Sustainability must be embraced by all actors in the value chain if the specialty coffee industry is to survive. The Coffee Sustainability Program is designed to explore what “sustainability” means and the challenges of acting sustainably across the coffee value chain through three stages of learning (Foundation, Intermediate, and Professional). Through the program, students can expect to build skills that include: the ability to articulate broad sustainability challenges across the value chain, lead others in discussion and practice of these issues and ultimately identify, develop, and carry out and assess a sustainability effort that fits within their own organization.
 
Foundation Level
At the Foundation Level, students will be exposed to sustainability terminology, a brief history of sustainability projects in coffee, and key sustainability challenges across the value chain. They will begin to understand the trade-offs and complexities of different approaches and access some of the tools that exist to address a variety of challenges. Designed for people at all points in the coffee chain, participants will leave the course understanding why sustainability is a different kind of challenge than others in coffee, but not an impossible one, and will have ideas on where they might start in their own organizations.
Articulate broad sustainability challenges at different points in the value chain
Discuss different possibilities for future sustainable practices at various levels of the coffee chain
Explain trade-offs of different sustainability projects