JDE Peet’s announced plans to roll out an innovative new program to assess and address coffee-related deforestation globally. JDE Peet’s has partnered with Enveritas to leverage a combination of satellite imagery, artificial intelligence and on-the-ground verification to measure the extent of coffee-related deforestation, allowing local operators, governments, NGOs and farmers to better mitigate their deforestation risks.
After a successful pilot program in Vietnam, JDE Peet’s has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, and Uganda and expects to sign MOUs with additional coffee producing countries over the next several months. These agreements aim to ensure that coffee producers export coffee grown on land that was not deforested after 2020. If the coffee does not meet these requirements, JDE Peet’s will support local authorities, NGOs and farmers to reforest the land.
Fabien Simon, CEO of JDE Peet's, said in the announcement: “At JDE Peet’s, we are committed to delivering sustainable growth that creates both shareholder return and societal value. This means making sure our supply chain is inclusive, regenerative, and authentic, which is exactly what our Common Grounds sustainability program is designed to do. I am excited that this innovative new program, which is fully aligned with the EU's Regulation on Deforestation-free products, will ensure continued access to the EU market for the millions of smallholder farmers we work with around the world.”
David Browning, CEO of Enveritas, added in the announcement: “Millions of smallholder farmers around the world rely upon coffee income to pay for their children’s health, education, and nutritional needs. The new EU regulation risked significant new complexities and processes in the coffee supply chain which could mean new costs for vulnerable populations least able to afford it, and also risk market access. We are honored to be a part of this innovative collaboration with JDE Peet’s which brings together public, private, and philanthropic organizations to address deforestation in a manner which also protects smallholder farmers.”
