Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/316339 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
SustainableFood Discussion Paper No. 23
Publisher: 
Georg-August University of Göttingen, RTG 2654 Sustainable Food Systems, Göttingen
Abstract: 
Voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) have gained prominence in the agri-food sector as marketbased tools to address environmental and social concerns in global supply chains. While third-party certifications like Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade have been extensively studied, company-led inhouse certifications, such as Starbucks' C.A.F.E. Practices, remain underexplored. This paper examines the effects of in-house and third-party certifications on coffee farmers' economic and ecological outcomes in Rwanda. Using survey data from 842 coffee farmers and ecological data from a subsample of 99 farmers, we explore the association between certifications and coffee revenues, costs, yields, vegetation structure, and animal diversity. Our findings indicate that third-party certifications enhance economic performance without compromising ecological conditions, whereas in-house certifications improve economic indicators at the expense of biodiversity. These findings underscore the need for policy measures that not only support the economic benefits of certification but also address potential ecological trade-offs, ensuring that sustainable development strategies benefit both farmers and the environment.
Subjects: 
Sustainability standards
Third-party and in-house certifications
Economic outcomes
Ecological outcomes
Coffee
Rwanda
JEL: 
Q01
Q56
Q57
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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