The Global Coffee Platform's Latest Report Shows An Increase In Sustainable Coffee Purchases From Major Buyers – CoffeeTalk

On Dec 10, 2025

The Global Coffee Platform (GCP) has released its Sustainable Coffee Purchases Report 2024, indicating an increase in sustainable coffee purchases among its members. This sixth edition highlights advancements in transparency and the adoption of sustainable coffees that meet the foundational standards of the Coffee Sustainability Reference Code (Coffee SR Code).

Eleven prominent roasters and retailers—including JDE Peet’s, Julius Meinl, Keurig Dr Pepper, Melitta Group, Mother Parkers, Nestlé, Supracafé, Taylors of Harrogate, TESCO, UCC, and Westrock Coffee Company—participated in GCP’s Collective Reporting initiative, reporting their sustainable coffee purchases for 2024. The report utilizes standardized metrics to illustrate how these companies have collaborated with supply chain partners and coffee producers to source coffees from GCP-recognized Sustainability Schemes, which are categorized under either a 3rd Party Assurance System or a 2nd Party Assurance System.

Annette Pensel, Executive Director of GCP, noted the significance of collective action in the growing alignment among GCP members around commonly developed definitions of coffee sustainability. She praised the transparency shown by the participating companies and encouraged broader participation from roasters and retailers to foster a baseline for sustainability that benefits farmers and the entire supply chain.

Key findings from the report include:

The number of participating roasters and retailers rose to 11.
Sustainable coffee purchases increased by over 170% since 2018, climbing from 639,710 metric tons to 1,738,800 metric tons in 2024.
A total of 26 GCP-recognized sustainability schemes were eligible for reporting, including four with a 3rd Party Assurance System and 22 with a 2nd Party Assurance System.
These eligible schemes reported data concerning over 2.6 million coffee farmers and 5.8 million hectares of coffee cultivation.
Reported sustainable coffees constituted 75% of total reported purchases, representing 21% of global green coffee exports for the 2023/24 period.

These developments are attributed to the implementation of sector-wide sustainability tools, including the Coffee SR Code and GCP’s Equivalence Mechanism. This mechanism acknowledges Sustainability Schemes as equivalent to the Coffee SR Code based on their differing assurance systems, facilitating a shared understanding of sustainability across the sector.

The report emphasizes the importance of annual transparent reporting on sustainable coffee purchases, which fosters trust and provides comparable data regarding the demand for sustainable coffees.

Pensel remarked on the increasing expectation for transparency from coffee consumers, corporate shareholders, and investors concerning the industry’s sustainability strategies and outcomes.

Looking ahead, GCP plans a review of the Coffee SR Code and Equivalence Mechanism in 2026, offering members and partners an opportunity to influence future sustainability tools as sector expectations evolve.

Pensel highlighted the need for ongoing collaboration to evaluate the impacts of investments and actions on farmers and the environment, advocating for a collective approach to enhance farmer livelihoods, environmental health, and supply chain resilience.