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Nestlé and the International Labour Organization (ILO) are expanding their long-standing partnership with a new two-year initiative aimed at improving labour rights and fair recruitment practices across coffee supply chains in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.
The project, titled “From fair recruitment to worker protection in coffee supply chains,” is designed to support more sustainable and resilient sourcing networks by addressing labour-related risks in three of the world’s key coffee-producing markets.
According to the ILO, the initiative will promote labour rights by identifying and addressing the drivers of decent work deficits across coffee supply chains, particularly among seasonal and migrant workers.
Building on its standard-setting role, the ILO will facilitate dialogue between governments, employers and workers’ organisations to assess labour challenges and help shape targeted country-level interventions.
These interventions will focus on promoting fair recruitment practices and worker protection, while also generating insights to support broader knowledge-sharing across the global coffee sector.
Supporting more sustainable supply chains
Dan Rees, Director of the ILO Priority Action Programme on Decent Work in Supply Chains, said the project aims to improve sustainability by tackling long-standing labour issues within coffee production.
“Coffee production sustains the livelihoods of approximately 20–25 million families worldwide, generating vital income and employment. However, decent work deficits in coffee supply chains persist, particularly among seasonal and migrant workers. Through this project, we aim to advance labour rights and promote decent work and contribute to more sustainable supply chains.”
Nestlé links labour standards to supply chain resilience
Nestlé says the partnership supports its broader sustainability goals for coffee sourcing and is intended to help build more resilient and inclusive coffee value chains.
Antje Shaw, Head of Sustainability for Coffee at Nestlé, said:
“Our partnership with the ILO represents a significant step to advancing and promoting human rights in coffee supply chains. By working together, we can progress faster in creating more resilient and inclusive coffee value chains, where workers are treated with dignity.”
Antje Shaw, Head of Sustainability for Coffee at Nestlé
Backed by wider sustainability initiatives
The programme is supported by the Nescafé Plan, Nestlé’s global sustainability programme for the brand.
It will also contribute to the ILO’s Fair Recruitment Initiative, which promotes fair recruitment principles globally, and the ILO’s Safety + Health for All flagship programme, including its Vision Zero Fund, which supports safe and healthy working environments in supply chains.
As sustainability expectations continue to rise across global food and beverage sourcing, the initiative highlights growing industry focus on labour rights as a key component of responsible and resilient supply chain management.
This article was produced by the editorial team at EME Outlook and published as part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines.
Outlook Publishing delivers industry insights, company stories, and sector coverage across manufacturing, mining, construction, healthcare, supply chains, food production, and sustainability.
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