COSA provides realistic information for those that have an interest in maintaining the stability of their long-term supply and its quality. Especially for consumer-facing firms, the credibility of COSA’s approaches can facilitate both reporting and compliance needs. Firms that are more advanced can use COSA to effectively integrate the appropriate sustainability principles (such as good farm management) into their operations or supply chain.

One of the world’s fastest-growing multinational coffee companies was an early adopter of COSA metrics. There was concern when it received the unpleasant evaluation that the producers applying its standards were achieving only average or below-average environmental results. To their credit, the firm utilized the information to improve and reconfigure their approach and within two years there was substantial measurable improvement of environmental practices among its farmer-suppliers.