Starbucks C.A.F.E. Practices

What is Starbucks C.A.F.E. Practices?

Starbucks has a longstanding commitment to conducting business responsibly and supporting communities where we do business. Since 2004, the cornerstone of the Starbucks ethical sourcing approach to buying coffee has been the Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices program. The program aims to verify that all Starbucks coffee is grown, processed, and traded in an economically, socially, and environmentally responsible manner. C.A.F.E. Practices is a third-party audited verification program with a continuous improvement approach; rather than a one-time certification, the program works to improve practices over time. The C.A.F.E. Practices Standard serves as a foundational set of practices for the program that seeks to move producers and coffee supply chains towards resilience through this continuous improvement model.

Starbucks relies on SCS Global Services (SCS) to ensure the quality and integrity of the third-party verification process for its C.A.F.E. Practices. We train and approve third-party organizations who verify suppliers participating in C.A.F.E. Practices.

Read about Starbucks’ ethical sourcing process and SCS’ role here.

Looking for the Standard or other Resources?

All C.A.F.E. Practices documents are available in the tabs below.

For Supplier questions, contact Starbucks Farmer Support Center: [email protected]

Looking for a verification organization?

Locate an approved verification organization near you.