Insights

Software and Technology Manager Pavel Muñoz set up a user-friendly, shared data system that matched 3D printer owners with those supplying materials and helped get thousands of needed face masks to local hospitals, at the height of the pandemic in Spain.

Through the collective knowledge of 70 global experts, this textbook from prestigious academic publisher Springer Nature – with COSA President Daniele Giovannucci as one of its editors – presents the emergent and critical value of market-based mechanisms for sustainable practices in value chains.

We may be close to a time where ‘sustainability’ and ‘mainstream are heard in the same breath. Even so, accountability from CEOs and investors can only come through good metrics to get the right kind of insights.

It is heartening to read, in this brief insight, of a few courageous actions that some organziations are taking to improve farmer incomes.

Leading companies are grappling with what their responsibility toward a “Living Income” for farmers they source from might mean, as extreme poverty is increasingly seen as a human rights issue.

From blockchain to big data, there are hundreds of shiny apps and software on offer in today’s data-centric world. Every month new technology companies sprout up promising solutions for supply chain management, risk mitigation, and sustainable sourcing. How can you make the right decision? 

New apps are not only bringing vital information to small farmers, they are increasingly driving their participation in a rich digital eco-system. With the average farmer in the developing world surpassing 60 years of age, these impactful technologies help engage younger farmers in productive ways.

COSA and the Ethical Tea Partnership reviewed more than 100 studies by academics, government experts, and certification bodies to agree on a common list and description of indicators.

Driven by the world’s largest foundation and engaging some of the best minds, we are putting together one of the most unique efforts to radically transform smallholder farming.

The COSA Measuring Sustainability Report: Coffee and Cocoa in 12 Countries surprised many in 2014 with its hard data and frank insights, the result of partnered research with leading institutions.