Title
Multiple certification uptake by coffee businesses: Evidence of functions and benefits from Central America
Date Issued
01 September 2020
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Centro Internacional de Investigación Agroforestal
Abstract
This article examines why and how nine coffee businesses in Central America engaged with multiple certification systems and the related functions and benefits. The businesses implemented, on average, four systems. Certification, in general, strengthened their negotiation position vis-à-vis exporters and international buyers, whereas multiple certification reduced the risks inherent in their reliance on any one certification, allowing businesses to sell as much coffee as possible at a relatively higher price. However, commitments to the certification's underlying goals were tenuous: Businesses engaged a subgroup of their supplier base in any one label, and coffee buyers purchased relatively small volumes of certified coffees, at times, conditioned on access to larger volumes of noncertified coffees. Although certification facilitated capacity upgrading, in many cases, the changes were minor and might have taken place without certification. Results suggest that multiple certification helps sustain small-scale coffee exporters but dampen expectations that certification will drive long-term systemic change in the sector. We conclude with recommendations for certification agencies and others that seek to support coffee businesses to expand their engagement in certified coffee markets.
Start page
264
End page
276
Volume
3
Issue
3
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Negocios, Administración
Agricultura
Economía
Subjects
DOI
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85090348062
Source
Business Strategy and Development
ISSN of the container
John Wiley and Sons Inc.
Sponsor(s)
This research was funded by UTZ Certified, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and the CGIAR Research Programs on Policies, Institutions and Markets (PIM) and Forest, Trees, and Agroforestry (FTA). We owe special thanks to Ingrid Herrera, who provided valuable assistance in data collection, and to Henk Gilhuis for his contributions to an earlier version of this article.
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus