allegations regarding Cooabriel, we will our Integrity Program within this 4C Unit and have engaged the CB for further investigation. 

4C is committed to upholding human rights and sustainable practices. We appreciate the opportunity to respond and clarify our processes, while acknowledging that investigations are still underway. We view certifications as tools for continuous improvement and risk mitigation, not guarantees of infallibility. We value collaboration with stakeholders, including media, to identify potential issues affecting the integrity of our system. We will continue to investigate the Mata Verde Farm case and take appropriate action based on the findings.

Resposta adicional enviada em 15 de abril de 2025

(1) Why was the case of slave labor at Sítio Mata Verde not detected earlier by the certification system or during audits? Isn’t one of the purposes of certification to prevent this type of situation? 

Certification does not imply real-time monitoring of all farms, nor can it guarantee that every violation will be detected immediately. While the 4C System significantly reduces risk, it cannot eliminate it entirely. 

4C is committed to preventing human rights violations in co@ee supply chains through a robust system of standards, independent third-party audits, and grievance mechanisms. Our assurance model includes oversight of internal management systems and risk-based external audits, supported by input from external stakeholders, including government investigations. 

Once the violation was identified, the farmer was immediately removed from the 4C System. 

(2) On what date was the certification of Sítio Mata Verde suspended from 4C? 

As noted above, once the non-compliance became known, the farmer was excluded from the 4C System. It’s important to clarify that the farm Sítio Mata Verde itself was never individually certified. Under the 4C System, certification is granted to a 4C Unit, the so-called Managing Entity composed of multiple producers, referred to as Business Partners (BP). This group certification model is designed to make certification accessible to smallholder farmers. The Managing Entity coordinates compliance across the group, provides i.a. trainings, implements improvement measures, and bears the certification costs. 

(3) What concrete actions does 4C take to prevent slave labor and other degrading working conditions? 

The 4C Code of Conduct includes explicit requirements prohibiting forced labour, child labour, and other unacceptable working conditions. These standards are implemented through a system of independent third-party audits, risk-based sampling, data validation, and grievance mechanisms. 

The 4C System is not an enforcement body, but it has clear procedures in place to address violations when they arise. When credible third-party information, such as government inspection reports, identifies serious non-compliance, 4C takes immediate action in line with its protocols. This may include internal investigation, suspension, or sanctions, such as a mandatory waiting period before reapplication for certification.

(4) The 4C regulation states that farmers who commit “critical violations” may be recertified after a certain period. In the case of slave labor, is recertification allowed? 

Re-entry into the 4C System after a critical violation is never automatic. It is only possible under strict conditions, including proof that the violation has been fully addressed, compliance with all legal and 4C requirements, and approval by the Managing Entity following an external audit. Additional safeguards may also be applied. 

4C believes in both accountability and the principles of rehabilitation. Sanctions must be firm, but there should also be a path, under clear, stringent criteria, for responsible reintegration where appropriate. Our goal is not only to penalize violations, but to drive continuous improvement and protect the rights and dignity of all individuals in the coffee supply chain.

Cooabriel

Resposta enviada em 20 de março de 2025

A Cooabriel reitera que não compactua com ações que infrinjam as disposições legais, sociais, morais e éticas e tem continuamente enfatizado aos cooperados sobre a importância do cumprimento dessas responsabilidades. Inclusive, a cooperativa dispõe de um Setor de Sustentabilidade, que se dedica a acompanhar e orientar aos produtores certificados, com vista à conscientização sobre o cumprimento das normas vigentes, especialmente no que diz respeito às questões trabalhistas.

Em relação ao produtor referido, a cooperativa tomou as medidas cabíveis. O cooperado foi excluído do Grupo 4C e teve seu cadastro suspenso para operações de armazenagem e comercialização de café com a cooperativa, estando, portanto, inativo. 

Resposta adicional enviada em 27 de março de 2025

Como prática padrão, a cooperativa busca informações através da “lista suja” divulgada pelo MTE. Uma vez que o nome de um cooperado seja citado, são tomadas as medidas cabíveis, procedendo-se à suspensão do cadastro para operações de armazenagem e comercialização de café com a cooperativa. Em relação aos produtores referidos na demanda, não participam de nenhum programa de sustentabilidade da cooperativa.

A Cooabriel reitera que não compactua com ações que infrinjam as disposições legais, sociais, morais e éticas e tem continuamente enfatizado aos cooperados sobre a importância do cumprimento dessas responsabilidades.

Nestlé

You raised a number of concerns regarding labor conditions on certain coffee farms in Brazil. We take any information on such issues very seriously. There are strong measures in place to make sure our strict standards on decent working conditions and human rights are respected in our supply chain. When these standards are not respected, we take action. 

We want to clarify that for these three farms you referred to in your note– Três Irmãs,  Primavera and Mata Verde– we do not source coffee from them. These farms are not part of our Nescafé Plan and Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Program™ programs. 

We currently source coffee from the 4C certified farm unit of 500 farms within the Cooabriel cooperative, which represents a subset of the total farms associated with this cooperative. 4C certified coffee lots are segregated and traceable to their 4C farm unit, ensuring that these farms meet the environmental and social criteria set out under the 4C Code of Conduct. 

The 4C Code of Conduct includes explicit requirements prohibiting forced labor, child labor, and other unacceptable working conditions. These requirements are designed to prevent human rights violations in coffee supply chains and include independent third-party audits, the availability of grievance mechanisms, and oversight of internal management systems, all supported by input from external stakeholders, including government investigations.

We also maintain direct communication with Cooabriel to emphasize the importance of safe and fair working conditions across all farms where we source our coffee. Our Nestlé Responsible Sourcing Core Requirements outline the strict social, environmental, and other requirements that must be respected by all suppliers –whether they are a direct or indirect part of our coffee supply chain.

In this context, we want to address the other concern you had raised related to coffee sourcing from the Vista Alegre farm. Once we were made aware of the issues you referenced, we took decisive action and suspended this farm from our AAA Sustainable Quality Program™ pending evidence that the farm complies with our strict standards.

Where violations of our strict standards are identified, immediate action is taken in coordination with our suppliers. This may involve assisting farms to make necessary changes to ensure compliance with our strict standards or excluding them from our program (in case of a severe breach). 

Finally, we want to highlight that as part of our ongoing efforts in Brazil, we are implementing a comprehensive approach to detect potential risks of human rights and labor rights violations in our supply chain—namely, regular visits to coffee farms in our supply chain, and supplier audits. In Brazil, Nestlé is also an active member of collective initiatives such as the Global Coffee Platform and InPacto, working toward advancing coffee sustainability and better working conditions in the coffee sector.

We appreciate your concerns and remain committed to sharing our progress to implement our Human Rights Roadmap and uphold and advance human and labor rights in our supply chains, including in coffee.

You can also find more information about the Nestlé coffee sourcing practices at Responsible sourcing: Our coffee supply chain.

Leia a matéria completa: ‘Trabalho escravo, doenças e medo: a rotina em uma fazenda de café certificada no ES‘