The Sustainable Coffee Activist Network
David Iozzi
Undergraduate Research: Bennett
2
One of seven FT certification labels used by the 17 certifiers
The Sustainable Coffee Activist Network
If, on your next trip to your favorite coffee shop, a leaflet-dispersing sustainable coffee
activist happens shove a slip of paper into your hand, take some time and look up the Internet
address printed near the bottom. It will plunge you into a dense network of activist organizations
all dumping buckets of information and messages into your computer. The web of links and
partnerships woven by these organizations appears, at first glance, to have a completely random
structure. However, after a little examination, it becomes reasonably comprehensible and begins
to unravel. To untangle the network, it is best to adopt the Fairtrade Labeling Organizations
International (FLO) as a starting point and then follow the flow of information as it surges out
through the web.
FLO and the Coffee Trail
The Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International is an umbrella organization in charge
of coordinating the efforts of the seventeen Fair Trade certifiers, or National Initiatives. Each of
these certifiers operates exclusively within one country and is responsible for certifying,
marketing, and promoting Fair Trade coffee within that country. Before the coffee enters an
importing nation, however, FLO remains in charge and maintains contracts with coop members,
coops, exporters, and importers dealing in Fair Trade coffee. Then, after the
coffee is imported, one of the seventeen Fair Trade certifiers takes over. Fair
Trade roasters, distributors, and retailers maintain contracts with one of these
National Initiatives and may display the Initiative�s label on their products to
verify that they are Fair Trade certified (see Fig. 1).
FLO, created in 1997, provides the Fair Trade certification process
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with uniformity and greatly increased efficiency. Since FLO oversees the growing, processing,
and importing of Fair Trade coffee, each National Initiative does not have to certify those steps
individually and can thereby avoid unnecessarily duplicating the efforts of the other National
Initiatives. The National Initiatives step onto the scene only when duplication is no longer a
concern and, even after they enter the picture, FLO still governs their certification criteria. As a
result, a Fair Trade label holds the same meaning in Switzerland as in the United States and Fair
Trade coffee producers do not have to adhere to multiple sets of standards.
Fig. 1: FLO and the Coffee Trail
* Key located at end of document
COOPS
FT IMPORTERSFLO
FT ROASTER/DISTRIBUTORS
NATIONAL INITIATIVES CONSUMERS
PLANTATION WORKERS
LARGE LANDOWNERS
EXPORTERS
PROCESSORS
IMPORTERS
FT RETAILERS
RETAILERS
ROASTER/DISTRIBUTORS
LOCAL MIDDLEMEN
SMALL FARMERS
COOP MEMBERS
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National Initiatives and Fair Trade Retailers
In addition to certifying coffee, the National Initiatives are responsible for supporting
Fair Trade retailers by increasing consumer demand for Fair Trade products. However, the
National Initiatives are not without help. The sustainable coffee network has developed largely
around this end and, consequently, scores of actors are simultaneously working to increase the
demand for sustainable coffee. Of these actors, the group most closely linked to the National
Initiatives is the collection Fair Trade coffee companies with whom the Initiatives have contracts.
Many of the merchants selling Fair Trade coffee do so out of a sense of moral obligation and are
therefore deeply involved in spreading the movement�s message. In a late May lecture, Deborah
James remarked that, �there are some great people in the coffee industry.� These companies
headed by the people Deborah alluded to sell only sustainable coffee and are thus set apart from
companies such as Starbucks and Seattle�s Best Coffee. These companies, in contrast, sell a
limited amount of sustainable coffee and are not likely to propagate the movement�s message
even though they have contracts with TransFair USA.
Many of the companies that TransFair USA, the National Initiative in the
United States, has contracts with, such as Peace Coffee and Equal Exchange among
others, actively work to increase consumer demand for Fair Trade coffee (see Fig 2).
These companies dedicate large sections of their websites to spreading the
movement�s message and educating web-surfers about sustainable coffee. For
example, Equal Exchange, a Massachusetts based coffee retailer, hosts a website that supplies
detailed definitions of Fair Trade, shade-grown, and organic coffees, accompanied by
descriptions of their benefits. In addition, the site provides a �get-involved� section with multiple
links for those interested in further pursuing the issue.
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Similarly, about a dozen other of TransFair USA�s partner companies offer comparable
sites and together they throw a considerable amount of information at coffee drinkers. The story
is much the same abroad with each National Initiative following a parallel strategy. For example,
Café Direct, Equal Exchange UK, and Tradecraft, have the same type of relationship with the
Fairtrade Foundation of Great Britain and the United Kingdom�s coffee drinking population.
Fig. 2: National Initiatives and Fair Trade Retailers
* Key located at end of document
U.S. FT ROASTER/DISTRIBUTOR
NATIONAL INITIATIVES
U.S. CONSUMERS
U.S. FT RETAILERS U.S. RETAILERS
U.S. ROASTERS/DISTRIBUTORS
TF AUSTRIA MH FRANCE
FTF GREAT BRITAIN
MH DENMARK
TF ITALY
MH BELGIUM
TF GERMANY
MH NORWAY
TF JAPAN
FTM IRELAND
RKE FINLAND TFM LUXEMBOURG
FR SWEDEN
MHS SWITZERLAND
SMH NETHERLANDS
TRANSFAIR USA
TRANSFAIR CANADA
EQUAL EXCHANGE
PEACE COFFEE
CAFÉ CAMPESINO
DEAN�S BEANS
CLOUDFOREST INITIATIVES
10,000 VILLAGES
THANKSGIVING COFFEE
OTHER DOMESTIC MARKETS
SERRV
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Activist Organizations
Beyond the sustainable coffee companies, and not linked to the National Initiatives by
any contracts, are the sustainable coffee activist organizations. Unlike the coffee companies,
these organizations do not focus on selling products. Rather, they exist for the sole purpose of
pursuing one or more campaigns. While the mass of links between these groups has no clear
center, a number of important focal points are identifiable. In the United States, TransFair USA,
Global Exchange, and Oxfam America provide the most important organizational hubs.1
TransFair USA is by far the most frequently linked to organization in the movement and
the certifier�s web site even has a detailed description of how to link other sites to it. TransFair
itself maintains several links to major activist organizations highlighted by an exceptionally
strong tie to Global Exchange�a fellow Bay Area-based human rights group that boasts one of
the most visible sustainable coffee campaigns. The relationship between these two organizations
developed largely because their methods, mission, and location are very compatible. TransFair,
because it works extensively with companies, cannot engage in anti-corporate campaigns and
instead must maintain reasonably good relationships with coffee companies. They of course
attempt to convert companies to Fair Trade, but do so by way of educational campaigns detailing
the benefits of Fair Trade coffee.
However, since educational campaigns do not always sway companies, the working
partnership with Global Exchange becomes important. Global Exchange pursues multiple anti-
corporate campaigns dealing with a variety of issues at any given time and currently is involved
in campaigns against both Starbucks and Folgers. Since TransFair USA has a contract with
1 While the sustainable coffee network, and the information flow it facilitates, is transnational, the groups that form the network, with the exception of umbrella organizations usually do not operate in more than one importing country.
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Starbucks, it would be ill advised for them to aggressively pressure the coffee giant to carry more
Fair Trade coffee�thus, the pressure from Global exchange becomes beneficial.
Oxfam, another human rights NGO, operates in much the same way as Global Exchange.
Both Global Exchange and Oxfam provide resource packets supplying activists with leaflets,
instructions, and contact information. They also maintain list-serves and are in frequent contact
with their activist base. Both organizations, especially Global Exchange, link to multiple other
activist groups.
Fig. 3: Links Between Activist Organizations
* Key located at end of document
A particularly prominent cluster of activist organizations within the movement is the
closely-knit group of environmental and migratory bird groups linked to TransFair USA, Oxfam,
and Global Exchange (See Fig. 3). These organizations generally take a less hostile position
TRANSFAIR USA
TRANSFAIR CANADA
EQUITERRE
ATLANTA AUDUBON
STARC
OCA PESTICIDE NET
SEATTLE AUDUBON
RAINFOREST ALLIANCE
AMERICAN BIRDING ASSOC
SMITHSONIAN BIRD CENTER
CONSERVATION INT�L
OXFAM GLOBAL EXCHANGE
STUDENT CAMPAIGNS
ENLISTED ACTIVISTS
SONGBIRD FND
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when it comes to coffee companies, preferring to work with these companies rather than against
them. Conservation International even has a working relationship with Starbucks and shares a
joint website with the coffee retailer. Furthermore, because these organizations are primarily
concerned with migratory birds and other environmental issues, they are
beginning to develop shade coffee certification to compliment the Fair
Trade certification provided by FLO. The Smithsonian Migratory Bird
Center is at the forefront of this effort and provides a label for certified
shade-grown coffee (Shown at right).
Umbrella Organizations
Providing additional links between activist organizations, umbrella organizations make
up another important group of actors in the sustainable coffee movement and serve to create and
strengthen links between their member organizations (see Fig. 4). Umbrella organizations come
in two types. First, there are those like FLO who become deeply involved in the movement. The
sole purpose of FLO and all of its member organizations is to promote Fair Trade. Second, there
are those like IFAT, IFOAM, the Consumer�s Choice Council, and EFTA. These organizations
do not involve themselves directly in the sustainable coffee movement, but rather become
involved in broader movements such as sustainable agriculture or fairer producer-consumer
relationships in general. Some of these groups� member organizations may involve themselves
deeply in the sustainable coffee movement but many will not, The value of this second type of
umbrella organizations lies in the connections they form between members, allowing members to
support each other�s ideas and campaigns. The Consumer�s Choice Council�s web site, for
example, contains a document titled, �The Conservation Principles of Coffee Production,� signed
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by sixteen different organizations. Some of these, such as Conservation International and the
Seattle Audubon Society are centrally involved in the sustainable coffee movement. Others like
Greenpeace and the National Wildlife Federation are involved only on the periphery.
Nevertheless, they agree with the movement�s message and are able to express their support
through their involvement in the Consumer�s Choice Counsel. Other umbrella organizations
serve similar functions, supplying the network with both uniformity and connectivity.
Fig. 4: Umbrella Organizations
* Key located at end of document
CONSUMER�S CHOICE COUNCIL
IFAT
EFTA
IFOAM
OXFAM
EQUAL EXCHANGE
SEATTLE AUDUBON
NATIONAL AUDUBON
ATLANTA AUDUBON
FT Organisatie
OCA
10,000 VILLAGES
SERRV
CAFÉ DIRECTCOOP AMERICA
FAIRTRADE FED
PESTICIDE NET
RAINFOREST ALLIANCE
SONGBIRD FND
TRANSFAIR USA
FLO
NATIONAL INITIATIVES
OTHER MEMBERS
OTHER MEMBERS
OTHER MEMBERS
OTHER MEMBERS
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Getting the Message out
From under the umbrella organizations and out of the activist hubs the messages and
campaigns hit the consumer. These messages come in a variety of forms. They may be the
reports of umbrella organizations, the educational campaigns of certifiers and environmental
groups, the anti-corporate campaigns of labor activists, the
student voices of campus campaigns, data from a multitude of
informational organizations such as Sustainable Sources, or the
leaflets handed out by a human rights activist. To tap into this
cornucopia of information, just search for �sustainable coffee� on your nearest computer and
open one of the hundreds of links your search will produce.
Fig. 5: Getting the Message Out
HUMAN RIGHTS/ LABOR GROUPS
ENVIRONMENTAL/MIGRATORY BIRD GROUPS
ORGANIC FOOD GROUPS
FAIR TRADE COFFEE RETAILERS
ENLISTED ACTIVISTS
INFORMATIONAL WEBSITES
SUSTAINABLE SOURCES
CONSUMERS
CONCERNED CITIZENS
RETAILERS
STUDENT CAMPAIGNS
* Key located at end of document
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MAP
• A bolded box indicates that the group named in the box is of special importance to that specific diagram.
• A dashed boarder around a box indicates that the group named in the box is an
umbrella organization.
• Both green and blue are used to indicate the Consumer�s Choice Council. This is because the
CCC is both a human rights organization and an environmental organization.
STRONG LINKS
LINKS
CONTRACTS
EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN
ANTI-CORPORATE/OTHER HOSTILE CAMPAIGN
PATH OF COFFEE
HUMAN RIGHTS/ LABOR GROUP
ENVIRONMENTAL/MIGRATORY BIRD GROUP
ORGANIC FOOD GROUP
ACTOR IN THE COFFEE PATH
SPECIFIC COFFEE RETAILER
OTHER ACTOR
KEY
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