ISEAL is pleased to announce that 4C Services GmbH has been approved as an ISEAL Community Member. As our first member with a certification scheme developed exclusively for the coffee sector, we are excited to bring their insights and knowledge to our growing learning community. 

The 4C Code was initiated and formulated in 2003 as the Common Code for the Coffee Community in a multi-stakeholder process involving representatives of the coffee sector from producer and consumer countries and civil society. The 4C certification system, based on the 4C Code, is a sustainability standard focussing on good agricultural practices, including requirements for the economic, social and environmental conditions for coffee production and processing in order to create credible, sustainable and transparent supply chains. The inclusion of smallholder farmers is an important part of 4C certification, which is based on continuous improvement. 

Following approval by the ISEAL Board on the 30 November 2023, ISEAL’s Executive Director, Karin Kreider, said: “I’m delighted to welcome 4C as an ISEAL Community Member. With 4C’s close focus on the coffee sector through the 4C standard and certification programme, we anticipate their insight will be a valuable addition to our learning community. We look forward to providing them with the opportunity to share their knowledge and experience with other ISEAL Community Members.”

Norbert Schmitz, 4C Services GmbH CEO commented: “We are proud to join the ISEAL Community. This marks an important milestone in the continuous improvement of 4C and reinforces our position as a reliable and effective certification system. As we embark on this journey with ISEAL, we look forward to collaborative efforts, shared insights, and collective impact that will amplify our mission to support sustainability in global supply chains."

Our membership

ISEAL Community Members are sustainability systems and accreditation bodies dedicated to delivering benefits for people and planet. They are committed to continually improving their systems and impacts through learning and innovation; collaborating with stakeholders and peers; and are transparent and truthful about how their systems work and how they measure their impacts.

In becoming an ISEAL Community Member, 4C joins a growing number of well-respected sustainability systems that are driving positive social and environmental change across multiple sectors. 4C Services GmbH will be working alongside these mission-driven sustainability organisations to continuously improve the effectiveness of their systems and demonstrate impact.

We encourage any organisation developing or operating a sustainability system with a multi-stakeholder approach and a commitment to credible practices to consider joining ISEAL.