As an independent and stakeholder-driven standard for the entire coffee sector, 4C aims at strengthening the production of environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and economically viable coffee worldwide.

4C Services is a global assurance service provider delivering solutions to the coffee sector. 4C Services is the operator of the 4C (Common Code for the Coffee Community) standard which was developed in a comprehensive and transparent multi-stakeholder process involving coffee producers, trade and industry as well as various civil society organisations from around the world.

The 4C standard is highly inclusive: four out of five producers are smallholders. It ensures that coffee cultivation is not contributing to cutting of primary forests or reduction of biodiversity, good agricultural practices and the protection of soil, water and air are applied, human, labor and land rights are respected, farmers are sufficiently trained to increase productivity and profitability. In addition to the core standard, 4C focuses on tackling specific issues in the coffee supply chains with the help of 4C Food Security, 4C Climate Friendly and 4C Gender Equality add-ons.