What is the purpose of the 4C label?

The 4C label offers a solution to support your sustainability strategy by implementing good practices in the social, economic and environmental dimensions.

What are the main 4C guarantees?                                                                                                                                                                                   The Common Code for the Coffee Community guarantees that                                                                                                                                     Coffee farming does not contribute to deforestation or biodiversity loss                                                                                                                         Good agricultural practices and protection of soil, water and air are applied Human, labour and land rights are respected                                       Farmers are adequately trained to increase productivity and profitability

How to get the 4C label?                                                                                                                                                                                           Labelling by an independent certification body such as TRANS allows you to validate that your activities comply with the 4C standard.                         The logo can be used on-pack and off-pack (e.g. bags of green coffee beans, brochures, websites, etc.).                                                                         The 4C logo and 4C related claims can be used on-pack provided the product contains at least 90% 4C certified coffee.                                           Initially, the packaging must contain a minimum of 30% 4C certified coffee, with a maximum timeframe of three years to reach 90%.

Who can become 4C certified?

 Managing Entity (ME) and Business Partners (BP), which are producers (small and large farms) and service providers (traders, storage facilities and   processors operating within the 4C unit).                                                                                                                                                                       Intermediary Buyer (IB): Trader, exporter, importer, processor or any other entity trading or originating 4C certified coffee outside the 4C Unit.           Final Buyer (FB): The last actor in the supply chain purchasing 4C certified coffee (roaster, instant coffee producer, private label company, private label   retailer, brand owner, coffee shop chain or any other entity sourcing 4C certified coffee).

Market reach & impact –                                                                                                                                                                                                      By 2023, over 1.4 million coffee farmers in more than 25 countries will be 4C certified, covering approximately 3 million tonnes of green coffee per          year.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          In cocoa, initial pilots in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Latin America have already certified over 50,000 smallholders, with plans to expand to other                  producing regions.

Benefits of 4C certification

For farmers

•  Access to training on best practices, increasing yields and quality.
• Improved market access, often with a small premium.
• Strengthened organisational capacity through group structures.

For buyers & brands

• Assurance of responsibly sourced coffee/cocoa.
• Simplified due diligence through a harmonised standard.
• Positive impact on reputation and consumer trust.

For the environment & communities

• Reduced deforestation and chemical run-off.
• Improved biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Improved social welfare and community development projects.

 

Why these benefits matter

By establishing a common baseline across the coffee and cocoa supply chains, 4C certification creates shared expectations and measurable improvements – enabling all stakeholders to collaborate more effectively on sustainability goals, while ensuring that smallholder farmers, supply chain actors, brands and consumers all share in the social, economic and environmental benefits.

For more information regarding on our 4C Certification Services kindly please send us email to info@transcert.com.my or contact our direct-line +60139108724.