MEMBER OF THE MONTH

November 2009: UTZ CERTIFIED

UTZ CERTIFIED was founded in 1997 by Guatemalan coffee producers and the Dutch coffee roaster Ahold Coffee Company.

The idea behind UTZ CERTIFIED was to create recognition for responsible coffee producers and tools for roasters and brands to respond to a growing demand for assurance of responsibly produced coffee.

The founders created an organization that could stand independently from the producers and the roasters. They chose the name "Utz Kapeh", which means "good coffee" in the Mayan language QuichÚ. An office was opened in Guatemala City in 1999. In 2002 the head office was opened in The Netherlands.

In March 2007, Utz Kapeh updated its name to UTZ CERTIFIED 'Good Inside'. This updated name combines the confidence in our model and the pride of our heritage with clearer communication for the international market.

UTZ CERTIFIED is responsible for creating an open and transparent marketplace for agricultural products. In just over five years UTZ CERTIFIED has grown to be one of the leading coffee certification programs worldwide, and is now expanding to become a multi-commodity program.

UTZ CERTIFIED's vision is to achieve sustainable agricultural supply chains, that meet the growing needs and expectations of farmers, the food industry and consumers alike.

With its in-depth Code of Conduct, the program gives independent assurance of sustainable production and sourcing and offers online real-time traceability of agricultural products back to their origin.

Worldwide, the concept of coffee quality among consumers is growing. Taste is important, but there is also growing interest in the conditions in which the coffee was made. Food legislation in Europe, America and Japan is also moving in the direction of transparency of origin and traceability of the final product. The UTZ CERTIFIED program provides the assurance of responsible coffee production and sourcing that coffee drinkers expect.

Traceability (where does my coffee come from?):

A web-based “Track and Trace System” follows the UTZ CERTIFIED coffee through the chain from grower to roaster. This gives buyers insight into where their coffee really comes from.

UTZ CERTIFIED's “Chain of Custody” criteria assure that UTZ CERTIFIED coffee is not mixed with non-certified coffee.

Code of Conduct (how was my coffee produced?):

The UTZ CERTIFIED Code of Conduct is based on the principles of good agricultural practices.

UTZ CERTIFIED translated the EUREPGAP Protocol to the specific conditions of coffee production in 1997. Criteria from ILO (International Labor Organization) Conventions have also been added. The result is the UTZ CERTIFIED Code of Conduct: an internationally accepted code for responsible coffee production.

The UTZ CERTIFIED program is based on the UTZ CERTIFIED “Code of Conduct”, a set of social and environmental criteria for responsible coffee growing practices and efficient farm management. Coffee producers who are UTZ CERTIFIED comply with this Code of Conduct.

Independent certifiers conduct annual inspections to ensure producers comply with the requirements of the UTZ CERTIFIED Code of Conduct.

The UTZ CERTIFIED Code of Conduct includes elements such as standards for record keeping, minimized and documented use of agrochemicals for crop protection, protection of labour rights and access to health care and education for employees and their families.
The criteria of the UTZ CERTIFIED Code of Conduct fall into 3 categories:

i) Good agricultural and business practices

• monitoring business processes
• record keeping of fertilizers & agro chemicals
• good housekeeping practices
• workers trained properly
• implementation of accident and emergency procedures
• implementation of hygiene rules and practices
• traceability of coffee
• annual internal inspections

ii) Social criteria

• workers are protected by national laws and ILO conventions regarding wage, working hours,
• safe and healthy working conditions
• no forced labor or child labor
• freedom of association and collective bargaining
• workers receive training in their own language about safe handling of chemicals
• workers receive protective clothing for the use of chemicals
• respectful treatment of workers
• access to health care for the workers and their families
• access to education for children
• access to decent housing
• access to clean drinking water
• freedom of cultural expression

iii) Environmental criteria

• reduce and prevent soil erosion
• responsible and minimal use of agrochemicals
• implementation of Integrated Pest Management
• minimize water usage and environmental pollution
• minimize energy use
• optimize use of sustainable energy sources
• treatment of contaminated water
• protecting water sources
• no deforestation of primary forests
• use of native tree species as coffee shade trees
• protecting endangered species

Coffee producers are UTZ CERTIFIED when an independent certifier approved by UTZ CERTIFIED determines that the producer is in compliance with the requirements of the UTZ CERTIFIED Code of Conduct. This inspection is repeated annually.
Continuous improvement:

The Code of Conduct is evaluated and revised every year through an internal and external revision procedure, using as input the experiences of producers, agronomists and certifiers working with the code. Technological, economic and social developments in the coffee industry are also included. UTZ CERTIFIED consults with stakeholders throughout the coffee industry and with the EurepGap technical standards committee.

Contact us:

UTZ CERTIFIED
The Netherlands - Head Office
UTZ CERTIFIED Foundation,
De Ruyterkade 6, 1013 AA,
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Tel: +31 20 530 8000
Fax: +31 20 530 8099
E-mail: info@utzcertified.org; certifiers@utzcertified.org
Website: www.utzcertified.org

UTZ CERTIFIED
Kenya
Producer information Africa and India
Mr. Karugu Macharia
P. O Box 1159 - 00606
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 (0)20 236 562
Cell: +254 (0)722 723 916
E-mail: karugu.macharia@utzcertified.org

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