If ethical farming and sustainability are important to you then look for coffees that have the following certifications:
Fair Trade – This ensures a fair deal to farmers and farm workers and sees them retaining more profits for themselves and their families. It ensures that they are not exploited by those who want quality products at the lowest price possible.
Rainforest Alliance – Ensure the protection of rainforests that everyone, including the livelihoods of farmers, rely on. In addition, it also helps to protect the livelihoods of the farmers and their workers.
There are guidelines in three sustainability areas that products with a Rainforest Alliance certification need to adhere to. They are environmental, social and economic. This means that they will need to be assessed on how well they conform to the requirements of the Rainforest Allowance in all three areas.
USDA Organic – This certification means that coffee growers use only natural methods to grow their coffee. This includes natural fertilizers and excludes chemicals which means that the coffee they produce is only better for the environment but for consumers too.
Shade Grown Coffee – Trees provide a canopy under which coffee can grow. These trees provide habitats and feeding grounds for insects, birds and other animals. Therefore growers pledge that their coffee farming is not invasive and disruptive to the surrounding natural environment.