Today, almost one million farmers and workers are reached by the UTZ program in 37 producing countries, positioning UTZ as the largest agriculture program for the sustainable production of cocoa and coffee – and soon for the sustainable production of tea and rooibos.

We spoke to Han de Groot, executive director for UTZ, to learn more about UTZ, their global sustainability initiatives and how U.S. food and beverage companies benefit from sustainable practices.

Gibbs-rbb: Tell us about UTZ and your process.

Han: UTZ is a program and label for sustainable farming of coffee, cocoa and tea. Our program relies on a Code of Conduct, which sets guidelines for good agricultural practices that producers must comply with in order to become UTZ.

The UTZ Program enables producers to learn better farming methods, improve working conditions, and take better care of people and the environment. Producers are certified by independent and accredited auditors against our Code of Conduct. This process ensures transparency in verifying compliance with our program and allows businesses to source reliable sustainable ingredients.

UTZ also operates a traceability system that tracks the movement of certified commodities along the supply chain, recording the volumes bought and sold. This traceability system allows consumers and members of the supply chain to be confident that the ingredients in their UTZ-labelled products come from a sustainable source.

Our mission at UTZ is to attain a world where sustainable farming is the norm. 

Gibbs-rbb: What initiative is UTZ spearheading to help make coffee, cocoa and tea consumption fully sustainable?

Han: Our main initiative relies on the fact that our program is based on a business-to-business approach. We offer a practical and robust sustainability program to large companies that processes and trades much of the world’s coffee, cocoa and tea.  This program allows large amounts of ingredients to be sourced sustainable, and more producers around the world are able to market their sustainable products.

The UTZ program is designed to improve producers’ lives and to offer a flexible and cost efficient sustainability program to the industry.  For instance, producers in origin countries that are UTZ generate higher yields and companies are able to secure their supply for the future.

By bringing large, medium and small companies on board and encouraging them to source sustainable coffee, cocoa and tea, more sustainable products are available in the market for consumers worldwide.

Currently, UTZ coffee, cocoa and tea are harvested in 37 countries, and there are 20,000 different product packs sold in 135 countries around the world. I think this represents a good start in making consumption fully sustainable. 

Gibbs-rbb: How are U.S. food and beverage industries supporting these global efforts?  And, what more needs be done?

Han: There are currently some industries already purchasing UTZ ingredients in the U.S., and therefore supporting our global efforts to make sustainability the norm.  These companies include Nestlé, Hershey’s and Smucker’s, among others.

What more needs to be done? Well, I think we need to start the dialogue in the U.S. about the importance of large-scale sustainable sourcing and engage important players, not only within the industry, but also within civil society, research institutes and governments. The agricultural sector is facing major challenges, such as climate change, and we will not be able to tackle these issues without the participation of all players involved. 

Gibbs-rbb: In an article published by your organization titled Trade vs. Aid, you state that real change can only be set in motion “…if we see the market not as an enemy but as a means to make good initiatives great…”  Tell us more about this theory.

Han: To make sustainability the norm and to have a positive impact on the agriculture sector, we need to work together with the industry and motivate them to source sustainably. We cannot do this without the cooperation of businesses.  By scaling up the program in cooperation with market leaders, we’re able to take sustainability out of the niche market. Keeping in mind the interests of the market and the producers is key to our business model.

What has also been very important to UTZ’s growth is our multi-stakeholder approach. Without having involved others in our strategy, we would have failed. UTZ has been inclusive when designing its growth strategy. Governments, companies, civil society organizations and farmers alike have participated in shaping who UTZ is today. 

Gibbs-rbb: How does sustainable sourcing with UTZ add value to a business?

Han: UTZ offers a robust and practical sustainability program accessible to businesses of all sizes. By sourcing UTZ ingredients, businesses will eventually:

• Secure supply in origin by implementing good agricultural and commercial practices to secure the supply at competitive prices in the long term;
• Strengthen businesses’ reputation by providing independent assurance of any business’s sustainability sourcing strategy;
• Meet consumers’ expectations by offering products made with ingredients that come from sustainable certified farms where people’s rights are respected and natural resources are cared for and protected;
• Have traceable ingredients by registering all sales and purchasing activity of certified products in the UTZ traceability system.

Gibbs-rbb: What are some ways all of us can promote sustainability throughout the year?

Han: The best way is to buy products that contain certified ingredients. Get informed about what sustainability programs stand for and demand more sustainable ingredients from the brands you like.  

About UTZ

UTZ is a program and label for sustainable farming of coffee, cocoa, tea and hazelnuts. Its mission is to create a world where sustainable farming is the norm. The UTZ Program enables farmers to learn better farming methods, to improve working conditions and to take better care of people and the environment.  Compliance with UTZ’s requirements by farms and businesses is closely monitored by independent third parties. For more information, visit www.utz.org.