What is triple certified coffee?
Published on Feb 10, 2011
The social and environmental impact of the coffee we choose to drink often goes unrecognised whilst we leisurely sip our freshly brewed coffee as part of a daily ritual.
With the launch of our latest Haute Culture coffee blend, Le Cafe Vert, some of you may be asking what triple certified actually means? The simple answer is a coffee blend whereby the production has achieved certification as being Fair Trade, Organically grown and produced in line with Rainforest Alliance guidelines.
So what do these familiar words and logos on your bag of coffee mean exactly? Here is a brief description of how and why each certification is awarded:
Fair Trade Certified – Fair Trade is a market-based approach to creating better, more sustainable trading and social conditions in developing countries, many of which produce the beautiful coffee we love to drink. A premium price is paid for the coffee, not only to support the sustainability of the coffee farms and provide essential income in the highly competitive export market but the farmers must also use some of the money to satisfy certain criteria (e.g. investment in health care and Education) intended to increase social and environmental standards for workers, their families and the local community.
For more information on Fair Trade Coffee, see the Learn about Fairtrade coffee article.
Certified Organic – This certification means that the coffee has been grown free of any harmful chemicals i.e. fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides and in most cases, the coffee will be shade grown. The advantage of coffee being organically grown is that it protects farm-workers, wildlife and the environment from dangerous and toxic chemicals.
Rainforest Alliance Certified – For your coffee to be given the seal of approval of the Rainforest Alliance logo, the farm must comply with the 10 standards established by the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN). Being Rainforest Alliance certified essentially means that the coffee farms have a good standard of wildlife protection and maintenance, ecosystem conservations, low or no use of pesticides and good working conditions for its workers.
To learn more about Rainforest Alliance coffee, see the What is Rainforest Alliance coffee article.
Although it is very rare to find a 100% Triple Certified coffee, there is no doubt that Triple Certified coffees, such as our Le Cafe Vert espresso blend, is the best choice for any socially, environmentally and economically conscious coffee drinker. Not only does your choice have an impact on the harsh conditions for the coffee farms, wildlife, ecosystem and surrounding communities in developing countries but the emphasis of these 3 certifications is on sustainability, so it means that your love for coffee can long continue.
See our full range of Fairtrade, Organic and Rainforest Alliance coffees.
Members of the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe