Leading supplier of green coffee ofi — formerly known as Olam Food Ingredients — has unveiled its sustainability targets for 2030 aimed at reducing supply chain emissions by 30%, helping 20,000 farmers achieve a living income, expanding human rights programs, and applying regenerative farming practices across half a million hectares in key coffee-growing regions.
“Our targets are ambitious, but they’re backed by a sustainability journey spanning 20 years and represent the next chapter in our long-term ambition to build more resilient and regenerative coffee supply chains,” said coffee chief executive Vivek Verma.
“Our history of effective action for farmers, rural communities, climate and nature, as highlighted in our recent Impact Report, shows that we understand and can develop effective strategies to simultaneously address the most pressing challenges in the industry. Which is why, with the constantly evolving requirements of a sustainable coffee supply chain, we are looking to scale up our efforts and action under Coffee LENS with bigger and bolder targets for 2030,” he added.
The initiative, named Coffee LENS (Livelihoods, Empowerment, and Nature at Scale) 2.0, includes four focus areas:
- Improving Farmer Livelihoods: Customized support plans will be expanded to reach 300,000 farmer households, with a targeted 20,000 achieving a living income.
- Empowering Communities: ofi commits to implementing Child Labor Monitoring & Remediation Systems (CLMRS) in all high-risk supply chains, benefiting 50,000 children with educational support to protect their human rights.
- Accelerating Decarbonization: The company aims to scale climate-smart actions and resource efficiency, targeting a 30% reduction in on-farm greenhouse gas emissions and a 50% reduction in processing plants.
- Restoring Coffee Landscapes: Efforts will focus on regenerative production systems and the use of geo-spatial tools for deforestation monitoring, aiming to build natural capital.
Scaling up efforts with digital innovations for green coffee
ofi is poised to leverage digital solutions to address challenges ranging from child labor risks to deforestation. A notable innovation is the Carbon Sequestration Monitoring (CSM) tool developed in partnership with Google geospatial partner NGIS. This tool is designed to measure carbon stock changes on supplier farms and sourcing landscapes, enhancing ofi’s ability to monitor and intervene effectively in its supply chains.
“Our bolder approach means that whether we’re supplying specialty coffees, cascara applications, or plant-based latte mixes, we can offer our roaster and manufacturer customers beverage ingredients that come with greater transparency and sustainability impact across their supply chains,” said Verma.
The announcement comes as food companies prepare for increased enforcement of human rights laws and new EU regulations on disclosing nature and climate risks. Over 170 major food and beverage companies committed to a global regenerative agriculture framework last year, with prominent names including Nestlé, Danone and PepsiCo leading this charge.
Meanwhile, more NGOs and relevant bodies are monitoring and calling for clear sustainability targets to be disclosed by large-scale companies.
