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Report

30 Oct 2017

Author:
Institute for Human Rights & Business

E. Africa: Human Rights Impact Assessment highlights importance of country-specific due diligence to protect human rights of coffee sector workers

"Human Rights Impact Assessment: A report about the East African coffee sector in: Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Burundi"

The Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) was commissioned by Coop Danmark (Coop) to conduct a human rights impact assessment (HRIA) of the coffee supply chain for its Kenya-based subsidiary African Coffee Roasters (ACR) and prepare an HRIA report…The HRIA focused on the coffee supply chain in four sourcing countries: Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and, to a lesser extent, Rwanda. The purpose of this HRIA is to provide a foundation for the development of an appropriate human rights due diligence process for Coop’s and ACR’s operations in these sourcing countries that is in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and Coop’s and ACR’s responsibility to respect human rights.

The research findings reveal that the enjoyment of human rights of coffee farmers depends strongly on the political and economic context of the respective country, including the approach states take in fulfilling their duty to protect human rights. The coffee sectors are strongly influenced by the specific regulatory, political and social context in their respective countries. This is the case for the enjoyment of specific rights impacted by activities linked to coffee growing and production (such as the right to an adequate standard of living, right to water, etc.)…

[The report recommends that] Coop/ACR…develop a country -specific approach that responds to the specific conditions in the country in mind – what works in one country will not necessarily work in another country. The human rights due diligence process should be guided by a Coop/ACR policy and CSR and human rights strategies. While bearing in mind the guidance of the UNGPs, the particular actions that are needed should be responsive to the particular situations in each country and, if necessary, each cooperative.