(openPR) - Bonn, 15 September 2011. The 4C Association has graduated to full membership status in the ISEAL Alliance, the global association for social and environmental standards setting organizations. 4C membership was confirmed by a decision of the ISEAL Board of Directors during their meeting on 12th September.

The 4C Association had already joined ISEAL as associate member in 2009. To be eligible for full ISEAL membership, the 4C Association had to undergo an independent external evaluation to demonstrate full compliance with ISEAL´s Impacts Code and Assurance Code.

"The 4C Association is very proud to become a full member of the ISEAL Alliance and be part of a leading community of standard setting organizations. By achieving full ISEAL membership, the 4C Association has demonstrated that its standard setting process is credible, transparent and participatory”, stated Melanie Rutten-Sülz, Executive Director of the 4C Association.

As a full member of ISEAL, the 4C Association is adhering to the ISEAL Codes of Good Practice, which ensures that 4C standard-setting practices are credible and effective. This means that:
• the standard-setting process is transparent and open to interested stakeholders;
• the standard has clear objectives, and criteria that meet those objectives;
• there is meaningful participation by those stakeholders that are directly affected by the implementation of the standard;
• there is a balance of input in the discussion and in the decision-making on the standard; and
• the standard will not create unnecessary barriers to trade.
The ISEAL Codes are recognized by several governmental and inter-governmental guidelines as the measure of credibility for voluntary social and environmental standards.
“I would like to congratulate the 4C Association on reaching full membership status,” said Patrick Mallet, Credibility Director of ISEAL. “Through compliance with the ISEAL Codes, 4C is meeting the highest standards of credibility for sustainability standards.”

The 4C Association began as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project in 2002 called the Common Code for the Coffee Community (CCCC) and is now an independent association made up of coffee producers, trade and industry, and civil society. Together the members of the 4C Association developed the 4C Code of Conduct, which sets out social, environmental and economic principles for the sustainable production, processing and trading of green coffee. It has a moderate entry level, including the exclusion of ten Unacceptable Practices, and commits participants to continuous improvement. Through this approach, the 4C Association helps coffee farmers to get started on sustainability and step up from the sustainability baseline to more demanding standards.
Other full members of the ISEAL Alliance are: Accreditation Services International, Fairtrade International, Forest Stewardship Council, International Organic Accreditation Service, Marine Stewardship Council, Rainforest Alliance / Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels, Social Accountability Accreditation Services (SAAS), Social Accountability International (SAI), Union for Ethical BioTrade and UTZ CERTIFIED.

The 4C Association is the multi-stakeholder organization that brings together actors that are genuinely committed to addressing the sustainability issues of the coffee sector in a pre-competitive manner. The members of the 4C Association include coffee farmers (both big and small), traders (importers and exporters), industry players (coffee roasters and retailers) and civil society (non-governmental organizations, standard setting inititiatives and trade unions). This global community works together to improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of farmers who make their living growing coffee. Members also include individuals committed to this goal.
Together the members of the 4C Association developed the 4C Code of Conduct which sets out baseline social, environmental and economic principles for the sustainable production and trade of green coffee. For more information: www.4c-coffeeassociation.org

4C Association
Adenauerallee 108
53113 Bonn
Germany
www.4c-coffeeassociation.org
press contact:
Verónica Pérez, Communications Manager
phone: +49 176 27424440
mail: veronica.perez@4c-coffeeassociation.org