Beyond compliance: Collective action to address the root causes of child labour in the coffee supply chain

The global coffee sector is undergoing significant transformation, driven by evolving regulatory requirements, shifting market expectations, and increasing pressures related to climate change. Small-holder coffee farmers produce up to 80 per cent of the coffee consumed globally. Yet, they and many coffee workers in producing countries are particularly vulnerable to risks such as insufficient income or wage, inadequate labour protection and legal enforcement, including child labour, and the impact of changing weather patterns. 

In this context, the International Labour Organization (as lead agency), the International Trade Centre, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the United Nations Children’s Fund, with co-financing of the European Union, have formed a unique partnership under the CLEAR Supply Chains project to advance an integrated, area-based approach in coffee-producing regions of Honduras and Uganda. 

Coordinated action between governments, workers’ and employers’ organizations, coffee businesses and other stakeholders enhances shared accountability and alignment between corporate due diligence and public oversight mechanisms. Combined with sustainable and inclusive value chain development, this approach contributes to addressing the root causes of child labour and other key decent work deficits, embedding human rights due diligence in a coordinative ecosystem that drives systemic change and moves beyond compliance. 

The CLEAR Supply Chains project is organizing a hybrid event titled: Beyond compliance: Collective action to address the root causes of child labour in the coffee supply chain. During this 1,5-hour event, distinguished speakers will share lessons learnt as well as the results of their collaborative approach bringing together coffee companies, public services and community actors collaborative as an effective and efficient mechanism to scale up the prevention and remediation of child labour in the coffee supply chain, and to move from compliance towards a systemic approach on addressing the root causes of child labour.