A recent investigation by NGO Public Eye makes serious allegations about modern slavery and labor law violations on coffee farms in Brazil. Is this true?
Forced labor is unacceptable, and we are committed to addressing and eliminating its root causes. The allegations in this report misrepresent the work we do in our coffee-sourcing regions. During a consultation prior to publication, we informed Public Eye that we do not source coffee from three out of the four farms mentioned in this report: Três Irmãs, Primavera and Mata Verde. These farms are not part of our supply chain. The relationship with the fourth farm, Vista Alegre, was terminated in March 2025.
Do you source coffee from the Vista Alegre farm?
No. The Vista Alegre farm is suspended from our AAA Sustainable Quality Program™ pending assurance that it complies with our standards.
How do you justify sourcing from Cooabriel, when some of the farms are facing serious allegations?
We source coffee from a specific group of 500 farms within the Cooabriel cooperative that are 4C certified. This means that the farms we source coffee from meet the environmental and social criteria set out under the 4C Code of Conduct, including prohibition of forced labor, child labor, and other unacceptable working conditions. None of the farms facing serious allegations are part of that 4C certified farm group.
We also maintain direct communication with Cooabriel to stress the necessity of safe and fair working conditions. Our Nestlé Responsible Sourcing Core Requirements outline the strict social, environmental, and other requirements that must be respected by all suppliers – whether they are a direct or indirect part of our coffee supply chain.
Since you buy the coffee via suppliers and not directly from farms, how can you make sure that the suppliers verify that no violations are made at farms?
Our ingredients, including coffee, are assessed as responsibly sourced when they are traceable back to the group of farms and are assessed as compliant with the Nestle Responsible Sourcing Core Requirements (pdf, 2Mb) at production level. This level of traceability allows us to effectively carry out due diligence in close collaboration with the sustainability certification/verification programs, as well as with our supply chain partners.
What actions do you take when human rights violations are reported?
Where violations of our standards are identified, immediate action is taken in coordination with the sustainability certification/verification programs and with our suppliers. This may involve assisting farms to make necessary changes to ensure compliance with our standards or excluding them from the responsible sourcing farmer groups linked to the Nescafé Plan and the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Program™ (in case of a severe breach).
If you have a robust plan in place, how come these things can go unnoticed?
The coffee supply chain in most countries is made up of hundreds or thousands of small producers, which makes traceability complex. We have implemented an effective due diligence that allows us to identify the risks we face and to prevent, monitor and take corrective action if needed. This includes on the ground audits by independent certification or verification third party programs, remediation plans and exclusion of the farm from the responsible sourcing farmer groups linked to the Nescafé Plan and Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Program™ programs. If our standards are not met, we act immediately.
