Cimbali Group UK has been recognised in the 2025 UK’s Best Workplaces in Manufacturing, Production & Transportation list, in the ‘Small & Medium’ size category. 

Safety and inclusivity are also central to the workplace, with 88% affirming it is a physically safe environment. At Cimbali Group UK, every individual matters, and professional growth is actively encouraged. It is not uncommon to see employees progress from baristas to engineers, showcasing the company’s belief in unlocking potential and enabling diverse career journeys.

The Best Workplaces in Manufacturing, Production & Transportation list is created using anonymous employee feedback about workplace experience. The Best Workplace survey is the world’s largest study of workplace culture and people practices, recognised globally as the gold standard of employer awards. Rankings are based primarily (85%) on employees’ feedback about trust, values, and their ability to reach their full potential, benchmarked against industry peers. The remaining 15% reflects how consistently employees experience innovation, leadership effectiveness, and company values across all levels of the organisation.

Louise Felton, Group Regional Director, UK & Ireland, commented: “Being recognised as a Great Place to Work UK is a significant milestone for us, as it reflects the value we place on our people. This recognition makes us proud and reinforces our commitment to building a more inclusive, inspiring, and forward-looking workplace every day. This accomplishment belongs to all of us, and together we will continue moving forward towards an even brighter future.”

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He is the former owner of Taylor Maid Farms, an organic educational farm and coffee roastery in Occidental, California, and the founder of the Organic Coffee Association (ORCA).

Over the years, Inman has served as President of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), Chair of World Coffee Events (WCE), and Chair of the Roaster’s Guild (RG). He is also a longtime co-host of The Exchange, a podcast by Covoya Specialty Coffee, and continues to serve as a board member for the U.S. chapter of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance.

“Mark brings a wealth of experience in every segment of the coffee value chain—from farming and roasting to trade and advocacy,” says the USWIC team. “His insight and leadership will help us strengthen our mission to connect and empower women in coffee across the United States.”

Inman shared his enthusiasm for joining the USWIC board:

“I’ve seen firsthand how essential women are to the future of coffee. USWIC is creating real opportunities for leadership, education, and equity, and I’m honored to support that work.”

The Board of Directors is thrilled to welcome Mr. Inman to the USWIC Board. Mr. Inman’s decades of industry leadership, dedication to sustainability, and proven ability to build meaningful connections across the coffee value chain establish him as a vital contributor to our leadership team.

About U.S. Women in Coffee

USWIC is the U.S. chapter of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA), a global nonprofit dedicated to empowering women in the coffee value chain. By fostering collaboration, education, and market access, USWIC helps create a stronger, more inclusive future for coffee.

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Her PhD examines gender gaps in the coffee industry with historical analysis and case studies focused on Kenya. In 2024, she launched her Gender in Coffee course, focused on the historic discrimination and ongoing challenges particular to women in coffee. Dr. Koss is a regular contributor to several coffee publications and businesses such as Urnex, as well as a frequent speaker.

She is working on her first book of creative non-fiction.

To learn more about her work and her travels, follow her Substack newsletter:
https://erikakoss.substack.com or on Instagram @aworldinyourcup.

Dr. Koss, let us start with the concept you created called the ‘Gendered coffee paradox’: what does it consist of and where do we stand today?

“It is an expression I created during my PhD studies, with the aim of finding a way to make a broad concept more concise: I asked myself what the problem was and secondly how to communicate it in the most direct way possible. The focus on a “coffee paradox” was inspired by reading a book with that title, ‘The Coffee Paradox’, written by two social scientists and published in 2005.

This started as I was working on my second Master’s Degree in political science: it was then that I had to consult many texts related to global supply chains, from anthropological, sociological, economic points of view. After reading many, many coffee books, it was clear that a fundamental part was missing in all these readings. Where were the women’s stories? Where were women in these books?

How could it be that despite so many books about coffee, an industry in which women endoteli play a fundamental role, no one was publishing their stories?

The “coffee paradox,” from the 2005 book, focused on global markets and coffee supply chains, where there is an evident imbalance between the production and consumer zones, between the North and the South of the Planet. All this is clear and true, but the authors didn’t discuss another big gap: the lack of in-depth study dedicated to women working in all parts of coffees’ global value chain.

Coffee has a huge gender gap, and one day working on my doctoral dissertaton, I thought to myself: this could be called “the gender coffee paradox.” There is a quote I referred to at this point in my journey: ‘If there is a book you would like to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you have to write it’. – from a 1981 speech by Toni Morrison, delivered at the Ohio Arts Council (in the US).

So faced with the evidence that there are so many women in the industry – we all know this, we are aware of it – and that, despite this, it remains that very little attention goes to women, I wanted to make a different contribution.

I write about this paradox of invisibility: why is it that women do most of the work on the plantations and yet men – especially in Africa where men hold the land titles – still, for the most part, receive the money, the credit, the power?

But it’s not just on the producing side. The gender coffee paradox arises also in the Global North, and I’ve had students or heard stories from all parts of the supply chain: do women feel their voices are heard? Even when women get to top positions, do they really feel entitled to step up and advocated for other women? Sometimes the answer is often, unfortunately, no.

I have tried to convey all this within the single axiom of the ‘gender coffee paradox’ to try to summarize this coffee Gender Gap: an entire system that produces coffee and relies on this unjust dynamic between men and women.”

Is the condition of women the same in all growing countries in your experience? And compared to women in consuming countries?

“Indeed, further reflection is needed to answer this question fully and with depth. My Master’s degree focused on the realities in Rwanda. My doctoral degree focused on Kenya. I’ve travelled all around the world for coffee, and I can say, also as a teacher with several years of experience in online supply chain and sustainability courses, that I have had contact with female students from all over the world and from different professions: unfortunately, each time, I have collected several accounts of abuses of power and sexual harassment in the workplace and beyond.

Many of us women, myself included, have experienced such incidents in more ways than one, not only in the coffee industry.

There are chain events of violence, discrimination, and not only sexual, which diminish our value as human beings. Often it is even more difficult for women to denounce and speak out about these mechanisms, because it is almost perceived as something acquired that happens normally. Not many people talk about it because it is scary, but it happens on a daily basis. Often we don’t speak out becuase we’re afraid if we do, we will lose our jobs or the possibility of a job—and we need the money to care for ourselves or our children.

That is why I wanted to focus on women: there are such paradoxes all along the chain, from the origins to the consumer countries. It is something that women experience differently than men, and it is very present in the coffee industry.

Often, especially in Kenya where I live, or elsewhere on trips, I am on the only woman at a cupping table, or on a rural coffee trip. Why does this happen? Often in Kenya, I observe that most of the buyers and roasters who visit are men. It cannot be that there are no women in these jobs – but who gets to go on the trips?

With regard to Italy specifically, I have learned some significant data from an Italian female coffee professional: there are a total of 80 ASTs in Italy, the SCA trainers, and of these only eight are women. This already tells a lot.

So ultimately, with respect to the question, here’s what I can say: I have observed, based on my experience in contact with so many coffee professionals and coffee students around the world, that the “gendered coffee paradox” exists and contains within it various factors that are then expressed differently depending on the country in which it is analysed.

It’s important to add here: we have to look at context. I hope more women will voice and share their storeis from their own life experiences, in coffee and beyond.

For exmaple, I used to live in Canada, and I see the gendered paradox operating differently there, than in Kenya, but it is certainly present in both cases.”

Is there any data that tells us about the current working and social conditions of women in coffee?

Koss: “When it comes to women and coffee, there is very little accurate data. This was a big motivation for me to pursue my Phd. I wanted to try to make a contribution to my field of research: international development and political science.

I did not just want to complain about the lack of presence of information and data: I wanted to check whether I was actually right about this first impression of lack of data. Finally through more than 160 interviews, both men and women in East Africa also confirmed the existence of this imbalance. Both men and women confirmed in interviews that we must work together to make our coffee systems fairer. Remember – gender is not just about women: It’s about making a better world to our children, of whatever gender, without fear.”

Koss, tell us about the case study you examined, on the state of Kenya?

“To sum up, I decided to focus on the farmers’ point of view, precisely where the greatest challenge exists and fewer stories are published. In Kenya, women are very much present on all the farms, from picking and sorting to processing. Women farmers themselves urged me to share and publish their storeis. Here, it is always women you can see in the rural areas, carring coffee cherries on their heads and shoulders, even for dozens of kilometres up and down hills. Too often, washing stations are far from their farms or fields, and this task of carrying the drupes on their shoulders for a very long and bumpy journey, belongs to the women, according to cultural norms. This is also true for carrying water, which is also very heavy and hard to carry long distances.

I also observed strong connections between the ‘gender coffee paradox’ and ongoing effects of colonialism. Although Kenya fought for its independence and gained it in 1963, there are still dynamics and procedures today, for example, the trading and transportation of coffee in and out of the country, which continue different structures imposed by the British.

For an example, we can consider the issue of land titles. Before the British arrived, land ownership was communal, not based on individual land ownership. They imposed the concept of the legal need for a “title deed” to own land. After independence, this land tenure protocol remained in vogue. With the new Constitution in 2010, women in Kenya are legally allowed to hold land, but sometimes, customary or cultural norms may effectively excludes them.

This matters in the context of coffee because if women do not have access to the title, they may not be financially independent, or able to access a bank account, or obtain payment for their coffee. In some cases therefore, money does not go into women’s pockets, despite the fact that it is they who do the hard physical labour on farms.

But the picture is not all bleak, because in Kenya and beyond, there are so many excellent examples of women leaders. So many, I have had the pleasure to meet, some in my dissertation, are working so diligently to change things in their sphere.

The coffee sector is complex. I’m a social scientist – so no one should make the same argument for all cultures, histories, traditions, languages, religions: one strategy for improvement is to consider ways to bring women forward into roles of power in the different ways possible in different contexts.

Today, many NGOs and coffee corporations are moving to promote models of education and training, including different kinds of interventions. Sometimes this comes with agricultural experts going to farms – but it’s important that women can attend trainings at times or dates convinent for them. Remember women often do not have extra time or energy to add on all kinds of extra things.

They are already doing so much, caring for business and family, and trying to see that their children are educated. Paradoxically, again, sometimes the people attending trainings or classes are men, who may not convey the informations to women, who are the ones doing the manual and physical labour, every day.

Quite simply, let us first ask the women themselves what they need, without then thinking of explaining to them what they really need. Let us listen to them all along the chain: it seems obvious but it is not always what happens. One great solution I have seen at work is the GALS theory and training, which stands for “Gender Action Learning System.”

It was created by sociologist Linda Mayoux in partnership with agricultural communities, including a coffee cooperative in Uganda. I have seen examples of this success because it involves both men and women in the training process to transforms households and communities. In East Africa there are many success stories derived from the application of this system in coffee.

The issue of time for training remains a point to be worked on: the system must be supportive of women, taking into account the actual working hours and workloads they have to bear so that they can also attend classes. Training and research should also take into account if and when children are in school. Women’s schedules differ based on the people they need to care for.

It is very difficult for a working woman, who has to take into account many children or elderly care duties even at the same time, to find time for her own education. One should not only consider the cost part of these courses, but also the real life part that they have to bear. I see some women being left behind in these ways.

Support for women must be concrete, not just words, in terms of accessibility, in terms of
facilitating sustainability and gender equity. Governments should offer more social supports to its citizens, in general, but now in the 21st century, many non-profit organisations, coffee companies, and proactive assocations created by women are stepping forward and opening more opportunities for women.

To conclude, I can repeat: people who work with women in coffee: please ask and really listen to what women are asking for. Without assuming a priori how and on what to intervene.

I see so many examples of people trying to improve things and this often comes from women’s networking and trying to communicate together. The coffee industry is filled with many examples of strong female leaders who are working to make gender equity a reality. I have seen it from Mexico to Indonesia, and all over in between.

We women exist, we are here, and I hope more and more women will share their stories, so there will be more collections in the future in all different art forms. One person at a time, there will be more and one day we will go to the library to read about the world of coffee from a woman’s point of view.”

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This recognition confirms a path the company has been following for years, placing people at the center, and translating corporate values into concrete actions, in line with the inclusive culture it has always embraced.

Rhea has long implemented a range of concrete initiatives to ensure gender equality, focusing on raising awareness around inclusivity issues through targeted training programs that provide everyone with the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of these topics. The aim is to create a virtuous cycle of behavior that foster a culture of respect and openness to diversity.

“At Rhea, we strive to build an environment that values the uniqueness of each individual and the diversity that unites us all,” emphasizes Virginia D’Agata, People & Organization Manager of Rhea. “Rhea is a place where people can grow and express their potential in a context of respect and opportunity.”

Flexible working hours, remote work, part-time options, corporate welfare programs, and initiatives aimed at people’s well-being are just some of the concrete measures implemented to support work-life balance.

Another pillar of this strategy is the Women Spark project, an initiative that promotes professional growth and support for women – and beyond – within the company. Its goal is to reduce the gender gap, foster equal career opportunities for everyone, and encourage better collaboration regardless of gender or role. Women Spark goes beyond training and mentoring; it continuously evolves through new projects and programs focused on development and networking.

Rhea is also committed to social issues such as the prevention of violence in relationships. Through an awareness-raising initiative involving all employees, Rhea aims to promote a safe and respectful work environment for everyone, ensuring a peaceful and harmonious life in the workplace, within families and across society, by creating a true “Effetto ECO”, a path designed and implemented by the Di Vasto-Bono law firm, based in Saronno.

About Rhea

Rhea, founded by Aldo Doglioni Majer in 1960, is one of the largest producers of automatic machines for coffee breaks in the world.

For over sixty years, Rhea has stood out for its wide international reach, high-level design, state-of-the-art technology, and ‘Made in Italy’ excellence. With headquarters and manufacturing based in the province of Varese and foreign branches in 10 countries, Rhea is proud of having spread coffee break culture to over 100 countries around the world.

From a global player in vending to a pioneer in the introduction of vending to the new retail, hospitality and out-of-home sectors, Rhea confirms its mission to interpret and often anticipate a constantly evolving market.

Rhea’s new proposals revolutionize the very concept of hospitality, both in business and domestic contexts, with a value proposition that improves the coffee break moment.

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Since the inception of its “Ending Hunger, One Cup At A Time” initiative Pintail Coffee has donated the equivalent of 555,000 meals through the Feeding America® national networks of food banks, including Island Harvest Food Bank on Long Island.

The Minority & Women’s Business Award, sponsored by National Grid, recognizes minority, women and LGBTQ businesses for their success and is consistent with The Business Council’s core belief of promoting economic growth and prosperity for all. Fifty-five businesses from across New York State were nominated by state legislators for this year’s award. New York State Senator Monica Martinez nominated Pintail Coffee. The awards ceremony was held on September 19, 2024, at the Sagamore Hotel in Bolton Landing on Lake George, NY.

“This award highlights our continuous efforts to uplift minority- and women-owned businesses within the coffee industry, ensuring we contribute to a more inclusive and equitable business environment,” said Mr. Hossain, a successful immigrant from Bangladesh, who was instrumental in the development of the K-Cup and other packaging technologies. “We are deeply grateful to our team, partners, and customers for their ongoing support in making this mission possible. We will continue to brew change, empower communities, and serve hope.”

Hossain ‘s motivation for creating Pintail Coffee to help fight hunger was based on witnessing, first-hand, the devastating nutritional, emotional and developmental effects of hunger and food insecurity in his home country and around the world.

Ms. Hossain added, “As part of our commitment to making a positive impact, 100 percent of our profits are donated to help end hunger. We believe that no one should go without a meal, and by sharing the success of our business, we aim to fight food insecurity on a global scale. With every cup of Pintail Coffee, you enjoy a high-quality brew and support the mission to create a world where everyone can access nutritious food.”

“Congratulations to Pintail Coffee on their success and mission to feed the hungry,” said Heather Briccetti Mulligan, president & CEO of The Business Council, in a press release. “The Business Council is proud to recognize Pintail Coffee with the Minority & Women’s Business Award. It is truly an honor to shine a light on the many remarkable businesses across the state that are led by hardworking individuals of all races, colors, and creeds.”

“Pintail Coffee Inc. exemplifies what it means to be a community-driven business, making an impact far beyond its roastery,” said Sen. Martinez. “The company’s commitment to donating all profits to hunger relief is a testament to the power of purpose-driven entrepreneurship. I am proud to have nominated it for this well-deserved recognition.”

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Democratic Republic of Congo: on paper, a fertile place for the bean

In that its soil is particularly fertile and the easternmost area was for a good while a fairly profitable and active production area. That was until the outbreak of war, which adversely affected the performance of the agricultural regions.

Another side effect: it is currently complicated to count the exact volumes of coffee grown, and many farmers-especially the women who make up 80 percent of the workforce on the plantations-face challenges that are increasingly impossible to sustain.

One possible solution is to lean on local Associations

Such as Association Solidarite des Cooperations pour le Developpement et la Vulgarisation Agricole (SOCODEVA), which was established in 2014 precisely to support smallholders and women farmers to better manage their farms above all obstacles (it has currently reached out and involved 3,000 farmers in a mutual aid network in case someone goes through moments of particular crisis).

This organism also helps to better enter the market, which is often difficult for small-scale farmers to reach, and to find some sort of economic independence. It provides materials and equipment as well, with a system that rewards those who can bring in a greater volume of raw material.

All this in exchange for a fee of 2,000 Congolese francs, which precisely is used to make cash to cover the critical needs of the members themselves.

This, however, may be only a temporary solution to a problem that seems destined to haunt the Democratic Republic of Congo for a long time to come, leading not only to higher prices but also to the exacerbation of the phenomenon of smuggling coffee out of the nation, which in turn leads to the exploitation of local producers, especially women.

All of these factors are now driving many farmers to leave the fields or move to other crops, such as cocoa.

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At the age of 16, she was already immersed in the essence of running a family business. Her responsibilities included inventorying warehouses and assisting in various activities.

Rocío Hervella, an entrepreneur, a leader and an active part of industry associations and federations: how do you live all these roles together?

“With passion, organization and enormous responsibility. Passion is the engine that helps me to undertake daily work. Every day is full of challenges that I have to face by taking the right decisions. It is also essential to be perfectly organized, a task where my team is extremely helpful at.

And thirdly, I try to keep on listening and learning in order to be a better leader, which is what is expected of me. And I gladly accept it. I am passionate about everything I do.”

How important is it and does it make sense for a company like yours to be part of an association today?

“Of course being part of an association is very important for me. Today partnerships are the basis to search alliances and they are fundamental to continue growing and gaining share in your sector. Moreover, the value of these alliances lies in their expansive power, in such a way that all partners benefit and also grow at the same time as you do.

This way, the sum of diverse capabilities makes you gain that authorized voice that is heard outside the company, more powerful and well-founded. Associationism has also other obvious benefits.

It allows you to understand very diverse points of view and to enrich all involved parts with yours too; it helps to learn about trends and to anticipate measures that are already being applied in other places before they reach your country of origin. Undoubtedly, partnership is unnegotiable. This way of relating to others must be encouraged.”

Tell us about your other achievement, the IWEC award, what does it mean to you to have achieved this recognition and what does it mean for women in the industry?

“For me it was very important because it represents an international recognition to a leadership that in my case has never depended on gender shares. That way of leading teams without depending on gender, but on the capabilities of each person, is something that we have encouraged from day one at Prosol.

Besides that, it was an honor to be surrounded by other inspiring women of more than 100 nationalities whose trajectory is also a mirror for me and for many other women who try to overcome barriers or glass ceilings through entrepreneurship, which is the most powerful weapon of equality.”

We wish we didn’t have to ask ourselves this question anymore, but unfortunately it is still relevant: was it difficult to be the founder and leader of a company as a woman? Have things changed since PROSOL was started in 1998?

“I founded PROSOL with conviction. I worked, and continue to work, with that deep conviction. I was 29 years old and had a life ahead of me that I was able to combine with the growth of our company. It was inevitable to give up certain steps that a conventional motherhood does not usually face. But I knew I was doing the right thing even when I had no choice but to bring my children to work.

That also helped me to experience in person the need to implement multiple measures that make possible to reconcile work and personal life at PROSOL. Today we have almost 60 employees measures and we are constantly growing to cover all the needs and contingencies of our team.

Apart from that, I must point out that, as a woman, I have never felt that I was discriminated or that obstacles were put on purpose in my way. I firmly believe in the sum of abilities based on self-knowledge to find travel companions and to be able to achieve challenging projects.

This is something that will never change and translates into relying on a good team and
seeking alliances along the way.”

PROSOL has direct contact with the Horeca sector: how has this channel evolved and what is its current situation in Spain?

“It continues to recover from the pandemics’ effects and, since 2021, it has not stopped growing, recovering 2023 levels especially in the Mediterranean area and in the big capitals thanks to tourism and the increase in out-of-home consumption. Its growth is encouraging, although circumstances, such as inflation and the increase in energy costs, are jeopardizing this progress and slowing it down.”

On the other hand, how has domestic consumption changed, and do capsules represent the most popular mode of extraction in Spanish households?

“Today, capsules are chosen by one out of every five consumers at home. Data reveal that out of every 100 coffees drunk in Spain, more than 60 are consumed at home and the remaining are taken in bars and cafés.”

PROSOL and sustainability: what is still missing to reach emission neutrality and how did you make the domestic capsule compostable – maintaining the quality of the coffee contained inside and making its recycling effective? –

“Sustainability has been part of our DNA since we were born in 1998 – we have just celebrated our 25th anniversary. This objective guided us and continues to do so nowadays. PROSOL was the first Spanish company in the agri-food sector to obtain the ‘Zero Waste’ certification and, today, we are able to transform 97% of the waste we generate into resources.

Nevertheless, we have never been indulgent and we have always evolved at the pace of the times. That is why we are committed to Efficient Global Sustainability, a way of working that brings together the company’s policies on Human and Labor Rights, Health and Safety, Environmental Management and Corporate Social Responsibility.

We are bringing sustainability to processes and actions in all scopes and we do so through a roadmap that we have called the ‘PRONEUTRO Plan’.

Concerning emissions neutrality, we have made a huge progress in the past five years, and
2024 is a key date in this regard. Between 2019 and 2022 our emissions’ reduction was equivalent to protecting 46 hectares of forest. In that period, we have avoided moving almost 500 truckloads of waste and sludge management has generated energy to heat 490 homes.

And in 2024 PROSOL’s main milestone will be the commissioning of our biomass boiler, which we will start generating energy this year after a 13-million euro investment, the highest in our history, and that will reduce emissions by up to 56%, as well as transforming our main waste into our main source of energy.

The compostable capsule, disposable at home, is also aligned in the same direction. We carefully listened to consumers, who were strongly demanding this type of single-dose pod. So we decided to work on it.

We looked for partnerships and our innovation department worked for months to solve the problem of recycling capsules without losing any of their properties.

At PROSOL we are constantly innovating, and this has been one of our most recent milestones.”

How will you act with regard to the new European directives against deforestation (EUDR)?

“We are working to adapt to new regulations and I must point out that I fully share this
vocation.

In today’s world, we have to take care of our forests, the lungs of a planet that needs them more than ever. However, I am concerned about the impact that its implementation may have in Europe after 2025, as some aspects are not yet fully clear.

For PROSOL, these traceability requirements are not new, as we have been rigorously monitoring every step of the coffee’s long journey since our inception and we are certified as environmentally responsible producers.

And this is how it will continue to be. It is possible to work for the environment, but I have doubts as to whether all the actors in the chain will have the necessary muscle to withstand the regulation requirements. Personally, and even more from my responsibility as a member of the Executive Committee of the European Coffee Association and as Vice President of the Spanish Coffee Association, I am actively working to find the most
appropriate solution and, above all, to standardize the measures with a guide for all actors, large and small, that can be acceptable.”

What is your target market and which other countries are you targeting?

“Today PROSOL’s market is the whole world. From our factory, located in Venta de Baños, a
town of 6500 inhabitants, 14 million cups of coffee are shipped every day to more than 30
countries in the five continents. And we do not stop looking abroad because we want to
continue growing. We have a lot of experience. We know how to do things. That is why, among other reasons, we were able to maintain our market share in the British market after Brexit.

We are a reliable, proactive and expert producer. That is why our products are on the shelves of the best chains all over the world and are even marketed on Amazon through our own brand, Koffie Cup, which is gradually consolidating its position in this sales channel. We also use it as a test bench and where we have remained due to the success of our product.

What do you see in the future for single-dose and PROSOL? More technical innovations in production?

“Single-dose is currently in great shape, as is PROSOL. We have a perfectly consolidated
business project with enough financial muscle and expertise to face difficult times and even
overcome them by growing. That makes us be one of the reference companies in Europe.

Innovation, always present in our daily work, never stops. It is a constant. We listen to needs and trends in order to act accordingly. In the last five years we have also linked it to the digital transformation process in which the company is immersed, and which is making PROSOL a Digital Factory in which agility and efficiency in processes from a sustainable perspective are absolutely essential.

Thanks to the data, we are reducing and adjusting energy consumption and raw materials supply. At the same time, we are reinforcing circularity, which we promote from different scopes and continue to promote with full conviction and awareness. Our processes, as signatories of the UN Global Compact, have an impact on 11 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals included in the 2030 Agenda. Because, as confirmed during the pandemic, no one is stronger than all of us together.”

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Alongside the institutional presence of the UN, the Ambassadors and the delegates, the event was attended by Lavazza Group Board Member Francesca Lavazza and Veronica Rossi, Group Senior Sustainability Manager and Lavazza Foundation Director, who shared a message with delegates from Sheila Ampumuza, Sawa project representative and director, in which she highlighted the importance for many young women in Uganda of fostering education and technology.

The backdrop to the event was provided by the exhibition at the UN Delegates Entrance of the photographs featured in the 2024 Lavazza Calendar, which celebrate Africa, its people and its landscapes, with a special emphasis on empowering women and fostering entrepreneurship.

The Ujana Coffee project in Uganda

The Lavazza Foundation, in conjunction with NGO Sawa World, has launched the “Ujana Coffee” project to support young growers in Uganda, providing them with resources and promoting opportunities for change.

In three years, the project has led to the creation of 343 micro-enterprises in which about 40% of the participants are women – a very significant percentage considering the socio-economic context of the project area – who have successfully managed to create a virtuous cycle in which recognising the value of women’s contribution to coffee production triggers profound social change in their communities.

The Lavazza Foundation

The Lavazza Foundation, set up in 2004 and celebrating 20 years of activity this year, now has 33 active projects in 21 countries across three continents, benefiting nearly 200,000 coffee growers. Women’s empowerment is one of the key pillars of Lavazza Foundation projects.

By providing access to education, training, and resources, the Foundation is helping to break down barriers and empower women to take on leadership roles within their communities. This not only benefits individual women, but the entire coffee-growing community, while strengthening the coffee supply chain as a whole.

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The speakers dived into the fundamental principles and rights at work that serve as the foundation for sustainable economic growth in the coffee sector.

ILO’s webinar speakers:

Erika Almario Alvarado, Technical Secretary of the coffee chain, Government of the Huila, Colombia. Douglas Opio, Executive Director, Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE), Uganda. Laissa Pollyana do Carmo, Advisor to the Agrarian Policy Secretariat, National Confederation of Rural Workers and Family Farmers (CONTAG), Brazil.

Each producing country has different characteristics. Can you share the three main characteristics of the supply chain in your target country?

Erika Almario Alvarado spoke from Colombia: “The diversity of the actors (mainly small producers). 73% of productive areas are cultivated with coffee. We have four links: production, transformation, trading and export. An other characteristic is the high quality of colombian coffee: we’re known as washed Arabica producer. Huilla has topography, ideal climatic conditions and the 95% of coffee families carries out their activities in areas that are smaller then 5 hectares.

Here the importance of Huila: for 13 years it has been the number one for quality and volumes, rappresenting the 20% of the national production. Small growers are 85.929 for 147-969 hectares. Finally, the thid characteristic is the social-economic impact of coffee business.”

Douglas Opio, from Uganda: “The situation in Uganda is not so different: the coffee sector is dominated by small producers. And many of them have a few hectares: many of the areas are focused on Robusta, that is the principal variety coltivated, above all because of the low altitudes. But there’s also Arabica, that grows in some areas. The beans are sold green mainly for export, instead local consumption is very low – infact, we’re basically a tea country -.”

Pollyana Laissa on the Brazilian market: “Brazil is the largest coffee producer in the world (52.8 milion bags in 2022). It’s also the biggest exporter worldwide in 121 countries, (35 milion bags in 2022). United States, Germany, Italy, Belgium and Japan: they are bigger consumers of exported coffee from Brazil.

Minas Gerais is the largest coffee producer in Brazil, and it’s responsible for the production of 23 million bags in 2022.

All this coffee is grown in more than 264 thousand properties rural areas (small, medium and large). 91, 883 workers are registered (eSocial – December 2023).

About the dynamics of coffee production chain in Brazil: coffee farms> cooperatives/warehouses> export> tradings> importers> industries> supermarkets> consumers.

And here the main challenges for Brazilian coffee. Reduce informality: we have approximately 58% workers in Minas Gerais without a formal contract (Continuos PNAD 2022). Eradicate Slave Labor and Child Labor: more than 1000 workers were rescued from foced labor, and more then 100 children and adolescents found in irregular work situations from 2017 to 2023. “

The second question is about challenges of coffee supply chain has to face in each country. Two key issues: informality, child and forced labor, related to migration and women. What are the new trends regarding this topics? What is currently happening in Brazil, Colombia and Uganda?

Erika Almario Alvarado for Colombia:
“Build the path towards labor formalization (improve the working conditions of workers in the coffee supply chain). Workers are the ones who make the magic. All these families love and invest in the supply chain and this is the reason for the uniqueness of the flavours of our coffees. We have created a model that can be replicated outside Huilla. The 85% of coffee is grown in an informal economy. The pandemic in Colombia has pushed child labour further.

Our focus on migration: we have 900.000 (on 2,5 milions of jobs) pickers who migrate and are trained to pick coffee, but they fall into the 85% of informal work. More then 90% of the workers do not contribute to the social security system, while 46% do not know how to write or read or have not completed their schooling. This results, in the event of any unforeseen event, in the capital of Huilla’s entire supplychain being put at risk: we therefore decided to build a way to fill this workforce gap.”

Douglas Opio, the employer’s prospective.
“The issue is getting people with the right talent and skills in coffee farming, that is not at the moment attractive to young people. One third of our export is from coffee, so the major challenge is to get more work force.

The second aspect is the domestic consumption, that has been left behind and we have to catch up, because it is still low. Another issue from the employer’s point of view is the productivity: we have the majority of small holders farmers and that does not allow us to obtain the necessary volume with the right consistency. “

Pollyana Laissa about Brazil:
“Migration of workers from the State of Bahia and the North of Minas Girais to the South of Minas Gerais, often means that families are moving where there’s no services, education, schools. Women have many difficulties to find jobs: that causes social vulnerability of workers at departure and arrival location.

When we talk about women: of the 91.883 workers in the coffee production chain, only 15,189 are women (16%).
We try to give them opportunity and it starting now in the harvest of 2024.”

Last topic: the initiatives that have been promoted to meet these challenges

Erika Almario Alvarado in Colombia:” Our project is the perfect blend of different ingredients with the perfect timing. The first ingredient of this path is the articulation: we have an indicator that allows all workers to work with effective social dialague.

We succeded in the formation of the regional committee of the coffee chain in the department of Huila through tripartite social dialogue with representation of the productive sectors, the government and representatives of the workers We’ve invited by ILO to the decisional table and we get there in order to have a winning opportunity.

We adopted this method for productivity and decent work. We wanted to be able to articulate with stakeholders, private and public institution, and that’s why we created the Comitè Regionale de la cadena de cafè in Departimento di Huila.

We are looking to the promotion of decent work in a perceptional view, with a dedicated team. We shared all this points with the stakeholders to get more results: every link is empowerment. We will continue to work with trainers program for each stakeholder, institutions to underline the importance of those topics.

And we want to extend the project to the workers comunity. We had the goal of 1000 people involved, but we have overcome our expectations, leading an emulation effect in other departments: today we have more than 200 grower certificated, in 7 departments and 20 municipalities.

Pollyana Laissa in Brazil:
” An agreement (The Pact for the adoption of good labor practices and guarantee of decent work in coffee production in Brazil) was signed for the adoption of good labour practices and the guarantee of fair labour in coffee production in Brazil.

The partecipants: Ministry of Labor and employment, Ministry of devolepment and social assistent, family and combating hunger, National Confederation of agricultural workers and family farmers – CONTAG, National Cofederation of rural saluried workers – CONTAR, Confederation of agriculture and livestock of Brazil – CNA, Public Ministry of Labor – MPT and International Labor Organization – ILO.

Goals: cooperation between private and public entities to facilitate actions aimed at improving working conditions in coffee farming in Brazil, focusing on formalizing labor retions and guaranteeing decent work. Constitution of a Permanent Tripartite Dialogue Table for Coffee Production. Promotion of collective negotiation and board and inclusive social dialogue.

Guidance for workers and empoyers on the importance of respecting and valuing union activities. Promoting responsible business conduct and decent work. Eradication of child labor and work similar to slavery. Respect the guidelines of the sustainable work programs.

Other good practices: implementing our voices, with a pilot complaint mechanism for workers in the Brazilian coffee production chain. Created by the public survey Global fund to eradicate modern slavery, the mechanism has technical support from CONTAR to provide assistance to workers, finding a fair solutions through social dialvogue. Collective negotation in coffee sector.

Douglas Opio in Uganda:” First thing: ILO is very supportive and we created a good tripartenes arrangement, with a busy agenda with a focus on the training of employers that at the same time ensures the elimination of child labour. We are trying to document what good practices are and share them with a wider public.

We have grouped small producers into cooperatives to lower expenses and improve conditions for everyone. Often there are no smartphones and no connection, and we are now developing a more advanced technological network.
For the gender issue we are working to move women to more lucrative areas for better professions in the supply chain.”

Do certifications help growers?

Douglas Opio: “Certifications do not give much value to farmers. And about the Eudr diligence: if companies move in this direction they will have a better place in the market, but someone has to check that standards are really being met.”

Erika Almario Alvarado: “We have some problems: the supply chain has to deal with issues that certification does not take into account, as well as workers’ rights. We need to establish more direct dialogue, to give farmers easier access, using a more understandable language.”

Final question, the fundamental righ to a safe and healthy working environment

Erika Almario Alvarado: “We have companies that have been working in the certification of coffee farms and in trading different value, ricognizing the skills of workers themselves. Now growers are improving their lively conditions.

Douglas Opio:” In Uganda safety and health are important, and they’re linked to an garantueed income. Level of absenteism is reduced, own costs go down. Generally increases the level of the productivity of companies and help also the country in the process.”

Pollyana Laissa: “We’re an organization that rapresents workers, we control the conditions of all workers, many of them have been rescued from slavery situations.”

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“We are incredibly proud of the progress we have made as it relates to gender parity, inclusion and the empowerment of women at Danone Canada” says Melanie Lebel, Senior Vice President, Human Resources at Danone Canada.

“This level-up from silver to gold status reflects and celebrates the structural improvements we have made to support our people and eliminate workplace barriers disproportionately faced by women. I believe that through these actions, we can continue to enable women’s success across all levels of the enterprise.”

The certification is based on a comprehensive assessment of the organization’s results in their commitment to creating gender parity in the workplace as it pertains to their culture, communications, policies, and career development programs.

Globally, Danone is also recognized as one of the select companies to be listed among Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index (GEI)

This index brings together companies committed to disclosing their efforts to support gender equality through policy development, representation, and transparency.

In addition, Danone was listed among the 2023 Forbes World’s Top Companies for Women.

About Women in Governance

Women in Governance (WiG) is a non-profit organization founded in 2010 to support women in their career advancement and access to decision-making bodies, as well as progressive organizations striving to close the gender gap in the workplace. The organization pursues its mission with its Parity Certification, inspiring events, as well as robust governance training and mentoring programs. More information is available at www.womeningovernance.org

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