Sustainability in Coffee Production ─ Creating Shared Value Chains in Colombia

Coffee, as a commodity and through its global value chains, is the focus of much interest to achieve fair trade and equitable outcomes for producers, processors and consumers. It has iconic cultural and economic significance for Colombia, which is one of the world's major coffee producers for the global market. This book examines sustainable coffee production in Colombia, specifically the initiatives of Nestle to create shared value.

It describes the transformation of the coffee landscape by the development of economically, socially and environmentally viable and dedicated supply chains. Suppliers have been encouraged to shift production and quality paradigms, in order to develop long-term and sustainable strategies for higher value and premium quality products. This has been partially achieved by establishing a robust partnership with the Coffee Growers Federation and other public, private and social actors, thereby taking control of the institutional architecture and knowledge base that exists in the country. The book provides an important lesson of corporate social responsibility and the creation of shared value for the benefit of farmers, corporations and consumers.

Andrea Biswas-Tortajada is a Research Fellow at the Third World Centre for Water Management in Mexico. She has also worked for the Water Supply Department in Gujarat, India and for the United Nations Development Programme in Geneva.

Asit K. Biswas is Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. A recipient of the Stockholm Water Prize and named by Reuters as one of the top 10 water trailblazers of the world, his work has been translated into 37 languages.