By Maytaal Angel
LONDON, Oct 15 (Reuters) – Global commodities trader Olam pledged to improve conditions for the farmers it buys coffee from and ensure its direct supply chain is not responsible for deforestation as it announced its first public sustainability targets in coffee on Thursday.
Commodity traders have for years used coffee certified by third parties to meet consumer demand for ethical and sustainable sourcing, but the system has to date had limited success.
As a result, western governments are now poised to legislate against the import of commodities linked to climate change and human rights abuses, putting companies under increased pressure to find solutions.
“Many of the complex challenges in coffee remain and are now compounded by COVID-19,” Vivek Verma, managing director and CEO of Olam Coffee said in a statement…
