Environmental Sustainability Criteria in the Coffee Sector – Lessons that Can be Learnt

Abstract In the article, the issue of environmental sustainability criteria in the coffee sector is researched. Such important aspects in this topic are highlighted and discussed as reasons for the emergence of sustainability criteria for coffee and factors that make the production of coffee sustainable. Two widely used sustainability standards for coffee, the Fair Trade Coffee sustainability standard and the Utz Certified Coffee sustainability standard, are investigated more precisely. The environmental requirements of these standards in the form of environmental sustainability criteria, and mechanisms to control their fulfilment are outlined. The issue of control is separately highlighted, because it is considered indispensible for the constructions with sustainability criteria to function as they have been aimed for. Finally, challenges of the present situation in the coffe